Remove alcohol stains from clothing with a quick and simple laundry technique

There is nothing worse than spilling red wine on your favourite shirt on a night out, but there is a simple way to clean away any alcohol stains from clothes without too much effort. 

Courtney Walsh a, home cleaning expert from the cleaning platform Homeaglow, has shared with the Express that many alcohol stains can ruin clothing but if you can treat them quickly then they can be saved. 

She said: “Don’t worry, your favourite shirt, dress or pants won’t be ruined but you may need to repeat the cleaning actions for some stains. 

“Though, for many, these simple cleaning techniques and products, can easily remove most alcohol stains from your favourite clothes.”

Stained clothing needs to be treated differently depending on what material is it made out of, but it is very easy to clean away stains once you know what to do. 

How to get alcohol stains out of your clothes 

How to remove alcohol stains from cotton or linen

The best way to save cotton or linen clothes from alcohol spills is by dabbing the stain as soon as possible with cold water. 

Courtney said: “Acting quickly is the best course of action with cotton and/or linen clothes, simply dabbing with a clean cloth can remove any excess alcohol on the fabric, followed up with a flush of cold water and another dab of a clean cloth can prevent the majority of the stain from settling.”

If dabbing does not work then pretreat the stained clothes by placing them in a tub filled with cold water for at least 30 minutes and it should help. 

Once you have done that drain the cold water and refill the tub with clean water and laundry detergent, then work the detergent into the stain, then drain the water once again.

Give the clothes a final rinse in cool water and then place them in the machine, and hopefully, your favourite shirt, dress or any other stained piece of clothing is saved. 

Courtney said: “Some items and stains will need stain remover added again for the machine wash. Check your items of clothing’s washing instructions if you’re unsure of what temperature or cycle to use.” 

How to remove alcohol stains from silk

Silk clothing tends to be pricy and can be incredibly difficult to remove marks or stains once they get into the fabric, but it is now important to get your garments clean again. 

Once the stain appears blot and dab the stained fabric with a small amount of warm water, and if you have any on hand club soda can help lift any dried-on stains but only use a little as it can be harsh on the fabric. 

After dabbing the silk item, hang it up to dry and once completely dried then add a little glycerin to the stain, which can be bought for £1 out of Tesco. 

Courtney said: “Used to make soap, glycine can be used if the rising method hasn’t worked. Get yourself some glycerin and let that sit on the stain for 30 minutes.”

When the glycerin has soaked into the stain rinse it with cold water until all the glycerin has been removed and then wash the garment as you usually would 

Courtney said: “Given the cost and delicate nature of silk items, it can be advisable to seek professional help as soon as you can, especially if rinsing the item has not worked.” 

How to remove alcohol stains from wool 

Wool is highly absorbent which means the material can bond with liquid stains and due to its delicate fibres it can be tricky to get rid of stains without ruining it. 

Courtney said: “The key to cleaning your wool items is to act quickly - even more so than with other fabric types - using appropriate techniques and products to help clean the item.” 

However, the best way to try and get rid of wool alcohol stains is to first dab the stain from the outside inwards to try and pick up as much excess alcohol as possible. 

Then you will have to prepare a simple laundry solution made up of half white vinegar and half wool laundry detergent mixed with cool water. 

It may seem strange but white vinegar is acidic which means it can effectively break down alkaline alcohol stains while also being safe to use on wool. 

All you have to do is dab and bolt the cleaning solution onto the stain from the outside of the stain inwards. 

If the stain has not been removed, then soak the wool clothing in a large tub of cool water with some wool laundry detergent and very gently rub and rinse the stain until all the soap residue has gone away. 

Once the soap is completely gone, rinse the wool again in cold water and a splash of white vinegar, then continue to rinse until the vinegar has completely washed away. 

Dry small pieces of clothing with a towel by wrapping them in more than one towel to help soak up the water, but if it is a larger item then hang it up to air dry but make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight. 

Courtney said: “Given wool’s delicate nature, be sure to follow the washing instructions for your piece of clothing and seek professional advice and help should the stain need further cleaning.”