The Corkscrew | How to get rid of red wine stains - a Hong Kong sommelier's tips
White wine, vodka and gin will all do the trick, and so will Napisan or Vanish, sold to keep babies' whites white
At a recent lunch, a fellow sommelier spilled red wine on his pristine white shirt. A flurry of waiters descended with soda water and clean napkins in an attempt to remove the stain, but to no avail. I suggested using white wine to blot out the red. Looking sceptical, Mr Butterfingers tried my remedy - with great success. The only downside was that his shirt ended up smelling like pinot grigio.
Vodka and gin can also tackle red wine stains; the alcohol in the spirit lifts the colour out.
The best product I've found for getting wine stains out of shirts and napkins at home is Napisan - Australia's gift to the world in keeping whites white. In Hong Kong, ask for Vanish. It's chlorine-free and safe for laundering babies' clothing.
Another cleaning concern is getting wine glasses to sparkle. Those at the luncheon were, sadly, extremely spotty and cloudy. Although they were clean, they hadn't been polished correctly. I sent my glasses back a few times, but always they were returned cloudier than ever. When I finally marched up to the bar, the staff were diligently polishing glasses - and making them streakier.
At home, I use linen tea towels, which I launder only in Napisan, applying a small amount of steam if the glasses are dry. The steam loosens the spots and makes the glass easier to polish. Napisan doesn't contain fabric softener, which would make the glasses cloudy and streaky. In a restaurant, there should be linen that is designated for polishing glasses only. It sounds simple but, all too often, I see glasses that are not up to par.