We all know what the dreaded red wine stain looks like. Red wine, a fermented alcoholic beverage made from red and purple grape juice, can stain almost anything it comes in contact with that has a porous surface, including your clothing, furniture, carpets, and hardwood floors. Without protecting hardwood floors against red wine stains or promptly cleaning up a wine stain at the time it occurs, it can set in and become permanent.
But before that happens, be sure to check out our expert tips on caring for, treating, and protecting your hardwood floors against red wine stains.
What Happens if a Red Wine Spill on Hardwood Floors is Left Untreated?
Hardwood is made of material from the trunks and branches of deciduous trees found in temperate and tropical forests. Hardwood varieties include bamboo, alder, balsa, beech, hickory, mahogany, maple, oak, teak, and walnut trees. Hardwood flooring is popular because it is completely natural, strong, durable, sustainable, and renewable. A solid wood floor can last hundreds of years, especially if maintained well. So, what happens if a red wine spill on hardwood floors is left untreated?
When red wine is spilled onto a hardwood floor, it can be a quick fix if caught in time. As such, the best thing to do if wine spills on hardwood floors is to wipe it up before it sets in. Of course, that is not always possible to do, especially in the case that the red wine has been left on the surface of the hardwood floor without being noticed. After setting in, if left untreated, the red wine stains surfaces with its pigments called anthocyanins that are found in red, purple, and black grape skins.
So, what can you do to protect your beautiful hardwoods? We have some tips and tricks to help you keep your floors looking spotless!
What Can You Do to Protect Your Floors Against Wine Stains?
To protect the hardwood floors against wine stains in advance before they occur, a person can begin by choosing pre-treated flooring such as “waterproof flooring” for their home. With waterproof flooring, no water or moisture can penetrate the surface of the flooring material. Similarly, with waterproof flooring, if red wine is spilled on it, the wine will not soak through or cause any damage to the flooring. And that’s some great news for all of us wine lovers!
Can Wine Stains be Removed?
The good news is that, yes, wine stains can be removed using a wide range of methods such as store-bought spot treatments and do-it-yourself spot remover treatments. So, when your favorite vino spills, what should you reach for? Let’s find out!
Woca Spot Remover
Ever heard of a product called Woca Spot Remover? If not, today’s your lucky day! This product is formulated specifically as a spot treatment for use in removing hard-to-treat stains caused by corrosive materials such as red wine or mustard spills on hardwood flooring.
Simply spray the surface with the spot treatment and scrub the spot. And voila! Bye, bye stains!
Master Oil
Our next go-to is master oil, which may also be used as an added protection against red wine spills. Master oil is the first coat of oil applied to a wood floor, which forms a barrier against dirt and spills, and it really does an A+ job when it comes to protecting your precious hardwoods.
DIY Spot Removal Treatments
We’re always up for a good DIY tip. So, if you do not have a store-bought spot remover product or cannot find one at the time you need to use it, you can make your own spot remover by finding common household cleaners in and around your home and making a do-it-yourself spot removal treatment with one of these products.
For example, make a one-to-ten-part vinegar-water solution and rub it into the area that has the spot. Leaving it there to soak can help to pull out the stain; repeat this treatment as needed until the stain lifts.
You Can Have Your Wine and Hardwoods Too
We all know that red wine contains red and purple color pigments found in grape skins, so any spill can result in a stain on any surface, including clothing, furniture, carpets, and hardwood floors. Without protecting your hardwood floors against stains or promptly cleaning up a wine spill at the time it occurs, it can penetrate the wood and be permanent.
Luckily, there are many ways to protect against this from happening as well as to remove a stain after it has already set in. You can use waterproof flooring that is pre-treated to protect against damage, use master oil to coat the surface of your flooring, and use spot removal treatments that are either on the market or do-it-yourself products made from home. So, in the end, you don’t have to choose between your beloved vino and your beautiful hardwoods.
Sources:
How to Remove a Wine Stain From Wood | Hunker
