How to Clean Champagne Stains

Written By
Kat Stromquist
Kat Stromquist
Published: Apr 19, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read

Though most sparkling wines are clear or light in color, when the wine dries on an object or clothing, an oxidation reaction can leave an unsightly stain. If you end up with splotches on your party dress or favorite sofa after New Year's Eve, learn how to do a quick damage control.

Things You Will Need

  • Lukewarm water
  • Mild dish soap
  • White napkin, cloth or towel
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Bristle brush
  • Club soda
  • Isopropyl rubbing alcohol
  • Olive oil
  • White vinegar
  • Melamine foam eraser

Champagne and Fabric

Wine stains in formal attire can be frustrating, because they may not appear immediately after wear. Storage in a damp area, dry cleaning or simple contact with air over time can make the wine's sugars turn yellow or brown. However, treatment of brand-new or freshly appeared stains is basically the same process. With a white lint-free cloth, blot the stain with lukewarm water and a gentle dish soap solution. Rinse through with more water. Avoid very hot water and heat from a dryer, especially for older marks, as heat can set the stain.

Preserve Your Furniture

Treat slipcover stains as you would a dress: Dilute the stain as much as possible with water or club soda; then flush it out with warm water and a soapy solution. Be patient. It may take several sessions to remove a stain completely. Prepare for bigger challenges with high-end furniture fabrics like leather or microfiber. A mixture of olive oil and vinegar is a natural cleaner for leather furniture. Use a diluted rubbing alcohol spray -- it may seem counterintuitive, but rubbing alcohol doesn't have sugar in it, so it doesn't have the same staining power as wine -- to pick up stains from a microfiber couch.

Advertisement

Watch Your Walls

After a really wild party, look at your walls: Stains may appear on wallpaper or painted surfaces. A 10-to-1 solution of water to soap will generally remove wine stains from home interior surfaces. In the kitchen or in a room with neutral walls, a melamine foam eraser may draw out any embedded markings.

Kat Stromquist

Kat Stromquist received a master's in creative writing from the University of New Orleans. She writes about interior design and lifestyle issues for a variety of print and web outlets.

Sponsored
HomeSteady Logo

HomeSteady is the ultimate guide for all your household needs, from cleaning and HVAC to electrical, DIY and maintenance.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.