It’s November and that means the atmosphere in your home will soon be filled with a whole lot of holiday spirit! The holiday season means plenty of gatherings, whether it’s a family dinner shared with all of your loved ones or a Christmas party with your closest of friends. No party is complete without food and drink! If you’re planning a gathering this holiday, it’s important to be aware of the potential for spillage.
All seems to be going perfectly…until someone accidentally knocks a wine glass off the table. Sheer panic starts creeping onto your face as you see the spill sink deeper and deeper into your carpet. You reach out to stop the tragedy from unfolding, but you were just a second too late. Splotched in red, your carpet has now become the casualty of the night.
Here are some solutions on how you can treat common holiday stains and save your carpet from ruins:
- Red wine. Wine is considered a classic drink to pair with holiday dinners. If and when wine spills occur, grab a paper towel and blot up as much of the spilled wine as possible. Once you’ve blotted the carpet dry, mix one tablespoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent and a tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water. Apply the solution in small doses on the red-stained area while blotting frequently. Continue blotting until all traces of the wine are gone. If the stain persists to be stubborn, mix a teaspoon of dish soap with a cup of hydrogen peroxide and blot the solution on to the stain. Note that hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleaching agent, so it should only be used on light-colored carpets.
- Cranberry sauce. While cranberry sauce compliments your roasted turkey nicely, it doesn’t do so well on your carpeted floor. When cranberry sauce somehow lands on your pristine carpet, don’t fret! Using a spoon, pick up any solid mess and discard. Blot the red stain with a paper towel or white cloth. Next, combine one teaspoon of white vinegar and ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol). Wet a white cloth with the solution and blot the spot until it’s gone.
- Gravy. Don’t let gravy stains ruin a good dinner. When gravy migrates from your plate to the floor, take a blunt knife to scrape it up. Soak up the residue with an absorbent powder such as baking soda. Leave the baking soda on the carpet for 15-20 minutes before vacuuming it up. If there are still any greasy remains, treat it with dish detergent until the carpet is spotless.
- White Wine. Despite being almost colorless, you’d be surprised how white wine can still cause an off-coloring of the carpet. Neutralize the wine’s acidity by sprinkling some alkaline baking soda over the spot. Let it dry for a few minutes and then vacuum up the powder.
- Chocolate. Bitter or sweet, don’t let the chocolatey mess on the carpet make you bitter inside. Grab a blunt knife and scrape off the excess before the chocolate sinks in. Mixing detergent with warm water, dampen a white cloth in the solution and blot the stain. Make sure to blot from the edges of the stain working your way to the center to avoid spreading. Repeat the process until all of the brown color transfers to the cloth.
Accidents are bound to happen during the festive season; don’t let them strain your composure as a host. When it comes to stain removals, the faster you act, the more effective it will be!
This post brought to you by Katie Rioux, a Calgary interior decorator.