Halloween Stain Removal: How to Get the Scary Stuff Out

Halloween is the one night a year when children are encouraged to smear themselves with makeup, fill their pockets with chocolate and roll around in the leaves dressed as a hot dog.

By November 1, you're staring at a pile of chocolate smears, candy goo, gum, pumpkin guts, face paint, fake blood, candle wax and at least one stain nobody will claim.

Don't panic, and do not put anything in the dryer yet. Almost every Halloween stain comes out if you treat it before heat sets it. Here's how, stain by stain.

Before You Treat Any Halloween Stain

1. Check the care label

If it says dry clean only, take it to the dry cleaner, and point out the stain and tell them what it is. Many costumes are polyester and hand-wash fine. Costumes with glued-on sequins, foam pieces, wigs or electronics need spot-cleaning only.

2. Treat It Fast

The sooner, the better. A fresh stain is a five-minute job. A stain that's sat in a costume bag until next October is a project.

3. Scrape Off the Excess

Use a dull butter knife or the edge of a spoon to lift off whatever's sitting on top. Every bit you remove now is a bit you don't have to wash out.

4. Blot. Don't Scrub

Scrubbing spreads the stain and grinds it into the fibers. Blot with a clean white cloth, working from the outside of the stain toward the center.

5. Test First

If you're using a stain remover or cleaning solution on something delicate, colored, or unusual, test it in an inconspicuous spot first.

A stain is annoying. A large faded circle surrounding the stain is an upgrade nobody requested.

6. Flush From the Back

Turn the fabric inside out and run water through the back of the stain. That pushes the stain out the way it came in, instead of pushing it deeper.

1. Chocolate Stains

Chocolate is a triple threat: fat, sugar and brown coloring.

1.     If it's soft, put the garment in the freezer for 15 minutes, then scrape off as much as you can.

2.     Flush from the back with cold water.

3.     Rub a little liquid laundry detergent into the stain, and let it sit for 15 minutes.

4.     Wash in the warmest water the care label allows.

5.     Check the stain before drying. If any brown is left, soak the garment in an oxygen bleach solution (like OxiClean) following the label, then wash again.

Air-dry until you're sure it's gone. Dryers are not known for respecting optimism.

2. Sticky Candy Stains

3.  Caramel Stains

Chocolate and caramel are just fat and sugar dressed up for the occasion, so treat caramel like both.

1.     Scrape off the excess. Chill it first if it's gooey.

2.     Soak in warm water for 15 minutes to loosen the sugar.

3.     Rub in liquid detergent or a drop of dish soap to break up the butter.

4.     Wash in the warmest water the label allows.

5.     If a tan mark stays, use an oxygen bleach soak.

Skip the chlorine bleach. It doesn't do anything for caramel that oxygen bleach won't do more safely.

4. Chewing Gum

1.     Put ice cubes in a zip-top bag and hold them on the gum for 10 to 15 minutes, or put the whole garment in the freezer for an hour.

2.     Once it's rock hard, scrape it off with a dull knife or a credit card.

3.     For the sticky residue, rub in a drop of dish soap, or dab it with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball if the fabric is colorfast. Test first.

4.     Wash as usual.

Don't rub soft gum. Unless your goal is to add extra square footage.

5. Pumpkin Stains

Jack-o'-lantern surgery is messy business, and pumpkin's orange pigment, beta-carotene, is stubborn.

1.     Scrape off the pulp and seeds.

2.     Flush with cold water from the back right away. If it's already dried, soak it in cold water for 30 minutes first.

3.     Rub in liquid detergent and let it sit for 15 minutes.

4.     Wash in the warmest water the label allows. Not sure how warm that is? See my wash temperature guide.

5.     If there's still an orange shadow on white cotton, dry the garment in the sun. Sunlight fades beta-carotene.

6. Halloween Makeup

If your ghoulish complexion ends up smeared across a costume instead of just your face, don't panic. Most Halloween makeup is oil- or wax-based, so treat it like grease.

1.     Scrape off the excess with a spoon.

2.     Rub in a drop of dish soap (it's made to cut grease) and work it in with your fingers.

3.     Let it sit for 10 minutes.

4.     Wash in the warmest water the label allows.

For lipstick and black eyeliner on colorfast fabric, dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball first, then follow the steps above.

7. Face Paint

Check the face paint package first. Many brands print removal directions.

•      Water-based face paint (most kids' kits): Rinse with cold water, rub in liquid detergent, and wash. It usually comes right out.

•      Cream or grease paint: Treat it like makeup (see #6), with dish soap first, then a warm wash.

Go easy on costume logos and printed designs. Removing the stain while dissolving the superhero logo is not a victory.

8. Fake Blood

Fake blood is made to look like it stains. Apparently, it sometimes takes its assignment too seriously.

1.     Check the package for removal directions.

2.     Blot off the excess.

3.     Flush from the back with cold water until the water runs mostly clear.

4.     Rub in liquid detergent and let it sit for 15 minutes.

5.     Soak in oxygen bleach for at least an hour, up to the maximum time on the label.

6.     Wash, and check before drying. Repeat the soak if there's any pink left.

Never use hot water first. The dyes and corn syrup in fake blood set with heat.

9. Real Blood

Halloween has its share of skinned knees.

1.     Cold water only. Hot water cooks the protein in blood and sets it permanently.

2.     Flush the stain from the back with cold water.

3.     Rub in liquid detergent, preferably an enzyme detergent (most major brands are), and let it sit for 30 minutes.

4.     Wash in cold water.

5.     For stains that are left on white or colorfast fabric, dab with 3% hydrogen peroxide. It'll fizz. Then rinse.

If the blood isn't yours, wear disposable gloves. And if there's a lot of blood, the laundry can wait. Take care of the person first.

10. Grease and Oily Food Stains

Pizza, chips, fries and doughnuts. Halloween is not nutritionally restrained.

1.     Blot off what you can.

2.     Sprinkle the stain with cornstarch or baking soda. Let it sit for 15 minutes to soak up the oil, then brush it off.

3.     Rub in dish soap.

4.     Wash in the hottest water the label allows.

5.     Air-dry, and check. Grease stains often look gone when the fabric is wet and come back when it dries.

More help: grease stain removal tips.

11. Frosting and Icing

Halloween cupcakes are tiny delivery vehicles for stains. Frosting is sugar, butter and food coloring, all at once.

1.     Scrape off the excess.

2.     Rinse with warm water to dissolve the sugar.

3.     Rub in dish soap to cut the butter.

4.     Wash in the warmest water the label allows.

5.     If there's color left (that orange and black frosting is fierce), soak in oxygen bleach and wash again.

12. Mud

Let it dry completely. Sometimes procrastination is the correct laundry technique. Enjoy the rarity.

Once it's dry, brush or shake off as much as you can outside. Then rub in liquid detergent, let it sit for 15 minutes, and wash. Red clay soil needs an oxygen bleach soak too.

13. Grass Stains

For grass stains from the pumpkin patch or a game of tag:

1.     Rub in an enzyme laundry detergent and let it sit for 30 minutes.

2.     On colorfast fabric, dab with rubbing alcohol first to loosen the green.

3.     Wash in the warmest water the label allows.

4.     Repeat if there's green left, and don't dry it until it's gone.

Never use chlorine bleach on grass stains on colored fabric. You'll swap a green stain for a white spot.

14. Be Careful With Bleach

Oxygen bleach (OxiClean and other brands) is safe on most washable colors, and it's your best friend for Halloween dye stains. Follow the label for the amount and soak time. Don't use it on wool, silk or leather.

Use chlorine bleach only on white cotton, and only after checking the label.

Never mix bleach with anything else. Bleach plus vinegar or acidic cleaners makes chlorine gas. Bleach plus ammonia makes toxic chloramine. Bleach plus rubbing alcohol makes chloroform. Stain removal should not require evacuation.

15. Candle Wax

15. Candle Wax

1.     Let the wax harden completely, or speed it up with an ice pack.

2.     Scrape off everything you can with a dull knife.

3.     On cotton or linen only: Put a brown paper bag (with no printing on it) or a stack of paper towels on top of the wax and another under it. Then press with a warm iron, no steam. The wax melts into the paper. Keep moving to clean paper until no more wax comes up.

4.     If colored wax leaves a dye mark, treat it with rubbing alcohol on colorfast fabric, then wash.

Don't iron synthetics, costume fabrics or anything with glitter or glue. Heat melts them. Freeze, scrape, and take anything valuable to the dry cleaner.

16. Glow Stick Liquid

The glowing liquid is oily, and it can irritate skin and eyes.

•      On skin: Wash with soap and water.

•      In the eyes: Rinse with lukewarm water for 15 minutes.

•      If a child bites one open or swallows the liquid: Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

•      On fabric: Blot, then rub in dish soap and wash in warm water. The glow fades on its own within a few hours.

And perhaps retire the glow stick involved. It has given enough.

17. Hair Color Spray and Costume Hair Products

Colored hair spray is pigment plus a sticky binder.

1.     Let it dry, then brush off what you can.

2.     Rub in dish soap, and rinse with warm water.

3.     On colorfast fabric, dab any leftover color with rubbing alcohol.

4.     Wash in the warmest water the label allows. Bright colors may need a second round.

Also check the pillowcases. Colored hair spray loves them.

18. Mystery Halloween Stains

When nobody knows (or will admit) what it is, play it safe:

1.     No hot water, and no dryer.

2.     Scrape off anything solid.

3.     Blot, and flush from the back with cold water.

4.     Rub in liquid detergent and let it sit for 15 minutes.

5.     Wash in cold water and air-dry.

6.     Still there? Try an oxygen bleach soak.

Randomly applying multiple chemicals is not a stain-removal strategy. It's a chemistry set.

Halloween Stains on Carpet

1.     Scrape off anything solid. For gum or wax, harden it with ice first.

2.     Blot from the outside in with a white cloth.

3.     Mix 1 teaspoon of clear dish soap into 1 cup of warm water, dab it onto the stain, and blot.

4.     Rinse by blotting with a cloth dampened in plain water. Leftover soap attracts dirt.

5.     Lay a dry towel over the spot, weigh it down with a book, and leave it overnight.

Don't soak the carpet. Too much water soaks into the padding and leads to mildew. More: How to Clean Carpet Stains.

Halloween Stains on Upholstery

Check the cleaning code on the tag under the cushion first:

•      W: Water-based cleaners are fine. Use the dish soap solution from the carpet section.

•      S: Solvent only. Use an upholstery solvent cleaner, and no water.

•      W/S: Either one.

•      X: Vacuum only. Call a professional.

Blot, don't soak, and don't throw cushion covers in the washing machine just because they have zippers. Sometimes the zipper was intended for manufacturing. It is not necessarily an invitation.

Be Extra Careful With Halloween Costumes

Costumes are a whole category. Before you treat a stain, check for glued-on decorations, foam, sequins, face masks and battery packs or lights. Take the batteries out before any water gets near it.

•      Spot-clean first, using the method for the stain.

•      Hand-wash anything without glue or electronics. Use cool water and a small squirt of mild detergent, then lay it flat to dry.

•      Wash in the machine only if the label says so. Turn it inside out, put it in a mesh bag, and use the gentle cycle in cold water.

•      Never put it in the dryer. Heat melts synthetic fabrics and glue.

Some costumes are essentially decorative architecture held together by optimism and hot glue. Proceed accordingly.

The Stain-Removal Mistakes That Make Things Worse

•      Putting it in the dryer too soon. Heat sets almost everything.

•      Scrubbing. It spreads the stain and damages the fibers.

•      Starting with hot water. Hot water sets protein and dye stains, like blood, fake blood and food coloring.

•      Using one method for every stain. Sugar, grease and dye each need their own treatment.

•      Mixing products. Dangerous, and it doesn't work any better.

•      Reaching for chlorine bleach first. It fades colors and won't take out grease.

•      Waiting until next October. The stain will still be there, and it'll be a lot harder to get out.

Your Halloween Stain Emergency Kit

Gather this before the big night:

•      Liquid laundry detergent, preferably an enzyme formula

•      Dish soap

•      Oxygen bleach

•      Rubbing alcohol

•      3% hydrogen peroxide

•      White cloths and paper towels

•      A soft brush or old toothbrush

•      A dull knife or spoon for scraping

•      Ice and zip-top bags

•      Painter's tape and a marker, to label each stain

Label stains as you find them, like "chocolate" or "fake blood." Later, "something red" will be the entire forensic report.

Halloween Stain FAQ

How do you get chocolate out of clothes? Scrape off the excess, flush from the back with cold water, and rub in liquid detergent for 15 minutes. Then wash in the warmest water the label allows. If there's any brown left, soak in oxygen bleach before drying.

How do you get face paint out of clothes? For water-based paint, rinse with cold water, rub in detergent and wash. For cream or grease paint, work in dish soap first, then wash in warm water.

Does fake blood stain permanently? Not if you start with cold water. Flush, treat with detergent, then soak in oxygen bleach for at least an hour. Hot water or the dryer can set it for good.

How do you get candle wax out of fabric? Harden it with ice, scrape it off, and on cotton or linen, iron it between brown paper bags on low until no more wax comes up. Treat any dye left behind with rubbing alcohol.

The Bottom Line

Figure out what the stain is. Check the fabric. Scrape off the excess. Start with cold water and the gentlest treatment that works. Follow the care label, don't mix chemicals, and keep it out of the dryer until it's gone.

Halloween comes once a year. That doesn't mean the chocolate stain gets permanent residency.

Get Ahead of the Next Mess

The Daily Home Reset gives you a 15-minute daily routine that includes keeping laundry moving, so stains get caught before they set.

And when the costumes go back in storage, Room by Room helps you decide which ones are worth keeping, one room at a time.

Keep Going

The scary stuff is out. Tackle every other stain and spill with these related guides:

• Laundry and Stain Removal: My complete guide to washing clothes and fighting stains.

• Laundry Stain Removal Guide for 16 Common Stains: Stain-by-stain fixes for everything else the year throws at you.

• 17 Laundry Stain Removal Tips: Quick tricks that work on almost any stain.

• Grease Stain Removal Tips: How to get the oily stuff out, from pizza to butter.

• What Temperature Should You Wash Clothes?: When to use hot, warm and cold water.

• How to Clean Carpet Stains: Spills on the rug, handled without making it worse.

• Family Halloween Party Ideas: Throw a fun party without the chaos, including the cleanup plan.

• Halloween Safety Tips for Kids: Costumes, trick-or-treating and candy safety.