Make Halloween Stains Disappear

For many people, Halloween is the holiday that unofficially ushers in autumn. There are cool breezes, fallen leaves and an exciting sense of ghostly mystery associated with the event. But there are also some negative aspects that go hand in hand with Halloween. In particular, the messes left behind by getting into costume, pumpkin carving and sticky candy.

Don’t let a little creepy cleanup put a damper on one of the most fun times of the year. Learn several tips for cleaning common stains associated with Halloween.

Note: The following instructions should not be used for clothes that need to be dry cleaned. You should always defer to any cleaning instructions found on garment tags.
 

How to Remove Pumpkin Stains

• A spoon
• Cold water
• A stain stick or heavy-duty laundry detergent

1. As soon as possible, gently scrape any leftover pumpkin pulp from clothes.
2. Run the affected clothing under cold water. Make sure you rinse from the inside of the article of clothing, so that the water can push the stain away from the fabric, rather than further into it.
3. Treat the garment with a stain stick or a heavy-duty laundry detergent.
4. Work the stain into the clothes with your fingertips. Use a light touch here so that you don’t embed the stains in the fabric.
5. Wash the garment as you usually would.
6. Before drying, check the affected area to make sure the stain was lifted. Heat can cause the stain to set. If traces still remain, repeat the stain treatment outlined above.

How to Get Rid of Chocolate Stains

• A spoon
• Cold water
• Liquid laundry detergent

1. Scrape as much of the chocolate from the article of clothing as you can. Be gentle, so that you don’t work the stain in further or damage the fabric’s fibers. If the chocolate has already dried, skip the scraping and move to the next step.
2. Rinse the stained area under cold water. Run cold water on the back of the stain rather than the surface. Working from the inside out can help push the stain out of the fabric instead of working it in further.
3. Gently massage some liquid laundry detergent into the stain with your fingertips. Don’t rub violently, as this can set the stain deeper into the fabric.
4. Let the detergent sit for five minutes.
5. Next, soak the detergent in cold water for 15 minutes. As the clothing soaks, delicately rub the stain between your fingers every three minutes. This will help loosen the chocolate.
6. Wash the clothing as you normally would.
7. Don’t put the garment in the dryer until you check to see that stain has been lifted. Otherwise, you could set the stain further. If the chocolate remains, repeat the above steps.

How to Remove Fake Blood Stains

• Non-gel shaving cream

1. Spray the shaving cream onto the stain.
2. Gently work the shaving cream in with your fingertips.
3. Let it dry completely.
4. Rinse the stained area with cold water and wash the clothing as you usually would.
5. Check to see if the stain was removed before putting the garment into the dryer, as the heat can actually set the fake blood further into the fabric. If traces of the stain are still in the clothing, repeat the treatment with the shaving cream.