Resist the Rub: Whenever you see a stain, your first desire is probably to rub it – rub it out of the carpet and out of your soul. However, rubbing doesn't get wine out of the carpet; it only spreads it around and forces it to seek solace within the deepest of carpet fibers.

Instead of rubbing, simply blot the stain with a dry paper towel or a dry rag. Using a wet paper towel or wet rag can help add to your troubles by giving wine the tools it needs to spread; watered down wine, whether in your glass or in your carpet, is the same thing: no good.

Use Specialized Cleaners: If you are what we call "a spiller," you may be wise to invest in a few industrial strength stain removers. For red wine, Oxy Clean and Wine Away are two of the best on the market. They are simple, easy to use, and a red wine stain's worst enemy: stains shake when they see these cleaners approach. Trust me, I've seen it happen.

If you don't have any Oxy Clean or Wine Away on hand, try mixing liquid dish soap with a cup of Hydrogen Peroxide (or club soda). After blotting the stain with a dry towel, use a sponge to dab it with your dish soap / hydrogen peroxide creation, or, as we like to call it, H2Oap.

Fight Red with White: Some people swear that the way to get rid of red wine stains is simple: fight fire with fire, a different color fire. Pouring white wine on the red wine stain forces it to neutralize, causing it to come up easily. This route, however, requires you to willingly pour out white wine. If you can't force yourself to do this, don't worry: you're not alone. Baking soda and salt may also help to keep the red wine from setting, and they are a lot easier to part with than a bottle of Chardonnay.