Tips for Cleaning up Common Household Stains

A deep, dark stain on your favorite rug, sofa or curtains can certainly ruin your day. Whether it’s from a glass of red wine that slipped from your hands, a muddy ski boot that your teenager wore indoors or a colorful crayon trail that your creative little toddler decided to draw on your wall, stains happen to all of us.

The good news is, professional cleaners know how to tackle most stains. As part of my weekly house cleaning routine, I encounter dozens of stains every week. Put simply, it’s my job to know how to get rid of stains and to leave your house looking as clean, fresh and new as possible. In my years owning a professional house cleaning service, I’ve discovered some helpful tips for stain removal and deep house cleaning. I’ll share a few of them below.

How to Get Rid of Stains:

Wine Stains

There’s nothing like relaxing with a glass of Merlot, until it spills all over your white couch. Fear not! Keep the jazz music playing, pour yourself a fresh glass and get to work. I promise, step one of cleanup will take less than 5 minutes!

First, dab the stain gently with a paper towel. Do your best not to rub it in. Next, cover the stain with salt and pour club soda on top. Leave this mixture for several hours or even overnight and then vacuum. If this approach doesn’t work, there are two other solutions that I have found to be super effective. The first is to treat the stain with a mixture of bicarb soda and water. The second is a 3:1 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid. With either, you should dab the mixture on the stain, let it soak for several hours, and then blot dry.

Crayon Stains

There are lots of theories about how to get crayon stains off of your walls. I have found that both WD-40 and Goo-Gone both work quite well. Apply them to the wall and then gently remove the stain with a sponge. You have to master the technique here. Use enough elbow grease to remove the stain, but take care not to scratch the paint. Avoid using an abrasive sponge. If you want an “all-natural” approach, try toothpaste, mayonnaise (yes, really) or a paste of baking soda and water. Put them on the stain and scrub with a cloth. Apply elbow grease liberally.

Pet Stains

Your beloved cat or dog just left yet another gift on your living room carpet and you might be wondering why you love him so much after all. Don’t think you’re unique, however. Millions of pet owners feel your pain and as a house cleaner I deal with pet stains many times a day.

Start by soaking up the stain with a paper towel. Then, douse it liberally with vinegar and a touch of baking soda. Let it sit - for as long as you can bear it! Then, vacuum. Repeat if necessary.

Mud Stains

It’s mud season, so pretty much all of us here in southern Vermont are dealing with mud in our homes. And when ski season kicks in at Mount Snow, the mounds of mud in our house will only grow bigger.

To get rid of mud stains, first let the mud dry. That’s right, you can’t clean this one up right away. Next, vacuum up the large chunks of mud before treating the residual stain with a 1:2 solution of dishwashing liquid and warm water. Blot with a cloth and repeat a few times if needed. Once the stain has faded, wash the area with cold water and dry with a towel.

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If you have tried these tips but the stain still sticks, give me a call. You may need a professional house cleaning service and I’d be happy to help.

Call a Professional!