Halloween is just around the corner, and with that comes plenty of spooky fun - from parties and haunted houses to pumpkin picking and trick-or-treating.
Whatever the plans are, it's like an inventive costume will be the star of the show. But with food, drink and toffee apples flying around in the dark, you’ve got a perfect storm for all sorts of stains and spills.
To help, CEO of Laundryheap Deyan Dimitrov has given his top tips for families to ease the pressure on their laundry this Halloween.
From advice on removing unidentifiable sticky spots, to ridding your children’s costumes of pesky pumpkin marks, Deyan's advice below should prepare families well for removing stains after the upcoming festivities.
Candle wax
Candle-lit pumpkins are an infamous image that encompasses the Halloween spirit. If a little wax accidentally appears on your clothing, these simple steps will remove the remnants with ease.
Firstly, let the wax cool and set: hot wax is dangerous and could lead to burns, so proceed with caution.
Place a towel underneath the stained side of the fabric, and two pieces of kitchen towel on top of it. Next, take your iron and run this over the fabric to gently heat the wax. As the wax begins to melt and warm, the kitchen towel will absorb the liquid wax. Remove and change the towel and repeat until the wax is gone.
Fake blood
For parents whose children may have gone to town with the fake blood this week, talcum powder will be your holy grail. Once any fake blood has dried, gently rub some of the product into the affected areas with a dry cloth. Then, pour a small amount of white vinegar directly onto the stain, and leave the clothes to soak overnight. Fake blood can contain oils which can be difficult to remove with water-based cleaning solutions.
After this, wash the clothes on a cold wash, with a biological detergent, to make sure all residual oils have lifted from the material. If a slight pink mark remains, repeat these steps as necessary.
Pumpkin marks
Pumpkin carving is a familiar tradition in many households, however, clothes can often get caught in the crossfire of a creative streak. For any pumpkin mishaps, take a blunt knife and scrape away the solids. Don’t scrub or rub the fabric as this will entice the orange stain further into the fabric fibres.
Run the garment under cold water to flush off additional pumpkin pulp - make sure to avoid hot water as this will bond the stain to the fabric.
Next, apply some liquid detergent to the stain and massage it gently into the area with a soft bristle brush. Then, wash your clothing on a normal cycle, and the garment should be as good as new.
Sticky stains
Halloween is a feast for scary snacks, but their remains can easily make their way into your children’s clothes. For sticky and sugary stains, apply stain-remover to the area. Dampen a cloth with white vinegar and work it into the stain. Repeat as many times as necessary, then wash normally.
For any ketchup ‘blood’ stains, use a blunt knife to scrape off any additional sauce. Apply liquid detergent to the stain and work this into the fabric with a bristle brush (something like a tooth-brush is ideal). Once placed in the washing machine, this concentrated solution will act on the stain and restore your item back to normal.
Nail polish
If you’ve ever had a mishap with a nail varnish bottle, you’ll understand the horror once it comes into contact with clothing or furniture. But have no fear. Simply scoop off any excess nail varnish with a blunt edge (a spoon is ideal for this), and blot the affected area with a cloth and rubbing alcohol, until the stain begins to fade. Then work at removing the rest of the residue by washing the garment with soap and warm water, before popping it in a normal washing machine cycle.
Glitter
For parents of aspiring fairies and princesses, glitter can be your worst nightmare. To prevent these pesky particles infiltrating the fibres of your clothing, avoid putting sparkly items in the washing machine. Instead, lay the garment on a flat surface and spray it with hairspray. The glitter will bond to the hairspray as you leave it to dry. Once the hairspray has hardened, pop the affected items in the washing machine and wash them as normal. Once it’s dry, shake it out and it should be glitter-free!
Bonus tip: Washing spooky costumes
Halloween costumes are notoriously hard to clean due to the range of synthetic fabrics and materials they’re made from. Remember to separate a costume’s individual parts into their respective colour loads, and hand wash delicate items. Don’t put a red pirate bandana in with your normal white wash, and a heavily sequinned scarf in with plain clothes! If in doubt, take your costume to the dry cleaners and ask for some professional advice.
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