One of the more exciting traditions of the Halloween season is pumpkins. From heading to a patch and selecting the perfect pumpkin to carving, roasting seeds and the big unveiling when you shut the porch light off, seldom are you thinking about how to clean that pumpkin stain afterwards or stop a pumpkin from rotting too soon. Luckily, DM Industrial has a few tips to help you keep your pumpkins fresh and from mucking up your home.
Rotting Pumpkins – It happens. You go through all the work of carving a great pumpkin only to watch it start to rot before Halloween approaches. There is no way to undo mold damage that already exists but you CAN prevent it from getting worse. Method 1: fill a spray bottle with water and a little bleach and spray your pumpkin down. Make sure to soak the edges that you’ve cut. Method 2: put 3 tablespoons of bleach inside a bucket filled with water and submerge your pumpkin for two minutes to kill fungus and mold.
Pumpkin Stains Outside – If you have put your pumpkin on a wood stool or porch, you may notice a slight stain left behind from your rotten pumpkin. Soak a microfiber cloth with warm water and apply a bit of toothpaste. Rub the toothpaste onto the stain in small circles until it finally lifts. When the stain is thoroughly removed, use wood polish to seal and protect the area.
A non-scratch scrub sponge can help remove any pumpkin goo from wood, concrete and natural stone surfaces. You can use a biodegradable liquid soap to wash off concrete or stone and most of these cleaners also eliminate odors from pumpkin rot.
Pumpkin Stains On Clothes – The most important thing to remember is to treat pumpkin stains as quickly as possible and never initially use soap to clean the stain or it will set. First, scrape away any pumpkin left on the article of clothing. Pretreat the area with an enzyme-based stain remover and massage it into the cloth with your fingers. Let it set for several hours to give it a chance to loosen the stain and then scrub it gently with a scrub brush. Apply a dab of laundry detergent and scrub that in as well.
After this point, wash the article of clothing on normal cycle with the hottest water this particular item can handle. When you remove the clothing from the washer, examine the area of the stain and if any remains, blot the area with rubbing alcohol. Use a soft cloth to blot the stain. If the rubbing alcohol doesn’t work, use white vinegar. Once the stain is gone, wash it again to remove any residue that the vinegar or rubbing alcohol may have left behind. Check that the stain is removed and let the clothing air dry. If no stains or brown spots appear on the article, it is safe to clean normally, via washer and dryer.
Pumpkin Stains On Carpets – Whether it’s from gutting pumpkins out or the canned variety at your next dinner party, you can remove stains fairly easily. Scrape off any excess pumpkin from the afflicted area first and then blot the area with a solution of 1 tablespoon of dish liquid to 2 cups of cold water. You want to blot the area until the stain is removed and when it dries, rinse it with cold water. You want to treat pumpkin stains on carpet or upholstery quickly to reduce the chance of ants invading the scene.
Smashed Pumpkins – Sometimes your beautifully carved creation becomes the victim of Halloween pranks and winds up smashed to pieces. In this case, scoop up all of the chunks and either toss them in the garbage or deposit them onto your yard for composting. Hose down the area they were smashed to get rid of any more pumpkin remains. If a stain persists in the area, follow the tips above for eliminating outdoor pumpkin stains.
Cleaning up pumpkin goo and remains during your post-Halloween spruce up can be quick and easy if you follow the simple tips above. For stubborn stains or after some wild Halloween celebrations, contact your local home cleaning service to save yourself time and back-breaking work to get your Oak Lawn home back in tip-top shape. At the most affordable rates around, DM Industrial can handle all of your holiday cleaning needs and let you get back to appreciating the festivities!
Isn’t it time to see the difference between clean and Industrial Clean? Call DM Industrial Janitorial Service today to find out just how we can help you!
