RED WINE – For carpets, blot up as much of the wine as possible with a paper towel. You want to use white wine or vodka to rinse over the stain and, if these aren’t available, feel free to use water. Try to absorb the area again with paper towel. Put salt down over the area and let it sit overnight. After it has set, vacuum the salt away and you have likely gotten the stain completely removed!
For your clothing, you want to blot up as much of the wine as possible as soon as it happens and then sponge the area with cold water. If it’s a massive stain, you can soak the entire article in cold water for a half an hour. Pre-treat the clothing and wash as you would normally. For white clothing, add a shot of oxygen bleach.
CHOCOLATE – No matter if it’s clothing or carpet, scrape as much of the chocolate off as possible (using a spoon) and then rub liquid laundry detergent into the area. For clothes, pre-treat and wash in hot water. For carpet, blot the area with water and absorb with paper towels.
Another trick is to immediately use baby wipes on small chocolate stains when they happen.
LIPSTICK – When you find a lipstick stain on your clothing remember that it usually doesn’t penetrate the fabric so treat the stain from the inside of the shirt, pants, etc. Lay the stain face down on a cloth and use a makeup remover wipe to dab the back of the stain, a.k.a. from the inside of the article of clothing. Basically you are working the stain into the cloth you laid down. Keep working until no more stain attaches to the cloth. Pre-treat the clothing and wash on hot. Using a bleach safe for fabrics and colors is a plus.
On carpets, absolutely do NOT rub the stain. Apply a bit of hairspray and let it sit for ten minutes. Use something like a stiff brush or butter knife to flake up the lipstick and then vacuum the remnants away. If you still notice a little of the lipstick color, create a paste of powder laundry detergent and dab onto the stain. Once the color is gone, dab the area with clean water and use a dry towel to pat dry.
WAX – Candles can really create a relaxing atmosphere but they have a tendency to drip and create a hardened mess that needs to be cleaned. Scrape as much of the wax up as you can using a butter knife and vacuum up the remnants. Put down a thick paper towel over the stain and use an iron to warm it up. Be careful not to burn yourself or the carpet. Heating up the towel will loosen the wax and transfer it to the paper. Remember to change your towel out often and not let it get too hot.
STRAWBERRIES – Strawberry stains require the powerhouse solution of a tablespoon of white vinegar, one cup of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent. First, dab the area with cool water and then pat dry. Use the solution to blot the area and let it set for a few minutes. Dab warm water onto the area and then pat dry. Repeat the process as many times as needed.
If the date night mess proves to be a little too tough to handle, it might be time to hire a professional cleaning service. Using eco-friendly products, cleaning techs know how to treat different surfaces and fabrics. At affordable rates and flexible scheduling, you can have them come in and clean after a party or hire them for weekly upkeep service. The customization truly knows no limits! Give DM Industrial a call today to see how our experienced pros can handle your toughest cleaning challenges!
