You could have the most pristine house in the world with everything in shipshape condition and an interior design finish to die for. However, unless everything is also covered in plastic sheeting or you do not allow any food or drink indoors (or toddlers, children, teenagers and actually anyone who likes to chill out for that matter), at some stage or other, there will be an accident to upset your glossy magazine finish.
But there’s no point in crying over spilt milk either.
So, in order to reassure neat freaks who constantly worry about the possibility of spillage on their designer sheepskin rug, or mucky kids bringing the garden indoors, we asked some experts in the cleaning business for their tips on how to get everyday stains out of household surfaces and furnishings.
Arun Oakes from global cleaning experts Kärcher says there are a number of simple ways to ensure beloved pieces can be rescued from accidents.
Fostering at Christmas: ‘We once had two boys, age 9 and 11, who had never had a Christmas tree’
Fintan O’Toole: ‘My grandad is dead. I am going to tennis today’: Christmas letters to my son, 1997
After the fall of Assad, a family reunites
Christmas TV and movie guide: the best shows and films to watch
“But the main tip regarding cleaning stains would be to address them as early as possible and add detergent and water, which will help break down and dissolve the dirt that has made the stain.”
Red wine
“If you spill red wine, act as quickly as possible but don’t waste white wine by pouring it on top of the stain as this is an old wives’ tale,” he says. “Instead apply the RM 519 Liquid Carpet Cleaner directly to the stain as quickly as possible and dab with a white cloth, to ensure pigment from the cloth doesn’t bleed into the carpet. Then use a carpet cleaner to clean the stain and surrounding areas. But for tea and coffee stains, make sure you use only cold water.
“It is much easier to remove these stains from clothes, as you can just bung them in a cold wash, but that’s not an option for a couch or carpet so start by dabbing the stain with plain water to see if it clears up a little. Then dab the stain with a solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar and about ½ pint of water. Let this sit on the stain for about 10 minutes and repeat until the stain is gone. Then rinse with a damp sponge and cold water before patting dry with a microfibre cloth. If the stain persists, a good stain remover will draw out the stain and using carpet cleaner will deal with the spill speedily.”
Emma Maclean runs the aptly named Macleans Cleaning Services, catering for both domestic and corporate clients in the Dublin area. Having started the business a decade ago, her team has grown from three staff members to almost 50, so together they have a lot of experience and know exactly how to tackle stubborn stains and protect surfaces to ensure minimal damage, should an accident occur.
She takes a different, if oft used, approach, to the issue of red wine.
“Firstly, when it comes to red wine, I would recommend putting salt on it and then wiping it off which should remove the excess wine. If possible, it is good to steep in cold water or to wash the stain straight away.”
Blood and grass
Some stains are trickier than others and Oakes says that both blood and grass can be particularly difficult.
“When it comes to blood, it’s important to use only cold water as any heat will activate the proteins in the blood, causing it to set quickly and stain,” he says. “And if the stain is particularly stubborn, a dab of hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol or even high-alcohol content hand sanitiser can break down the stain.
“Grass is also unusually tricky due to the slick film it can leave behind. There are many solvents which can work with quite a bit of effort, like rubbing alcohol, white wine vinegar and even bleach but you need to be very careful applying any of these to soft furnishings.”
Sharon McCluskey, team lead at Macleans, says grass stains can be tricky but it is best to dab with cold water before pre-treating with a stain remover. For blood stains, she suggests dabbing them with cold water, then following up with either a dab of hydrogen peroxide, or some salt before washing in cold water.
Makeup, chewing gum and wax
With foundation or makeup, Maclean suggests rinsing immediately in warm water to get rid of the excess and then wash in warm water (if the item can be put in the washing machine), following the manufacturer’s recommendations. But if you are unsure, use cold water first, “just in case the heat sets the stain”.
And if the foundation is oil based, dab with some soap before you wash with water.
If you have a mishap with a candle, fear not.
“Candle wax can be heated with a hairdryer and then removed quite easily – but always be super careful regarding the surface you are removing it from, especially if it is a wooden surface – glass and stone are usually no problem. And if chewing gum gets stuck (on clothing or around the house), just freeze it with a piece of ice, before removing it with ease.”
Chocolate, ketchup and mustard
Cleaning specialist Katarzyna Sobierujska says chocolate can be easily removed by soaking a sponge in warm water and detergent, then applying a small amount of glycerine and warm water to the stain before cleaning off with a sponge. “Diluted glycerine is also good for removal of ketchup and mustard.”
Mirrors and showers
They may not be stained, per se, but can be challenging nonetheless to bring up to a hotel-level sheen. Maclean has a few inside secrets to make cleaning your bathroom easier job overall.
“A great industry tip for people at home who find their glass and mirrors a nightmare to clean, is to avoid using products and instead use some de-ionised water,” she says. “This water has no minerals in it so it will leave no stains or mineral residue on the surface, and it also picks up the dirt better than tap water. I would also suggest using a good-quality microfibre cloth as the millions of fibres in the cloth pick up the dirt off a mirror or glass and they are also great for buffing to a shiny finish.
“De-ionised water can be purchased from the supermarket, usually found in a container on the cleaning aisle, as it’s used to fill up your domestic iron at home. There are also some great products like TruWash, which is a great sustainable window-cleaning product – it is completely chemical free and produced here in Ireland.
“And lastly, limescale remover can be added to your sponge to clean the shower door as the water from the shower is marking the doors and leaving residue of limescale especially in hard water areas.”
Stop stains
Of course prevention is the best cure, so if you have something special in your home, consider protecting it against everyday stains.
“Some of our clients have the most amazing furniture and with a lot of the new trends we see a high-end leather and elegant velvet furniture that just makes you want to touch it,” says Maclean. “So, with that in mind a lot of our clients use a great product called Fibersea, which is a spray application stain protection which makes fabrics resistant to stains and dirt – we would highly recommend it.”
