The countdown to Christmas has begun, the bells are ringing, carolers singing, and everyone is getting the house ready for the holiday!
Hosting party games, feeding the family and providing entertainment throughout the evening can be a stressful (and messy!) occasion.
Cleaning and laundry experts Dr. Beckmann have identified 12 stains that are bound to be spilt this Christmas and how to snow them who’s boss!
TOP FESTIVE STAINS
- Mulled wine
Christmas time can be a very messy affair and red wine stains can be difficult to get out of your carpets and furniture. If you have an unfortunate spillage, make sure you blot the alcohol with a cloth until the liquid is absorbed, then sponge with cold water. Dr. Beckmann’s Stain Devils Fruit & Drink remover is great to have in the cupboard ready and waiting!
- Cranberry sauce
It’s not a Christmas dinner without cranberry sauce, what a lovely addition to the meal! However, once spilt cranberry sauce can be a sticky nightmare! Use a cloth to blot the spillage to ensure the sauce doesn’t sink further into the fabric’s fibres. Apply washing up liquid to the stain and dab with cold water.
- Gravy
The gravy jug gets passed around the table as fast as playing hot potato, so a spillage on the brand-new tablecloth won’t come as a surprise. Gently remove as much residue as possible, apply some Dr. Beckmann’s Stain Devils Fat & Sauces to the mark and then dab with a damp cloth.
- Chocolate
’Tis the season to indulge on advent calendars, chocolates on the tree and selection boxes – it’s chocolate heaven! Over the Christmas period there is bound to be chocolate trodden into the carpet or spilt onto the sofa, but don’t panic this can be scrubbed right out. Scrape any excess chocolate off the stain, then blot the mark with a damp cloth. Finally apply a stain remover or detergent to the stain and scrub, scrub, scrub!
- Fake tan
Christmas parties galore! Fake tan can be a murder to get out of your white bedsheets, however, Dr. Beckmann’s Glowhite ensures that your whites stay white over the holidays resulting in a White Christmas all round!
- Mince Pie filling
Blot the stained fabric with a damp cloth then prepare to wash the garment. Use a stain remover to help break apart the stain.
- Muddy footprints
Christmas is a busy time of year, where homes are full of friends and family. This opens the opportunity up for muddy footprints to be trampled through the house. Remember, resist the temptation to wipe at the stain, let it dry and then scrape off the dried dirt, before applying a carpet stain remover.
- Candle wax
As the dark winter nights are fully upon us at Christmas, candles are a necessity. Allow the dripped wax to harden, then delicately scrape off excess wax with a blunt knife. Rub white vinegar using a damp cloth into the stain then leave to soak and keep your fingers crossed.
- Cooking Oil/Fat
Greasy stains can be a slippery slope, however, if you treat them quickly they can be rectified. Blot the excess oil, then treat with a stain remover and pat with a wet cloth.
- Makeup
Everyone likes to get glammed up for Christmas and with New Year’s Eve looming a makeup spillage is inevitable. If you catch the stain quickly a trusty baby/make-up remover wipe may do the trick! However, if it has smeared into the carpet, you will need to tackle it with a stain remover and keep scrubbing.
- Puppy
Dogs are for life, not just for Christmas! A new addition the family on Christmas Day can bring a lot of joy and a lot of mess in one go. If your loveable pooch makes a mess on the carpet, get a damp cloth and a carpet stain remover and the stain will become a distant memory.
- Candy Cane
The statement sweet of the festive holiday, it’s not Christmas without candy canes being passed round or hung from the tree, so here is a trick to get the stickiness out of clothes. Grab an ice cube and place it on the stain for an hour, then scrape off some candy residue with a blunt knife. Afterwards, apply a stain remover on the fabric and allow to soak.
On the top tips to help everyone tackle the 12 stains of Christmas, Dr. Beckmann spokesperson, Susan Fermor said: “Getting your homes straight after the festivities can be a mammoth task, with the smell of left-overs lingering in the air, mulled wine stains from a merry Christmas drink and muddy footprints through the house. Follow our tips to ensure your Christmas stains are things of the past, so you can concentrate on the stains of the future!”
