Beware of Seasonal Stains!
When family and friends get together, it’s a wonderful time—right up until gravy hits the white carpet or the house smells like last night’s fish fry. Don’t panic. With a calm approach and a few household standbys, you can turn near-disasters into non-events.
Use these quick fixes to keep your home (and your sanity) intact.
Always read care labels before using hot water or oxygen bleach, test products on an inconspicuous area, and work from the edges of a stain toward the center to keep it from spreading. With these basics in your back pocket, you’ll spend less time firefighting and more time actually enjoying family and friends—even if they are the ones to turn your white carpet into something else!
But when that happens, do the right thing when you can’t remove a spot or stain yourself. Call your favorite cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro!
When family and friends get together, it’s a wonderful time—right up until gravy hits the white carpet or the house smells like last night’s fish fry. Don’t panic. With a calm approach and a few household standbys, you can turn near-disasters into non-events.
Use these quick fixes to keep your home (and your sanity) intact.
- Turkey, gravy, butter, salad dressing (oil-based) spots: Dab—don’t rub—then pretreat with a prewash stain remover. Wash in the hottest water the fabric can handle. Heat helps break down oils, so check the care tag and use the warmest setting allowed.
- Cranberry sauce, apple cider, pumpkin pie (fruit sugars): Act quickly. Lift away any chunks, then flush the spot under cold running water. Launder promptly using the warmest water and a bleach that’s safe for that fabric.
- Coffee, tea, wine, soft drinks (beverages): Start with a cool-water soak or sponge. Follow with a prewash stain remover or a small amount of liquid laundry detergent massaged into the area. Wash with oxygen bleach, something color safe for fabrics.
- Colorful cakes and desserts (food dye): Rinse with cool water right away. If the color hangs on, soak in cool water for at least 30 minutes. After washing, pretreat with a prewash stain remover or liquid detergent and launder as usual.
- Candle wax: Let the wax harden, then carefully scrape off the excess with a dull knife. Sandwich the stain between clean paper towels and press with a warm iron; the wax will transfer to the towels. Replace with fresh towels and repeat until no more wax lifts. Lay the item face down on a clean towel. Sponge the back of the spot with a prewash stain remover, then blot and let it dry.
Always read care labels before using hot water or oxygen bleach, test products on an inconspicuous area, and work from the edges of a stain toward the center to keep it from spreading. With these basics in your back pocket, you’ll spend less time firefighting and more time actually enjoying family and friends—even if they are the ones to turn your white carpet into something else!
But when that happens, do the right thing when you can’t remove a spot or stain yourself. Call your favorite cleaning company. After all, it pays to call a pro!
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