Red wine, white carpet: Uh oh!

Today's lesson could be given in a quick 100 words or so, simply quoting a hurried text exchange with a friend who had a problem at a family Christmas party:

Q: How do you get red wine out of a light colored rug?

A: White wine! Pour white wine on it, then pat it up gently with paper towels.

When holiday parties abound, happy crowds sharing fun, fellowship and frivolity are bound to yield the occasional accidental wine spill. Red wine can leave serious stains, so this seasonal tip sheet may come in handy.

White wine works because its neutral color and alcohol help dilute and dissolve the red-wine spill. Pour it on - you don't have to use Le Montrachet: Jug wine or something you've got left over in the fridge will work fine.

Once you've poured on enough white wine to turn the red stain pale pink, pat the spot as dry as you can with a big wad of paper towels or a bath towel. Don't rub, which will spread the stain around or force the red color deeper into the carpet.

It's not a bad idea to follow up with a commercial carpet cleaner or stain remover to wipe out the last vestiges, but white wine's the key, and get it on fast.

If you're stuck without any white wine, try club soda. Some say the carbonation helps scrub out the red-wine color as it dilutes the stain. But really, what wine enthusiast isn't going to have a little extra white around?

If you've tried this technique or have other red-wine stain antidotes you'd like to share, please tell us about it!