Magical Carpet Stain “tricks” that will come up a “treat” this Halloween

A carpet stain can be scary….

Carpet stains can be a nightmare at the best of times, but at Halloween you could be dealing with a whole ghost, ahhh I mean host, of nasty, scary looking stains. But do not be afraid, these tips and tricks will ensure your Halloween carpet stain does not haunt you for years to come. We can make stains disappear faster than a bowlful of lollies.

Tips for a Covid Safe Halloween in Melbourne

The information in the paragraph directly below, was written at the height of Covid in Melbourne 2020.

Before I get into the technical details, I would like to acknowledge that Halloween and the traditional Trick or Treat activities will be a little different this year.

It is important to remember a few key actions that have been highlighted by the Department of Heath and Human Services, to keep you and the community safe, while still allowing people to enjoy Halloween.

Key Messages

• If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) get tested and stay at home.
• A scary Halloween mask is not a substitute for a face covering.
• Keep at least 1.5 metres between yourself and people you don’t live with.
• Don’t share food or drinks.
• Outdoors, you can catch up with a group of up to ten people
• Traditional trick or treating where you knock on someone’s door is not permitted, however you can have candy available outside of your home e.g. hanging wrapped lollies from a tree or the fence.
• Don’t use communal bowls for lollies or candy.

Pumpkin Carpet Stain

Making a Jack-O-Lantern can be a lot of hard work. It is worth the end result, however, pumpkin carving can be very messy and leave you with a scary orange carpet stain if you are not careful! If pumpkin stains your carpet, rugs or sofa bright orange, it can be a nightmare to remove.

Tricks for removing pumpkin stains

• use a dull knife, such as a butter knife,to lift away all the excess solids.
• Then, mix one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with two cups of warm water. Stir well to mix completely.
• Using a clean white cloth, sponge the cleaning solution into the carpet fibers.  Pro Tip: Always work from the outside edge of the stain toward the center to prevent spreading the stain even larger.
• Next, use a clean dry cloth and blot the area until the solution is absorbed. Pro Tip: Do not rub or scrub the carpet or you will damage the fibres.
• Repeat the treatment steps a couple of times with the cleaning solution until the stain is removed.
• Thoroughly rinse away the detergent, so using a clean white towel or paper towel with plain water, sponge to rinse away any soapy residue.
• Allow to air dry away from direct heat.
• Vacuum the stained area to lift the carpet fibers.

For pumpkin stains on most upholstery, follow the same cleaning method as for carpets but take extra care not to over-wet the fabric. Pro Tip:  If the upholstery fabric is silk or vintage, consult a professional cleaner to prevent damaging the fabric.

Make-Up & Fake Blood Stains

Fake blood is a must have for any self respecting zombie or vampire! Unfortunately fake blood can be awfully hard to clean off carpet. For drips and splatters on carpet or upholstery, blot the stain immediately with a clean cloth, taking care not to spread the stain further. Mist the stain with water or soda water and blot until the stain is gone.

If the make up is oil based and will require a solvent to remove it. You could try a little bit of rubbing alcohol on a damp cloth and gently dab at the area.  However I would recommend trying this on an inconspicuous area of carpet first to make sure you do not cause any further damage to the carpet.

When removing these types of stains be careful and very gentle! Do not rub or scrub the stain. Too much enthusiasm may just result in a house of horrors! In fact I would recommend you call in our stain removal magician and his trusty steam cleaning wand in to remove these types of stai Just wait until you see his Black Gold magic up close! We should be able to make them disappear faster than Cinderella at Midnight!

Halloween sticky candy and lollies

When your little ghosts and ghouls bring home the usual haul of goodies from Trick or Treating, there is potential for sticky carpet stains. To remove these types of stains you can try these steps;

•  Start by scraping the area with a dull knife to lift away solid bits.
• For melted chocolate or chewing gum, fill a zip lock plastic bag with ice cubes and place it over the stained area to harden the gum remnants before scraping.
• For carpeting or upholstery, vacuum the area to pick up any loose crumbs of candy.
• Blot the carpet stain with a clean cloth dipped in a solution of liquid dish soap and warm water. Work from the outside in to prevent spreading.
• Let the solution sit for at least five minutes, then blot with a clean damp cloth until the stain is gone.
• Finish with a dry cloth to remove as much moisture as possible.

Vomit

No I don’t mean the fake kind used as a “trick”! Unfortunately your kids may get stuck into a bit too many “treats” and deposit a real unwelcome “trick” onto the carpet. Also please keep the candy and chocolate away from your pets as it will have the same result! To remove vomit stains from your carpet please follow our vomit stain removal guide.