They only ring the doorbell once a year. Ghosts, goblins and witches on the front porch always bring Halloween fun. You’re ready with sweet rewards for their make-believe magic journey around the neighborhood, but sometimes, treats aren’t enough to discourage tricks.
If you wake up to toilet paper in the trees or eggs on the house, do you know how to make the mess disappear?
BLOT OUT PUMPKIN STAINS
Pranksters don’t cause pumpkin stains on the carpet, but it just takes one dropped Jack-o’-lantern to lay down a splatter of permanent spots. Pick up scattered pulp with paper towels, but be careful, and don’t rub it into fibers.
Blot the area with white vinegar, sprinkle with baking soda, let dry for several hours, and then vacuum.
Power Tip: Insist that all pumpkin carving fun takes place outside the house.
BE PATIENT WITH CHOCOLATE CLEANUP
Removing a chocolate Halloween treat squished into the sofa can be tricky. Start by scraping it off the fabric with a dull knife or plastic spoon. Use 1 tablespoon of liquid dish detergent mixed with 2 cups of cold water to gently wash the area.
Change out your cleaning cloth as it becomes dirty. It can take quite a while to finally remove the stain.
Makeup Stains
Sometimes, all you need to perfect a costume is a little bit of regular makeup, but what happens if you accidentally wipe your sleeve across your wet mascara, or find remnants of foundation on your collar? There are many tricks for removing makeup from clothing – here are a few of the best:
Apply a colourless shaving foam to eyeshadow stains. Shaving foam is really just a well-lathering soap at its core, and works to effortlessly clean any dirty marks. Again, always test any product in a small area first, and read the directions on the care label.
Use a stain remover or liquid laundry detergent for oil-based makeup like foundations, lipsticks, cream eyeshadows, and anything that claims to be ‘long lasting’. Following the instructions on the label, just apply a small amount of stain remover or detergent directly to the stain, before washing as normal.
For lipstick stains, apply a small amount of hairspray onto the area and leave to dry – this should take around 10 minutes. Then tackle the stain with a stiff-bristled brush for instant results. Again, always test any method in a small, inconspicuous area of your garment first – and always read the care label for advice.
Face Paint Stains
Zombies, ghosts, the devil… whatever we’re dressed at on Halloween, chances are we’ve used some face paint to help give us a really authentic and scary look. While face paint can really complete a costume, it does come with two problems – getting it off your skin, and getting it off your clothing. If the face paint is water-based, then removal from the face, and from the clothes, is relatively straightforward:
For the face, good old soap and water should do the trick nicely. You could also use makeup remover or face wipes – just follow the directions on the label.
For clothes, simply washing in the machine with your favourite laundry detergent can be enough to flush the colours from the fabric. Again, pre-treating the stains can make a big difference.
Oil-based paints are a little bit trickier, as they don’t react to water in quite the same way. To remove from your face, try using a makeup remover designed for waterproof or long-wearing makeup. For clothing, pre-treat before washing as normal.
