Mid-Party Stain Hacks

Stain Hacks

Don’t let your festive table be ruined by spills. Taking care of some of the assorted stains can be a challenge. Know what works is the trick!

Pre-Laundry Tips

Before tossing in the washer, dab all stains with a laundry pretreater. Fill your machine with cool water and add liquid detergent with enzymes and a stain-fighting laundry booster, like OxiClean. Soak the cloth for a few hours or overnight. Then wash in the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric, adding chlorine or oxygen bleach.

You’ll use the following:
• Paper towels or cloths
• Table salt
• A spoon
• A damp sponge

• Rubbing alcohol
• A dull knife
• Dry-cleaning solvent
• An iron
• Makeup-remover wipes

Spilled Red Wine

When a glass of red gets toppled, don’t panic. Blot up as much as you possibly can with a cloth or dry paper towels. Then wet a clean cloth with cold water and sponge the stain. Place a pad of dry paper towels over the spot and one beneath it. Then cover with a serving dish to continue “blotting.” For small drips, apply a sprinkle of table salt to help absorb the wine.

Cranberry Sauce

For times when all the cranberries don’t make it to the plate, gently scoop up the excess with a clean spoon being careful not to rub it in. Next dab with a cool, damp sponge. Once the cloth is off of the table, pour a little rubbing alcohol onto the stain to help dissolve it, and follow with a rinse.

Gravy Drips

For best results scrape up gravy dribbles when you spot them. Blot with a dry paper towel or you could even use a piece of bread from the basket on the table. Don’t bother to wet it right now since it’s an oil-based stain. You know what they say about oil and water.

Candle Wax

Snuff out any candles (don’t blow, you’ll make it worse) as soon as you see them making a mess. After you’ve cleared the table, scrape off any hardened wax with a clean butter knife or your fingernail, and sponge any colored-wax spots with dry-cleaning solvent. Place any remaining stains between paper towels and press with a warm, dry iron, while making sure to turn the towels as they absorb the wax.

Lipstick Smears

It’s best not to try to clean the napkin until your red-lipstick-wearing guest leaves. After they’re gone, use a makeup remover wipe – they’re ideal for this. Place the stain facedown on a paper towel. Dab the back with the wipe while working in the soapy liquid. This will allow the color to be flushed into the towel.