How to Remove a Wine Stain from Your Mattress

Written by Natalie Grigson, Writer

Our Testing Process

Here at Sleep Advisor, our Sleep Certified experts use a refined mattress and product testing process to give you unbiased product suggestions… Read our full product review process.

In This Article

Have a wine stain on your mattress? We’re here to help you remove it.

»

Enjoying a glass of wine in bed can quickly go from a romantic or relaxing evening to a stressful one if you accidentally spill – especially if it is a red wine that also makes its way into your mattress. 

Before you start shopping for new mattresses, there are some tried and true ways to remove wine stains from your bed, often with ingredients you probably already have at home. In this article, we’ll go over different ways to remove wine stains from your mattress, using a variety of products and methods. 

Learn more: How to Clean Your Mattress

Removing Wine Stains from a Mattress

Red wine gets its color from the skins of the grapes¹ it is made with. Unfortunately, this red liquid acts as a natural dye, easily staining things it comes into contact with. You’ll have to be careful about the materials and even the temperature you use to get red wine out. 

For example, if your red wine has spilled through your sheets and onto your mattress, be sure you are washing your sheets on cold². Only after the stain has been washed on cold do experts recommend washing the fabric again in hot water.²

Since you can’t very well throw your mattress into the wash, we’ll go over some ways to spot-treat the stain. Just remember – don’t attempt to scrub it with hot water! This may further set the stain. 

Method 1: Hydrogen Peroxide and Liquid Dish Soap

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used in stain-removing products because it actively lifts out the stain’s color. The second ingredient here, liquid dish soap, works to remove the stain by breaking down any oils or particles, just as it would on your dishes. 

Here’s what you’ll do: 

1. Mix the hydrogen peroxide and liquid dish soap in a bowl or container, using approximately a 3 to 1 ratio of hydrogen peroxide to dish soap. When you’re done, its consistency should be a relatively thick liquid, which won’t run easily on the surface of the mattress. 
2. Apply the mixture to the stain using a cloth or sponge. Let it sit for about thirty minutes. 
3. Remove the mixture with a clean sponge or rag. This rag shouldn’t include water. 
4. You may need to repeat this process until the wine stain fades completely. 

Method 2: Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar are on opposite sides of the pH scale³, which measures how acidic or basic a substance is. Vinegar is extremely acidic⁴ so it can effectively break down things that are less acidic than it, including wine. 

Baking soda, on the other hand, is considered to be a base that can dissolve certain compounds, and the combination of these two opposites makes it a good solution for handling stubborn stains.⁴ 

It’s important to note: Only use white vinegar as red vinegar could exacerbate the problem. If your mattress cover is made of natural fibers or wool, avoid using vinegar entirely. 

To try this method, follow these steps carefully:

1. Make sure that the wine is completely absorbed from the mattress and that the area is as dry as possible. 
2. Using a cloth, dab white vinegar onto the stain. You can also use a spray bottle. This should help break down the stain. 
3. Sprinkle baking soda over the area. The combination of the vinegar and baking soda should bubble up and help lift out the stain. If this doesn’t occur, you can add a bit more vinegar to the area, but you shouldn’t need to soak it. 
4. Let this sit for 15 to 30 minutes. 
5. Dab away the baking soda and vinegar solution with a dry cloth. 
6. Let the area dry naturally before adding any bedding. 
7. If necessary, use a handheld vacuum once the solution has dried completely to remove any excess baking soda. 

If the stain has been left untreated for a long time, you might consider leaving the baking soda on the stain overnight. You can also repeat this process a few times until the stain lifts out completely. 

Method 3: Commercial Wine Cleaners

If you Google “commercial wine cleaners,” you’ll see there are plenty of products available. These commercial stain removers usually come in the form of liquids and often include ingredients like sodium percarbonate, which is similar to hydrogen peroxide. Generally, these products work by lifting the stain, much like hydrogen peroxide would.

Even though they’re marketed toward wine spills, these sorts of commercial stain removers can be very effective at removing all sorts of stains. 

Typically, you’ll spray or dab the liquid onto the stained area and then let it sit for a certain amount of time before dabbing it off. The amount you’ll use, the timing, and the cleaning details will vary depending on the product, so be sure to follow your specific cleaner’s directions carefully. 

What If I Don’t Have The Ingredients Above?

If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, liquid dish soap, baking soda, vinegar, or commercial wine cleaners immediately accessible, you might be tempted to get creative with ingredients you do have lying around. 

Before you do, take a deep breath, slow down, and read the following, because not all of these creative ideas will help; in fact, several home remedies will make the wine stain worse. 

Can I Use Salt to Remove Wine Stains from My Mattress?

Somehow over the years, the myth that salt removes stains was born. The idea is that if you sprinkle salt on a stain, it will somehow absorb it or lift it out of the fabric.  

However, this is not true for wine stains. In fact, salt (or sodium chloride) will likely set a wine stain further⁵, making it even harder to remove. 

Can I Use Shaving Cream to Remove Wine Stains from My Mattress?

It might sound strange, but shaving cream is a good, alternative way to get wine out of your mattress. This is because shaving cream includes “surfactants⁶,” which bubble up and create a thick lather. This thick, foamy texture should help lift the stain and may even prevent it from spreading further. 

Can I Use Hand Sanitizer to Remove Wine Stains from My Mattress?

Hand sanitizer is primarily made up of alcohol, which is a powerful disinfectant. It can also help remove stains by breaking down the pigment. That said, it will work best if it is a hand sanitizer with a higher alcohol content and if you use it quickly after the wine has spilled. 

You should avoid using alcohol-based products like hand sanitizer on any mattresses that include rayon, wool, acetate, or silk⁷. 

Can I use WD-40 to Remove Wine Stains from My Mattress?

Some people think of WD-40 as an “all-purpose” product, using it to do everything from lubricating a squeaky door to removing gum from the bottom of their shoe. In this case, however, WD-40 might do more harm than good because it contains oils, which may further stain your mattress. 

Instead, try using the baking soda and vinegar method or a commercial stain remover. 

What If My Mattress has a Removable Cover?

Most mattresses that have a removable cover can be put in the washing machine, though we highly recommend learning about your specific mattress cover’s washing instructions before you do this. Some mattress covers need a particular detergent, a specific cycle, or should be dry-cleaned only. 

To find out how best to wash your removable mattress cover, you can try contacting the manufacturer directly, reading the label, or visiting the manufacturer’s official website.

Oftentimes, beds made with natural fibers won’t have a removable cover. If this is the case for you, we recommend hand-washing the stain with one of the methods listed above – but remember to avoid vinegar or alcohol if your mattress is made with natural fibers.

Whether or not your mattress has a removable cover, we highly recommend getting a mattress protector for your bed; especially if you eat, drink, or have children or pets in the bed. 

If you consider your mattress a lost cause, consider exploring our picks for the Best Mattresses of 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you remove dried red wine stains?

Yes, you can remove dried red wine strains, and baking soda is particularly effective at this. Depending on how stubborn the stain is, you can use a combination of baking soda and water, or baking soda and white vinegar.

How do you get wine stains out of a mattress?

To get wine stains out of a mattress, we recommend either a combination of hydrogen peroxide and liquid dish soap, baking soda and white vinegar, or using a commercial stain-removing product. Just be sure you’re not using alcohol or vinegar on a mattress made with natural fibers, and never use salt or an oil-based product (like WD-40) to clean a wine stain from any type of mattress.

How do you get dried red wine stains out of a mattress?

For a lighter dried wine stain, mix about one tablespoon of water with two tablespoons of baking soda. Stir until it makes a paste. Then, apply this paste to the stain and leave it on overnight. The next day, the stain should have lifted significantly, but you may need to repeat this process once or twice for maximum results. You can simply vacuum off the baking soda powder once it has dried.

For a more stubborn stain, sprinkle baking soda onto the stain. Then dab or squirt white vinegar onto the area, until the combination of the two bubbles up and foams. This should help lift the color out of the mattress. You can leave this baking soda and vinegar combination on the bed for several hours or even overnight, depending on how stubborn the stain is. Dab away any excess wetness and then allow the area to completely dry before adding bedding.

Natalie Grigson

Writer

About Author

Natalie is a content writer for Sleep Advisor with a deep passion for all things health and a fascination with the mysterious activity that is sleep. Outside of writing about sleep, she is a bestselling author, improviser, and creative writing teacher based out of Austin.

Combination Sleeper