How To Remove Common Household Stains

How To Remove Common Household Stains

Life’s messy, but stains don’t have to become a permanent addition to your home’s decor. The key to effective removal lies in prompt and proper treatment, before the stain has a chance to set in. Follow these simple instructions to tackle the most common household stains:

Candle Wax

There’s nothing like the romance of dining by candlelight, but those pesky drips of candle wax can easily stain your wood furniture if left untreated. Place a zippable plastic bag filled with ice cubes on top of the drips, and leave it there for several minutes to loosen the wax. Pick at it with a plastic spatula to remove as much wax as possible, melt any residue with a hair dryer, and dab it up with a white cloth.

Nail Polish

Removing nail polish from carpet can be a challenge, and it’s a process that requires some patience. You’ll need to use real acetone (not nail polish remover) with care, since it’s capable of melting carpet glue. Prevent it from leaking into your carpet by sliding a tissue over a metal nit comb, so that the teeth are protruding through the tissue. Slip the comb beneath the carpet fibers, then wipe a cotton ball dipped in acetone along the front of the nit comb – over the stained carpet.

Stickers

If there are little ones in the house, removing stickers from furniture and walls can become a frequent chore. Dab a few drops of tea tree oil on the sticker, rub in a circular motion with a clean cloth, and watch while the remaining glue and paper melts away. Remove any oil residue with a disinfectant wipe.

Ink

Any parent can tell you that a pen in the hands of an unattended child often inspires an impromptu wall mural. Tackle the damage by dampening a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol. Dab the stain with the cotton ball, checking to confirm that the ink is being removed. If it isn’t, add a bit more alcohol to the cotton ball and try again. Rubbing the stain or reusing dirty cotton balls may cause it to spread, so it’s best to just keep blotting it with fresh cotton balls. Once the ink has faded significantly, dampen a clean white cloth with alcohol. Rub the remaining stain with the cloth to remove residual ink, continuously using fresh cloths until the stain is completely gone. Dry thoroughly with a clean cloth.

Dishes

Remove those pesky gray marks on dinnerware by sprinkling them with cream of tartar – adding a bit of water to make a paste. Rub in a circular motion and watch the scuffs and stains disappear.

Toilet

To remove calcium or rust rings from your toilet basin, drain it by flushing and turning off the water. Add distilled vinegar to the toilet bowl, then line it with a cloth soaked in the vinegar. Let it sit for a while, then scrub the stains with a toilet brush. If any stains persist, scrub them with a bit of baking soda and vinegar.

Crayons

Start by removing any excess crayon from your carpet with a knife. Fold over a white towel a few times, placing it on top of the stain. With your iron set to warm, iron the towel, and watch as the crayon wax transfers from your carpet to the towel. Be sure to change out the towel as you go to avoid transferring the crayon back to the carpeting. If any residue remains, clean it up by sprinkling baking soda on a damp sponge. Wipe the crayon marks with the sponge until they disappear, then blot gently with a clean, wet towel.

Keep these tips handy, and you’ll be ready to treat stains quickly when the next inevitable mishap occurs.