The holiday season brings with it a long list of tasks to complete; festive decorations to display, trees to put up, and food to prepare, there’s never a quiet moment. And unless you’ve been invited out for most of the holiday, you’ll probably be welcoming a lot of extra people into your home. It’s a time of entertaining and spending special moments with those you love.
With so much activity, the last thing you want to worry about is tackling spills and stains, but there’ll inevitably be a few mishaps to deal with! However, there’s no need to worry about common holiday stains this season, as we’ve called in an expert to help. Paulina Wojas, upholstery expert at Stunning Chairs, has shared her top tips on quickly dealing with five common festive stains this holiday.
1. Mulled wine
Nothing tastes more like Christmas than a warm glass of mulled wine. The spiced infusion of red wine is a staple enjoyed at this time of year, and its scent will fill your home with a Christmas-y vibe. But it can leave behind a sour aftertaste if spilled.
“Spiced drinks like mulled wine and cider leave stubborn stains due to their deep color and warmth,” says Wojas.
To reduce the risk of spillages, serve mulled wine in a tumbler rather than a tall stemmed glass, which is more likely to topple over if accidentally knocked.
The clean-up
She advises to act fast when cleaning up the spillage. “Blot the stain with a clean white cloth,” then, “dab with a mild washing-up liquid and cold water solution, and add a touch of white vinegar for tough stains.”
To finish, she advises rinsing the area with a fresh, damp cloth and blotting the area dry to remove any residue.
2. Gravy
There’s lashings of gravy to serve up during a holiday feast. I, for one, am a fan and the first to reach for the gravy boat. Although I’m careful when pouring it onto my plate, some always goes overboard. So, if you’ve followed our 7 festive ways to spruce up your dinner table and added seasonal liners and napkins, you could be rushing to your cleaning cupboard at the first sight of an oil-based spillage.
The clean-up
If gravy has seeped onto table linen, the quickest way to remove the stain, according to the American Cleaning Institute, is to pre-treat the area with a prewash stain remover and launder the item on the hottest water that’s recommended for the fabric. However, if an oily sauce has landed on upholstery, you’ll need to take some different steps.
“Greasy sauces and gravy are Christmas favorites that can leave oily stains on upholstery,” says Wojas. “Blot any excess without pressing hard, then sprinkle bicarbonate of soda or cornflour over the stain to absorb oils.”
She then advises to let the bicarbonate of soda or cornflour sit for about 15 minutes before gently brushing or vacuuming it off.
Once this stage is complete, she says dab the area with a mild washing-up liquid solution, then rinse with a damp cloth, and blot dry to keep the upholstery looking clean.
3. Hot chocolate
I don’t tend to indulge in drinking hot chocolate apart from during the festive holidays. I see it as a real treat, but when I do succumb, I go all out with the toppings! And although I don’t want to waste a single drop, I now know how to clean up the stain if I do have a mishap.
The clean-up
“Hot chocolate is a cozy winter treat, but its rich ingredients can stain the upholstery,” says Wojas. She recommends blotting the excess liquid with a clean, cold, damp cloth to remove the stain. She then explains, “Apply a small amount of mild washing-up liquid to a cloth and gently dab, taking care not to oversaturate.”
To finish, she adds, “Rinse with a fresh damp cloth, then blot dry to avoid watermarks and maintain the fabric’s texture.”
4. Cranberry sauce
A turkey is never complete without cranberry sauce. I’ve never rated shop-brought versions, so each year, I make my own, adding in plenty of orange rind and Cointreau for an extra kick. I can assure you that once you make your own homemade cranberry sauce, you’ll never buy one from a grocery store again. However, this fruity condiment has a side hazard that leaves behind a bold mark.
Remember always to dab or blot a stain. The Maids cleaning service says that if you rub the stain, it’s more likely to spread and reach deeper into the fabric's fibers.
The clean-up
Cranberry sauce is a Christmas dinner staple that Woyas says can leave a vivid stain, so it’s best to act quickly for the best result.
“Blot with a clean white cloth to absorb the excess, then use a solution of washing-up liquid and cold water to dab at the stain, working from the edges toward the center,” she advises.
Woyas warns against using warm water as it can set the stain, so turn on the cold tap while mixing your cleaning solution.
To finish, rinse the area with a damp cloth before blotting the area dry to protect the fabric’s color and texture.
5. Soot or ash
Plenty of common holiday stains aren’t caused by food alone. It’s the time of year that we keep toasty by lighting a real fire or bringing out extra candles to create a cozy ambiance. And while they can add a sense of warmth to our homes when it’s chilly outside, they do come with a few pitfalls. Apart from fire hazards, they can also cause unwanted stains.
The clean-up
“Fireplaces and candles can leave dark soot stains on upholstery,” says Wojas. “Avoid rubbing, as this may embed the particles.”
As an alternative solution, she suggests gently vacuuming the particles or lifting as much of the residue as possible. You can then use a mild soap solution on a cloth to dab at the remaining stain and rinse with a damp cloth. To finish, she suggests blotting the area dry to keep the upholstery clean and free from smears.
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