Holiday Stain Guide

Pie, eaten. Plates, cleared. Thanks, given. It’s time to survey the damage to your table linens. “They can get a workout on holidays,” says cleaning pro and founder of Detroit Maid Danielle Smith Parker. Here’s how she treats common stains.

FOOD GREASE

Put dish soap on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes before laundering with cold water. Repeat if there are still traces of the stain. Remember: You should aways confirm a stain is completely gone before using the dryer.

PUMPKIN & SWEET POTATO

Scrape off any excess with a dull knife and run the fabric inside out under cold water to flush out as much of the stain as possible. Pretreat with laundry stain remover, then wash the fabric on hot.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

Rinse the stain with cool water. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon liquid laundry detergent to 1 quart cool water. Blot the mixture on the stain with a clean cloth until the spot has disappeared.

CANDLE WAX

Scrape off what you can with a dull knife, then use a hair dryer to melt remaining wax. This will leave an oily residue you can dab away with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. Launder the item as usual.

CHOCOLATE

Remove any crumbs or hardened chocolate with a dry, clean toothbrush. Add 1 tablespoon dish soap to 2 cups warm water and apply mixture using a microfiber cloth, gently dabbing the stain. Do not rub, which can work the stain deeper into the fabric. Repeat a few times before soaking up the solution with a clean towel.

GRAVY

Add 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 3 drops ammonia to 1/2 cup warm water. Using a clean cloth, press the solution into the stain; do not rub. If the spill is on wool or silk, use club soda instead of ammonia.

LIPSTICK

Pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, working it in with a toothbrush. Allow the detergent to sit for at least 15 minutes, then wash the fabric on hot. If necessary, repeat before drying.