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The best ways to remove dark grape juice from clothes, carpets or furniture

If grape juice spills on your clothes, couch or rug, you'll want to act quickly.
/ Source: TODAY

Kids love grape juice, but when it unexpectedly erupts from a squeezed juice box and dribbles all over clothes or, even worse, the couch, it quickly becomes an exercise in speed cleaning. So what's one to do when grape juice creates those creeping dark stains? We asked the cleaning experts, and they had plenty to say on the matter.

How to remove grape juice stains from white clothing

When dealing with grape juice stains, Clorox expert Mary Gagliardi, aka “Dr. Laundry,” brings out the big guns — bleach products appropriate for the fabric. Here’s how she addresses a grape juice disaster:

  • Rinse the stain with a little cool water.
  • Pre-treat by rubbing a little Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel directly onto the stain.
  • Wash immediately in the hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and ½ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach.

How to remove grape juice stains from colored clothes

  • Rinse the stain with a little cool water.
  • Pretreat with liquid Clorox2® Stain Remover and Color Booster, gently rubbing it into the stain.
  • Wait 5-10 minutes.
  • Wash in the warmest water recommended on the care label using detergent and more Clorox2®.
  • Air dry and check for success; repeat if necessary.

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How to remove grape juice from upholstery

There are a few different ways to tackle the same type of grape juice stain. Here are three expert methods that could work.

Method 1: Start with dish washing soap

Michael Jacobs from Service Pros Local uses the following two methods to remove stubborn grape juice stains from upholstery:

  • Blot — don’t rub — the stain with a white cloth to remove excess grape juice.
  • Pat the stain with a cloth moistened in a mixture of 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon of dish washing detergent. To avoid spreading the grape juice, start at the outside of the stain and work toward the center.
  • Dry the stain by patting with a clean, white cloth.
  • If the stain persists, there are two alternatives.
  • Treat as above, this time using a mixture of 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.
  • Allow product to work for a few minutes.
  • Remove any residue by alternately dabbing the area with a damp white cloth and a dry white cloth.
  • Blot to dry.

Note: This method also works on a slip cover that's not machine washable.

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Method 2: Grab the hydrogen peroxide

  • Blot the stain with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
  • Allow it to work for a minute.
  • Remove peroxide by alternately blotting with a damp white cloth and a dry white cloth.
  • Blot to dry.
  • If stain remains, contact a professional upholstery cleaner.

Method 3: Pre-treat like a pro!

Dr. Laundry” offers these tips for dealing with non-machine washable upholstery.

  • Check under the seat cover for care instructions and the fiber content of the fabric. If it’s a fabric you can care for yourself such as cotton, polyester, nylon or rayon, rent an upholstery cleaner (a carpet cleaning machine with a special hose attachment) and purchase the appropriate cleaning products for the machine at the place where you rent it.
  • If you decide to pre-treat the stain, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t let the pre-treater sit on the fabric more than a few minutes. And definitely don’t let it dry out!
  • Use hot tap water to mix the cleaning solution according to manufacturer’s instructions.

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How to remove grape juice from carpets and rugs

Jack White, vice-president of technical services for Rainbow International, explains that grape juice can permanently stain natural-fiber carpet and rugs if not removed quickly. If you're facing a grape juice disaster, here's what you need to do:

  • Quickly blot up as much grape juice as possible with paper towels.
  • Apply a diluted solution of 1 teaspoon dish washing detergent and 1 cup of water.
  • Starting at the outer edges and moving toward the center, work the detergent solution into the spot with a white cotton towel.
  • Rinse by alternately dabbing the spot with a wet white cloth and blotting it until dry.
  • If residual color remains, you can try to remove it by dabbing the stain with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
  • Rinse peroxide from carpet by alternately dabbing the area with a wet white cloth and blotting until dry.
  • If the stain remains, consider obtaining commercial carpet spot remover. Make sure the product you use has a CRI certified seal of approval, advises White.
  • Pre-test it on a carpet scrap or in a hidden spot.
  • Follow the product’s directions carefully. More is not better. Apply a small amount of the cleaner to a white cloth and work it in gently, starting at the edges and moving toward the center.
  • Blot, don’t scrub. You may need to do this several times to remove the spot.
  • To remove any remaining product, blot the area with clear water one or more times.
  • If the stain remains, contact a carpet cleaning professional.