With the festive season in full swing, there’s a high chance that you’re inviting more people into your home, popping open bottles of Christmas cheer, and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. But all of this extra excitement can lead to common Christmas stains that can wreak havoc on your home.
And, of course, you can’t just whip out one of the best carpet cleaners when your guests are waiting for their turkey dinner. That’s why it’s important to know how to tackle these Christmas stains quickly anf efficiently – especially if you want to remove stains from carpet – to ensure they don’t get any worse.
1. Chocolate
Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a box of chocolates (or three), but if you spot melted chocolate squashed into your carpets or upholstery this festive season, don’t despair. Salah Sun, Head of Product Management at Beko UK, advises, ‘Gently scrape off any excess chocolate, then rinse the fabric from the back with cold water to help push the stain out.’
He adds, ‘Pre-treating with a small amount of liquid detergent can also help break down the oils in the chocolate.’ If the chocolate stain is dry, you may need to create a paste from water and bicarbonate of soda (like this Duzzit Amazing Baking Soda Multi Purpose Household Cleaner, £3.90 at Amazon), and rub it on the stain before wiping it clean.
2. Red wine
When you’re hosting, red wine stains are always a possibility. And while it’s well worth having a tool like the Shark Stainforce on hand to immediately soak up any liquids before they can stain your carpets, there’s another tool you can use if you get red wine on your sofa cushions or clothes.
The experts at Secret Linen Store suggest, ‘Dab hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain, soak in cool water, and repeat as necessary. A gentle machine wash will help lift away any remaining marks.’
3. Gravy
Filled with oils and fat, gravy stains at Christmas can be incredibly difficult to remove. They tend to stain incredibly quickly and seep deep into the fibres of your carpet and other upholstery. It’s still possible to remove gravy stains, though – you just need to make sure that you don’t scrub, as this can make the stain worse.
Dr. Beckmann spokesperson, Joanne Ward, advises, ‘Gently blot to lift as much residue as possible, then apply a stain remover (like the Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover, £3.50 at Amazon).’ If you don’t have this readily available, a mixture of washing-up liquid and water should work, too.
4. Pet accidents
Whether you need to know how to clean dog pee from carpet or cat pee from carpet this Christmas, the stain-removal guidelines are the same. And if the accident has just happened, your first step should be to blot up as much of the excess as you possibly can.
Then, use a mixture of white vinegar and water to gently rub the area before blotting up the moisture. If there are any lingering smells, it’s well worth sprinkling some bicarbonate of soda onto the affected area as well. Not only will this absorb any lingering moisture, but it’ll also neutralise any nasty pet odours.
5. Christmas tree needles
If you prefer a real tree over the best artificial Christmas trees, it’s worth noting that the tannins and sap in these trees can lead to staining on your flooring. Dropped needles can also cause scratches on hard flooring, which is why you should do everything you can to stop your Christmas tree from dropping its needles so quickly.
If you do spot any sap stains left from your Christmas tree, gently scrape it off if you have hard flooring. If it’s stained your carpets, create a paste of baking soda and water and work it into the fibres. Then, blot any remaining residue.
6. Cranberry sauce
Cranberry sauce is a Christmas staple, but the bright red colouring of this festive condiment can be a nightmare if you want to avoid Christmas stains. Luckily, you don’t have to rip up your carpets or throw out your favourite tablecloth if you drop cranberry sauce this year. Instead, you can clean with white vinegar.
Salah explains, ‘Dab cranberry sauce with cold water, then apply a little lemon juice or white vinegar to break down the pigments. The acidity works well on these types of stains, but always test it first on a hidden area of the fabric to be safe.’
7. Glitter and glue
Whether you use them for wrapping Christmas presents or just to keep the kids entertained, glitter and glue can be a menace – especially if you drop them on your floors or sofa. Luckily, loose glitter is easy to remove with sellotape or a lint roller (like these MELERIO Lint Rollers, £7.49 at Amazon).
If you’re dealing with glitter glue or dried-on glue, you’ll need a little more manpower. And if it’s possible to wash the item that’s stained, you should be able to get away with soaking it in white vinegar and then popping it in the wash. If you can’t, acetone will be your best friend.
8. Goose fat
If you pull out the big guns and use goose fat for your Christmas roast potatoes, kudos to you. But just as getting oil out of a carpet is incredibly difficult, so is getting goose fat stains out of carpet. Your best bet is to act quickly and immediately blot the fat with kitchen roll to soak up as much of it as possible.
Then, cover the affected area with bicarbonate of soda and allow it to soak into the fibres for about 15-20 minutes. If you need to, you can brush the powder into the carpet using a soft-bristle brush. And when the time is up, vacuum up the excess and repeat as necessary to remove the stain.
9. Muddy footprints
When you welcome friends and family into your home over Christmas, you also welcome muddy footprints that can stain your carpets if you’re not careful. And while I swear by a microfibre absorbent doormat to combat this before your guests head into your house, you also need to tackle the stains when you see them.
The best vacuum mops can help you remove muddy footprints from hard flooring, but you’ll need to let the mud dry before you deal with it on carpet. Then, vacuum up as much as you can – and if mud remains, use a mixture of washing up liquid, water and white vinegar to gently scrub it away.
10. Candle wax
It may seem like one of the worst stains of Christmas, but it is possible to clean candle wax off upholstery and carpet if you know how. Like always, though, you need to work as quickly as possible to ensure you can remove as much of the stain as possible and use a product like this by Amazon Baking Paper (£2.28 at Amazon).
The experts at Secret Linen Store advise, ‘Once the wax has hardened, gently scrape off as much as possible with a butter knife. Next, place a towel down, then layer a sheet of brown paper, the stained tablecloth, and another sheet of brown paper. Use a hairdryer or an iron on medium heat to melt the wax onto the paper, repeating until no more wax appears.’
11. Eggnog
Rich and creamy, eggnog is a Christmas staple – but it’s also a common Christmas stain that can plague houses if you’re not careful. And it’s not just the physical stain, either, as the smell of the eggs and cream can linger (and fester) for months after the festivities have come to an end.
To remove eggnog stains, you’ll first want to blot as much of the liquid as possible. Then, use a mixture of washing-up liquid, white vinegar and water to dab the stain. If you can, pop it in the washing machine for a quick wash. If you can’t, you may want to repeat the process a few times to get rid of the stain and the smell.
12. Soot
If they fall onto carpets or sofas, soot and smoke from open fires and candles over Christmas can leave awful stains – and they can even damage walls. Your first step is to vacuum up as much of the loose soot as possible, to prevent it from embedding itself deeper into carpet or upholstery fibres.
Then, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda onto the affected area and allow the powder to absorb as much as the soot as possible. After about 15 minutes, you should be able to vacuum it all up and see that everything is as good as new.
Christmas stain removal essentials
Miniml Eco White Vinegar Sorrento Lemon Scented 5L
White vinegar is a stain-removal essential, which is why it’s always a good idea to stock up before Christmas. I always prefer a lemon-scented vinegar as it’s not quite so intense on the nose.
Bissell SpotClean HydroSteam
If you want to tackle Christmas stains quickly and efficiently, you can’t go wrong with a spot cleaner. This one is super powerful and uses steam to remove any stain it encounters.
Arm and Hammer Baking Soda
Bicarbonate of soda is great for absorbing stains and odours caused by Christmas stains, and this box is sure to see you through the festive period. Although, hopefully you won’t have to use it too often!
VAX Platinum SmartWash Pet-Design Carpet Washer
Crowned the ‘best overall’ in our carpet cleaner guide, this model is ideal for a post-Christmas carpet clean. It’ll tackle any lingering stains you weren’t able to spot clean there and then.
Dr Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover With Applicator Brush
This is the holy grail of stain removal, and the integrated brush makes it ideal for getting deep into carpet fibres or other upholstery. So, it’s well worth having a bottle for any Christmas accidents.
If you drop glitter or any dry substance over the Christmas period, a handheld vacuum like this one ensures that you don’t have to get your larger vacuum cleaner out of the cupboard.
Keep stains at bay this festive season!
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