Red wine: easy to drink, even easier to spill. Ask anyone and they'll have a solution for removing red wine, whether it involves using white wine or other unlikely substances like milk or shaving cream. It's a dreaded thing to spill, but we're here to calm your fears. We called in an expert, Ingrid Johnson, Professor and Assistant Chairperson of Textile Development and Marketing at Fashion Institute Of Technology (FIT), to debunk some cleaning myths and give us the right solutions. 1. Salt is the best option for cleaning up freshly-spilled red wine. "The first and easiest thing to do is ​to ​sprinkle with salt as this will absorb the wine," Johnson told us via email. The solution holds true for bedspreads, curtains, couches and other home items, which all "absorb slowly," making it easier to get the wet stain out. If the item is made of cotton, hot water is enough to do the trick, according to Johnson. 2. Oxi products are the best thing for getting out old, dried stains.

"Old or set in stains from wine can be more of a challenge," says Johnson. But it is possible to get dried wine stains out. She recommends saturating the area with hot water, applying a pre-treatment and then letting any oxi product -- usually a combination of granules and water -- "work its magic" for anywhere from 2 to 10 hours. 3. You shouldn't use white wine to clean up spills. Johnson shoots this home remedy myth down. "In both cases the stain is essentially fruit juice and not matter how clear the white wine seems​,​ it has color from the fruit," she adds. 4. Preventing stains is difficult, period. We've heard rumors that using certain fabrics like Sunbrella inside the home or awesome fabric protectors are easy ways to prevent stains, which Johnson partly puts them to rest. "There are fabric protectors like Scotchgard, but they are surface applications and can wear off from use. Sunbrella essentially can withstand being exposed to the elements and is noted for outstanding weather-ability."

At least if spills can't truly be prevented, we've got some solutions for you. And as Johnson said, where there is oxi paste, "there is always hope." Professor Johnson's answers were condensed for space and clarity. How-to-clean-up-red-wine How To Remove Red Wine Red Wine Stains Red Wine Red-wine-stain-removal-tipsbest buy upright vacuum cleaner ukHow to Get Poop Out of Everythingbest portable vacuum cleaner for stairs You've got baby or dog poop on your favorite couch, shirt, rug -- anything and everything. replace cooling fan in hp laptopHere's your poop cleaning guide.dryer vent cleaning steps

This is one of those things you never expected to Google: "How to remove poop from ____[fill in the blank]___." That's because when you imagined having a baby or a pet in your life, you probably didn't envision the very real presence of bodily functions and their propensity to, um, stain things.But, as any parent can attest, diapers have a way of leaking and pets have a way of having accidents. how much should a dryer vent cleaning costSo it's not far fetched to suppose that you may someday be confronted by the need to clean poop out of carpeting or off of your favorite work shirt. leather cleaning kit sofasAnd you need to know how to clean these things properly. (Hence the frantic Googling.)Getting rid of poop isn't fun, but it's not hard, either. (Unless the poop isn't hard ... then it's hard.

Here's what to do:Start With the BasicsRemoving poop usually involves a two-step process:1. Sanitizing or disinfectingCleaning comes first because it's hard to disinfect something that hasn't been cleaned properly. This means getting rid of the bulk of the poop -- whatever you can scrape off or otherwise remove -- and washing the item or surface so that you can begin disinfecting (killing the germs).But, should you wash the item with warm water or cold water? If it's a fabric that could potentially be stained, initially wash with cold water to avoid setting the stain. Warm water can be used if you're not worried about a permanent stain.To quickly clean your basic fabric items (like a stained onesie that has those tell-tale yellow leaks streaking from the seams of the diaper area) follow these steps: Remove as much of the poop as you can (and work as quickly as possible; cleaning immediately can minimize the potential for staining) Rinse or soak with cold water (blotting helps) Wash in the washing machine using hot water

, an enzyme-based cleaner (if suitable for the fabric), and bleach or vinegar (if suitable for the fabric).But What If It's Not Just a Stained Onesie?Baby and pet poop can affect any manner of objects from upholstery and carpeting to bedding, silk items, wool sweaters, your baby's toys, your dog's bed and on and on and on...The precise methods of cleaning will depend on the object that's involved, so try these tricks for specific materials:CottonRemember that onesie you washed in cold water and then laundered? Maybe it's still stained. (In fact, it probably is. That's just part of life.) You have one of the world's best stain-removing tools at your disposal: the sun. Never underestimate the power of sunshine. While its disinfectant properties are not as effective as bleach or other disinfectant products, sunshine does have an amazing ability to effectively remove poop stains from clothing or bedding. (Bleach is an EPA-recognized disinfectant but must be properly diluted and used according to instructions.) 

HandsYou've washed your hands repeatedly, but they STILL smell like poop. (It's okay, we've all been there.) Washing your hands with liquid dish soap may help, or trying wiping your hands with rubbing alochol swabs. PlasticFor baby toys and other plastic items, start with hot, soapy water and wash the affected item. Follow-up by sanitizing or disinfecting (the Environmental Protection Agency offers a helpful PDF that explains proper procedure for sanitizing and disinfecting children's toys). Rugs and CarpetingFor your basic baby-poop-on-the-carpet event, clean with a combination of liquid dish soap, warm water, and lots of blotting. Vinegar may prove helpful for stain-fighting. For a more complicated dog-poop-on-the-carpet event, a product called Nature's Miracle (an enzyme-based cleaner) may be effective at removing stains and odors. SilkThe process of cleaning silk is similar to that of cleaning cotton, except that you'll want to avoid enzyme-based cleaners. Sunshine is also recommended for stain removal on silk items. 

UpholsteryCleaning upholstery can be similar to cleaning carpeting, although initially treating with cold water is preferable to warm water if you want to avoid setting stains. For machine-washable sofa covers, follow up by laundering. Nature's Miracle may also be effective in the case of pet poop on your furniture. WoolA cold-water soak is recommended for wool items, then follow up with a thorough washing (avoid enzyme-based cleaners for wool proudcts). Sunshine can be a good choice for removing stains from wool items.Keep These Items on HandPaper TowelsPerfect for cleaning and disinfecting -- paper towels are a lifesaver. Rubber GlovesEspecially helpful when cleaning dog poop. Plastic gloves eliminate the chance of getting poop on your hands, which is aways a plus! PatienceRemoving stains takes time, don't rush the process. A Garbage CanFor items that are too gross to save. Not recommended for the disposal of sofas. A Sense of HumorRemember, this will be funny someday!Bonus Cheat-Sheet of Poop-Cleaning TipsAvoid rubbing a stain on carpeting.