Red wine on white cotton shirt - please help!

[John.St]

Two days ago I was standing at the bar at an degustación de vino, glass of red wine in hand, when a lady accidently hit my elbow, spilling wine on the sleeve and front of my white 100 percent cotton shirt

Normally I would use a spotted shirt for cleaning my barbeque or the like, but not only was I wearing the shirt for the second time in its young life, but it is (read: was) a wonderful shirt made of such heavy cotton that it can almost stand alone (and somewhat expensive).

I already know I can use a pair of scissors to remove the large spots, but somehow feel that is not the proper procedure

I immediately flushed it in cold water, next morning tried salt, salt + lemon, coconut oil, palm oil, undiluted detergent, and blancheado - to no avail.

Any (useful ) ideas how I remove wine spots from pure white cotton?

 

[Napoleon]

1) Boil water in a large pot
2) Remove from fire
3) Stir in laundry detergent (don't skimp)
4) Put entire shirt into the pot (pushing the stained part towards the bottom)
5) Cover pot (to keep it hot... since THE FLAME IS OUT!)
6) Stir after 5 minutes (optional)
7) Remove after 10 minutes

The stain will be gone and you won't believe it. (I didn't, but it works.)

suerte

 

[French jurist]

I already know I can use a pair of scissors to remove the large spots, but somehow feel that is not the proper procedure

Since you take it with humor --> Ask the forum's expert, AKBill

Too bad you used salt, it's a recommendation appearing on the net that seems to do more harm than good (it "fixes" the spot).

Here's a list of tips (but time has passed now, I hope you didn't let it dry) :
--> Put the shirt to boil in milk, let it sit in milk for 24 hours
--> If that does not work, your last bet is ammonia (amoniaco in Spanish ?) but this has to be used diluted I guess, with glasses + gloves.

 

[John.St]

Since you take it with humor --> Ask the forum's expert, AKBill

Too bad you used salt, it's a recommendation appearing on the net that seems to do more harm than good (it "fixes" the spot).

I did cry for an hour and a half - where else do you think I got the salt from?

I shall add your advice to that of The Emperor:

8) Put the shirt to boil in milk, let it sit in milk for 24 hours
9) If that does not work, your last bet is ammonia

Hoping for the best, fearing the worst.

 

[fifs2]

Im laughing at all these guys offering victorian treatments my grandmother would have been proud of...I for one am a modern girl and find Vanish is a miracle product, mixed with a little water into a paste and left for 10 mins it removes even old coffee, tomato or red wine stains from whites. The parents at my sons school know the menu from the state of his tee-shirt at the end of the day..he`s napkin training and I buy Vanish powder in bulk (liquid isnt so good in spite of what it says!). Best of luck with it..there is hope!

 

[Roxana]

The salt works to stop the chemical reaction of fats getting attached to the cotton.

 

[John.St]

Im laughing at all these guys offering victorian treatments my grandmother would have been proud of...

We are an old fashioned bunch!

Vanish - that's like cheating in cards - anyone can remove stains with those modernities, next you propose using these "electrical" lamps instead of candles and gas lamps, I suppose - hrmp!

 

[John.St]

I shall thank you for the suggestions when I find out where thanks are due
- going to test all four methods, one on shirt (or more depending on result), others on stained tablecloths (have large storage of those - at five in the morning some of my guests are rather exalted ).

 

[MorganF]

In Argentina, everyone uses "Trenet" (sold in all Chinos) (classic for their commercials, "chau mancha!" etc) to remove stains. It's like an Argie version of the Tide Stick, but it's in spray format.

No idea if it works on cotton or not.

 

[John.St]

In Argentina, everyone uses "Trenet"

I have tried Trenet ("blancheado" in first post) to no avail.