We’ve all been there – you’re hosting a few friends, a few drinks get served… and invariably, something is getting spilled.
As an aside, as always, we’re happy to help with the pre-party mega-clean, but may not have anyone on standby when something goes wrong in a hurry at your hovel. Here’s your go-to checklist for the main offenders, and how to quick-fix those stains so you can get back to holiday revelry!
Candle Wax
Cause: Jim didn’t mean to stumble, he forgot about that step down into the living room, where the bean dip is! Candle wax on fabric is never all that pretty, but it’s a cinch to get out, if you know the tricks!
Solution: Place the wax-covered cloth in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will cause the majority of the wax to become brittle and fall off. There will still be some wax that has settled into the fabric, however; get the iron hot, then fold a couple of pieces of paper towel into the fabric and iron the back of the cloth where the wax is. The paper towel should absorb the remainder.
Broken Glass
Cause: Seriously, Jim? You’re probably not going to be invited back. Jim felt a little tense and cracked the stem of his wine glass in half. Wine glass shards are now all over the carpet.
Solution: Bread. I mean, if you’re super into it, bust out the vacuum in the middle of the party. Go ahead, your guests will happily talk over the vacuum while pretending it isn’t on. Or, you use bread. Place it over the glass and press down gingerly, and the bread should absorb the shards.
Red Wine
Cause: Jim’s not getting invited back. After receiving another glass for his wine, he placed the glass too aggressively, and now there’s a red wine stain formed up along your white table cloth.
Solution: While it’s still wet, pour a thin layer of salt over it. This will help absorb the initial layer of moisture. Next, apply white vinegar to the affected area, which will help break apart the wine. Lastly, rub in some laundry detergent. Then, of course, you’ll need to toss the cloth into the washing machine, but the stain should be largely handled by this combination.
Have some tips of your own for the common stains over the holiday party weekends? Leave them in our comments section on Facebook!
