How To Remove Grape Juice Stains

Many years ago, when my kids were small – Seemed like someone was always sick with a cold, cough, runny nose, fever – you know the drill.

My kids were prone to fevers and would get up in the morning with the tell-tale signs – pink cheeks, whiny and grouchy. Since it was usually the result of a new tooth or a passing bug, we didn’t get too excited but dosed the sick kid with children’s Tylenol and began forcing fluids.

Naturally, the ailing child got to curl up in mom and dad’s bed so we could “keep an eye” on them. I’d keep busy checking foreheads and temperatures, and serving glasses of Kool-Aid, apple juice, grape juice and Popsicles.

One of them really liked grape Popsicles and I could always count on her to obediently take what the doctor ordered. Gosh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if all medicine was that simple?

Tips For Grape Juice Stain Removal

Grape juice, like red wine, has pigments in it that are very hard to lighten and remove completely. Way back when, all I knew to do was to dampen the stained item with water and dish soap, scrub it as well as possible.

I learned much too late that you shouldn’t allow grape juice to dry on a stained garment. Once the fibers are dyed with the juice, it’s very difficult to remove the grape juice stain.

I didn’t realize that it’s very important to get to the stain as soon as possible. My simple cleaning remedy giving it a quick rinse with soap and water would have most likely worked. As it was, after my daughters illness was long gone, the grape juice stain still remained.

I know now that as with all stains, you should spring into action immediately and attack the stain.

Boiling Hot Water

If the stained material permits, the #1 most effective method of removing fruit and berry juice based stains is to use boiling hot water. Yes it’s true.

You can boil a pot of water and carefully pour the water through the stained material, or add the garment to the pot of boiling hot water and let it sit for 5 minutes or so. Do not keep the water boiling when the garment is in the water.

The hot water trick will also work for cherry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, other fruit juices, and red wine stains too.

Lemon Juice or Vinegar

If the stained item is large or otherwise wouldn’t take well to being immersed in boiling hot water, you can try the following method:

1. Flush with cold water.
2. Then sprinkle lemon juice on the stain and let it sit in the sun – if you can.
3. If not, go ahead and apply the lemon juice and scrub it in with an old tooth brush or other soft bristled brush.
4. Allow to air dry.
5. Do not put the material or the garment in the dryer as that will, for sure, set the stain.

If the lemon juice is not successful, then use white vinegar right out of the bottle.

1. Moisten a cotton pad or the corner of a household sponge with vinegar and dab it on the stain, repeatedly.
2. Then put the garment in the washer and wash according to the manufacturer’s instructions for the fabric.

Again, when the wash cycle is completed, do not place the garment in the clothes dryer. Allow it to air dry.

It’s possible you may still see some grape juice stain in the fabric and putting it in the dryer will only cook the stain to the fibers. If it’s possible, allow the garment to dry in bright sunlight as the sun has the effect of pulling color out and is very helpful in stain removal.

Other Stain Removers

I’ve tried Zout and Spray & Wash and found them to be effective if you apply it to the stain ASAP, and then work in either by rubbing between your knuckles or by using short quick strokes with an old toothbrush or other soft bristled brush.

Allow to sit while the washer fills and then wash the garment per manufacturer’s directions. I always air dry treated stains either by hanging on a hanger in my laundry room or by hanging the garment outside in full sun.