If you think everyday carpet and clothing stains are scary, wait until you see the tricky problems the (black) cat will drag in on Halloween.
Pumpkin mush on ghostly costumes.
Ghastly guests dripping party punch on themselves and your carpet.
Party punch on carpet pile.
These seasonal spills can turn even the sweetest Snow White hostess into a thundering headless horseman.
Save your home's carpets, your costume investment -- your sanity -- come All Hallow's Eve by being
prepared for the ghastly spills, drips, drops and plops ahead.
1 Clothing Culprits.
Jack-o'-lantern brain surgery can be messy. If you get splattered as you hack away at innocent pumpkins, be aware that time is of the essence for stain removal.
Fruit sugars are pH- and time-sensitive. Just like an apple slice will turn brown if left out, fruit stains will develop over time. To remove these stains:
A Get rid of any excess pumpkin guts.
Run the fabric under cold water.
B Even if you can't wash the garment immediately, remove excess sugars.
This is easy to do with a simple rinsing in cold water to prevent oxidization.
C Wash the garment in the warmest water you can.
Remember to read the care tags.
2 Zombie Make Up Removal Tips.
If part of your ghostly complexion should end up on your costume, remain calm. There are tips for that, too:
A Remove excess oil-based make-up smudges on clothes as soon as possible.
A smooth device like the back of a butter knife or a spoon works well for this purpose.
B The detergent in your wash will begin to break up those stains, but the real trick is in the water temperature.
Oil or wax-based make-ups have to be melted in order to be removed from the fibers of the garment, so wash it in the warmest water possible.
3 Tricks for Removing Treats.
Candies like chocolate and caramel, delicious though they are, are basically just fat and sugar -- just as evil on the front of your costume as they are on your hips. Here's how to tame them:
A Rub a little detergent into the stained area before washing.
B Use liquid chlorine bleach or color-safe bleach to finish up the job.
Be careful to time the bleach right. Add the bleach during the rinse cycle, after your detergent has done its job.
C A Cold Weather Caveat:
Unless you have a machine that regulates water temperature in all cycles, the water used in cold water washes is regulated by ground temperature.
As the weather gets colder, so do your cold water washes.
Extra-cold water can hinder the power of your washes -- keeping detergent from dissolving and limiting its effectiveness. Use warm water when possible -- and, when necessary, adding extra detergent to cold washes.
4 Carpet Horrors.
Party platters can be murder on your carpet. Here's how to remove them:
A Blot Excess with a towel, or scrape with a rounded spoon.
B Apply rubbing alcohol.
Agitate slightly.
C Rinse with warm water.
Blot with a towel or extract with a spot removal extractor.
D Continue to repeat the application of rubbing alcohol as long as there is an improvement or as long as the spill transfers to the towel.
Be patient. Several applications may be necessary.
E Apply liquid dish-washing liquid (diluted one teaspoon per pint of warm water).
Agitate slightly.
F Rinse with warm water.
Blot with a towel or extract with a spot removal extractor.
G Continue to repeat the application of dish-washing liquid as long as there is an improvement or as long as the spill transfers to the towel.
Be patient. Several applications may be necessary.
H Apply white vinegar.
Rinse thoroughly.
I Rinse with warm water and extract.
Continue to rinse as long as foaming occurs from the detergent application.
J Apply a 1/2-inch-thick layer of paper towels to dry.
