Don’t let Thanksgiving spills get you down! Here are some cleaning tips to help you combat messes this Thanksgiving so you can enjoy the wonderful holiday with family and friends – without the added stress.
Cranberry Sauce: Thanksgiving dinner is never complete without a cranberry sauce! Although cranberry sauce does wonders to sweetly flavour your turkey dinner, spilling it on your beautiful white table cloth can pose a problem. Due to its rich colour, cranberry stains are quite difficult to remove once it has set. To avoid this issue, make sure you treat the cranberry stain right away. Start by scooping up the access cranberry with a spoon. Next, flush the area with cold water. In a spray bottle, mix 4 cups of cold water, 1 tbsp. of white vinegar and ½ teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent. Spray the solution onto the stain, let it sit for fifteen minutes and then rinse with cold water. If the stain persists, dip a clean microfibre cloth into a small bowl of rubbing alcohol and blot the stain. Rinse thoroughly with water. Launder the tablecloth as normal.
Gravy: Like cranberry sauce, gravy is an essential at Thanksgiving dinner. If you spill a little bit of gravy on your shirt, don’t panic! Use a clean spoon to remove any access gravy from your shirt. Apply a small amount of dish soap to a clean microfibre cloth a blot the stain and then flush the affected area with water. Pre-treat the stain with stain remover prior to laundering in warm water. If you happen to get a little gravy on your carpet too, we have got you covered! Start by once again using a clean spoon to scoop up any access gravy. Next, cover the stain with cornstarch and let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes before vacuuming it up. If the stain is still present, mix 1 tbsp. of liquid dish soap, 1 tbsp. of white vinegar and 2 cups of water. Dip a clean microfibre cloth into the solution and blot the area until the stain has been removed. Dab the stain with cold water thereafter to remove the solution from your carpet.
Lipstick on Napkins: You wore your favourite fall lipstick to dinner, then wiped your mouth with your napkin and noticed a streak of lipstick across the cloth – oh no! Don’t worry, simply dab the lipstick mark with a cotton ball dipped in a bit of isopropyl alcohol or laundry stain remover; then launder as usual.
Red Wine on the Table Cloth: Sprinkle table salt over the fresh stain and leave it for twenty minutes so the salt can absorb the stain. Then, brush the salt away. Club soda can also work wonders; hold the stained portion of the table cloth over your sink, then pour the club soda over the stain. Have a clean microfibre cloth on hand to absorb the liquid access. If the red wine spills onto your clothing, and it’s convenient and possible to remove your shirt (hopefully you’re hosting!), flush the stain with cold water and then launder as usual.
Sweet Potatoes on your Sleeve: How to remove the bright orange stain of sweet potatoes? If a blob ends up on your sleeve, carefully scrape off as much as possible using a clean spoon or butter knife, then rinse the fabric under cold running water. Add a little bit of dish detergent or laundry soap, and rub in a circular motion, then rinse under cold water again.
Tea or Coffee on your Tablecloth: Whether a few drops drip from your tea pot, or someone puts their dirty spoon directly onto your table cloth, there are bound to be spills when tea and coffee are involved. Tea and coffee stain quickly, and that means it’s important to flush the garment or cloth with cold running water as soon as possible. Apply some dish or laundry soap to the stained area if needed, then rinse well in cold water.
Wax Drippings: Dripped candle wax on your tablecloth? First, carefully scape off any hardened wax with a clean butter knife. Then grab your iron and put it on the lowest setting. Cover the wax with a piece of brown paper (a brown paper lunch bag will work), put the iron on top of the paper, moving in a circular motion over the waxy area—the heat will melt the wax, which will then be absorbed onto the paper. Use a stain treatment product for any remaining stains.
