Red wine on a sofa: what to do without damaging the fabric
Blot without rubbing, check the material and avoid universal remedies after a glass has been spilled.
Read moreSofa, Carpet and Leather Care Guides
Four guides to spills, leather and carpets, with advice that takes the material and maker's instructions into account.
A product or amount of water that suits one covering may leave a ring, change the colour or reach the padding of another. Start by identifying the material, reading the maker's instructions and considering anything already applied.
Two guides cover spills: one deals specifically with red wine, while the general guide explains cautious first steps for other marks. The leather guide starts with the finish, and the carpet guide looks at fibre, backing, floor below, moisture and drying.
These articles are informational. They do not present specialist sofa, carpet or leather treatment as a Fast Clean service. For routine home cleaning, use the residential-cleaning page linked below.
One principle: check before acting
For a fresh liquid spill, gently blotting with a clean white cloth is often the most cautious first step. It does not mean that water or a cleaning product should follow: the upholstery instructions still come first.
Care codes may be absent or belong to different labelling systems, and a removable cover is not automatically washable. If the material is unknown, valuable or already changed by an earlier attempt, stop and ask a suitable specialist.
No machine or product guarantees the same result on every leather finish, fabric or carpet. A specialist should assess the material, colour, condition and drying requirements before proposing a method.
Guides in this hub
How to Care for a Leather Sofa Without Damaging the Finish
Identify the finish, follow the maker's instructions and recognise the signs that mean no further product should be applied.
Read leather sofa care
Sofa stain: first steps without damaging the upholstery
First steps for different spills, the limits of care labels and the signs that mean you should stop before damaging the upholstery.
Read sofa stain guide
Carpet Cleaning: Check the Fibre, Product and Drying Conditions First
Fibre, backing, product, moisture and drying: what to check before vacuuming, treating a spill or arranging deep cleaning.
Read carpet cleaning guideLooking after the rest of your home?
Fast Clean's service concerns the cleaning of the home itself. Upholstery, carpet and leather treatment should be entrusted to a dedicated specialist.