Having a sweet tooth can be a burden at times – many of our favorite sweet treats can create a big mess if they end up in places they’re not supposed to be! For those Austin home owners who struggle with this issue (or whose kids struggle with this issue!), here’s a handy guide to removing two of the most common sweet treat stain offenders.
Chewing Gum
If the gum is still soft, your first step is to freeze the gum to harden it. For something relatively small, like a piece of clothing or a pillow, place the item in the freezer for a few hours. If the stain recipient is too large to go in the freezer, apply an ice cube to the gum. If you don’t want to hold the ice cube directly or are worried about drips, place the ice in a zip-locking plastic bag. Don’t use plastic wrap, as it’s much thinner than zip-locking bags and may end up stuck to the gum!
Once the gum is frozen, scrape away as much of it as possible. If freezing doesn’t seem to be working, rub on a little full-strength white vinegar, which may soften the gum enough to pull it away from the fabric surface. Then, for a item that can go in the washing machine, sponge the area with a dry-cleaning solvent, add a prewash stain remover, and launder. For upholstery and carpet, sponge on a dry-cleaning solvent with a clean, white cloth and blot until all the solvent is absorbed, repeating these two steps until the stain is gone. If the stain just won’t come out of carpet, mix together one tablespoon of liquid (non-dishwasher) dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and two cups of warm water. Sponge the solution over the stain and blot until all the liquid is absorbed. Then sponge on cold water and blot dry.
Chocolate
These methods should work for solid chocolate and hot cocoa alike. If the stain was caused by solid chocolate, scrape off any excess. For fabric, treat the area with a prewash stain remover and launder. If the stain doesn’t come out completely, wash the item again using whatever kind of bleach is safe for the fabric.
For upholstery, use one of two methods: either use a clean, white cloth to sponge on a dry-cleaning solvent and blot until all the solvent is absorbed, repeating until the stain disappears, or combine one tablespoon of liquid dish soap with two cups of cool water. Sponge the mixture over the stain and blot, repeating until the stain disappears, then sponge with cold water and blot dry.
For carpet, begin with the cool-water-and-dish-soap method used for upholstery. If the stain doesn’t disappear completely, combine one tablespoon of ammonia and two cups of warm water and sponge the mixture over the stain. Blot until all the liquid is absorbed. Finish by sponging with cold water and blotting dry.
Despite people’s best efforts, stains simply happen from time to time. Also despite people’s best efforts, they can get behind in necessary household chores. If you’re in need of an Austin-area maid service to help you pick up the slack, look no further than the friendly staff of It’s Cleaning Time!
