We love Valentine’s Day. Between the Valentine’s Day cards, the flowers and the candy hearts, we love the holiday of love, but there are some things we don’t love about Valentine’s Day and that is red stains. Between the red colored beverages, the chocolate covered strawberries and red frosted covered desserts, you may be left with more red stains than you bargained for this Valentine’s Day. Here are some tips on how to easily remove all of those stubborn red stains.

Note about red stains and all stains in general: The sooner you can pre-treat the stain the better the chances you have of removing the stains from your clothing garments.


How to Remove Red Beverage Stains
Nothing pairs better with Valentine’s Day dinner than a glass of your favorite beverage of choice, but sometimes it can make a splash (and not the good kind of splash). Here’s how to remove red beverage stains from clothing:

STEP 1: Cover the red stain with a handful of table salt, which will absorb the red liquid. You know it’s working when the white salt begins to turn pink.

STEP 2: Soak the red stained garment in cold water with an enzyme detergent and let it soak overnight.

STEP 3: If you are enjoying Valentine’s Day away at a restaurant and can’t get your garment cleaned right away, use a stain remover pen immediately then treat your garment once you get home starting with the step two as listed above.

How to Remove Strawberry/Raspberry Stains
Whether you make homemade chocolate covered strawberries for a decadent Valentine’s Day dessert or add a few fresh raspberries to a glass of champagne for a toast to love, red stains from both strawberries and raspberries can be stubborn. Here’s how to remove strawberry and raspberry stains from clothing:

STEP 1: Flush the red berry stain with cool water.

STEP 2: Mix one tablespoon of white wine vinegar, a half a teaspoon of your choice of liquid laundry detergent and one quart of cool water. Soak clothing garment in this solution for 15-20 minutes then rinse with cool water.

STEP 3: If the stain remains, apply rubbing alcohol to a sponge and lightly dab the red stain thoroughly, but gently.

STEP 4: Wash your garment using chlorine bleach, only if it is safe for the fabric.

How to Remove Red Dye Stains
If you decided get creative for Valentine’s Day and make some tasty treat for family members, friends and co-workers, you may have used red food coloring or red food dye to get the perfect shade of Valentine’s Day red. If you had any kitchen mishaps and ended up with some red dye on your clothing, here’s how to remove it:

STEP 1: Soak the clothing item in one quart of warm water mixed with a half a teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent or your choice of laundry detergent and one tablespoon of ammonia. Let soak thoroughly for 30 minutes then rinse well in cool water.

STEP 2: If the red stain persists, soak the clothing garment in a solution of one quart of warm water mixed with one tablespoon of white vinegar for one hour. Rinse thoroughly with water then allow to dry completely.

Be sure to use extra care when using white vinegar on cotton and linen. Tip: Test the solution on a small portion of your garment before treating the red stain to make sure the solution does not create any damage on your clothing piece.

How to Remove Tomato-Based Stains
Whether you whip up a homemade meal or dine out at your favorite restaurant, the possibility for red stains at the dinner table can be prevalent on Valentine’s Day. Here’s how to remove tomato-based stains:

STEP 1: Rinse the red stain under cold running water immediately if possible.

STEP 2: Soak the clothing garment in warm water then lightly dab with a sponge and dishwashing soap.

​​​​​​​How to Remove Chocolate Stains
Okay so chocolate is not a red stain, but chocolate is one of the best parts of Valentine’s Day, so here’s how you can remove chocolate stains from clothing.

STEP 1: Remove any excess chocolate from the clothing.

STEP 2: Pre-treat the chocolate stain with your choice of liquid stain removing laundry detergent.

STEP 3: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to help spread the detergent into the garment’s fibers. If you don’t have a soft-bristled toothbrush, simply rub the fabric together. Let sit 10-15 minutes.

STEP 4: Leave the liquid stain removing detergent on the clothing then wash the garment on the usual wash cycle on the hottest wash temperature indicated on your washing machine.