Insider Tips for Stain Removal During Holiday Season – Merry Maids

The holidays are here and with all of the cheer comes many of the most daunting holiday stains. Merry Maids, one of the nation’s largest home cleaning providers and a ServiceMaster company, shares insider tips to make this holiday season a stain-free one.

“Hosting holiday mingles can be stressful enough, but dealing with unwanted pesky stains can make your head spin,” says Debra Johnson, Merry Maids home cleaning expert. “Before you put hours of work into getting rid of stains, make sure you have the right tools and products. With our handy tips, you’ll be able to get out lingering and in-the-moment stains.”

• Red wine. There is always at least one guest who has slippery hands and ends up spilling wine in your home. With wine, especially red, it’s important to blot it right away with a white microfiber cloth until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Then whip up a quick DIY solution of liquid dish soap (1 tbsp.), distilled white vinegar (1 tbsp.) and warm water (2 cups), then blot the stain. If you the stain doesn’t transfer to the cloth right away, mix equal parts liquid dish soap with hydrogen peroxide in a separate bowl or spray bottle and apply to stain, letting it soak in before blotting away with your microfiber cloth. Note: always test on an inconspicuous area of fabric before applying the full amount.
• Hot chocolate and eggnog. These delicious holiday beverages can leave behind some ugly stains. If this happens, all you need to do is mix warm water (two cups) and liquid dish soap (one tbsp.), and sponge the solution into the stain and blot again with a dry microfiber cloth. If the stain persists, mixt white vinegar (one cup) and warm water (two cups) and gently work through the stain, then rinse again with warm water and blot the remaining moisture with a dry microfiber cloth.
• Candle wax. Nothing says the holidays like candles everywhere, but no one wants to spill wax on a vintage tablecloth. If a small amount drips, blot it away with a generous dollop of vegetable oil. If it’s a bit larger, scrape the excess off with a dull knife and place a damp hand towel over the wax. Press down on it with an iron on a low heat setting for about 10 seconds at a time until the wax has transferred fully to the towel.
• Cookie frosting and food coloring. While decorating cookies is a fun family activity, the food coloring in frosting is one stain you don’t want to mess with. Go after these stains as soon as possible, scraping the excess off with a knife or spoon so it doesn’t dry. Combine one cup of cool water, one tbsp. white vinegar and one tsp. liquid dish soap, Pour just enough to cover the stain. Let it soak for about 15 minutes and take a white microfiber cloth dipped in cool water to blot away the solution, and the stain along with it. If the stain remains, make a solution of one cup warm water, one tbsp. ammonia and one tsp. liquid dish detergent, and that should do the trick.
• Butter and grease. The grease in butter can set in quick, making it a tricky, but not impossible stain. Start by removing the excess butter from the area, then dip a corner of a dry, white microfiber cloth into water and coat liberally with salt, then hold it against the stain – don’t rub. Hold it for about a minute and then dust away the salt with another damp part of the cloth.

If you are looking for gift ideas this, a Merry Maids gift card makes the perfect holiday gift, as more than half of people (57 percent) and nearly three-quarters of dads in particular (73 percent) wish someone would hire them a cleaning service pre- or post-holiday season.

For more helpful cleaning hacks, visit the Merry Maids blog.

Go to www.merrymaids.com for more information about Merry Maids.