“Gravy dripping as the boat is passed along the table, cranberry sauce left in blobs… there’s no need to panic, though,” she says reassuringly. “Those stains can easily be dealt with. “Firstly, use a spoon to gently scrape off any remaining solid pieces of gravy or sauce. Then, combine a tablespoon of white vinegar and a little cold water, dab onto the stain using a cloth, and leave to soak in for around 15 minutes.” If necessary,Young says to put the tablecloth in the washing machine on a low heat to ensure all remnants of the stain are removed… when it comes to spillages, a wet stain is easier to remove than a dried one.
How to fix spills, stains and domestic disasters this Christmas By Sam Wylie-Harris, PA With so much going on come the big day – hosting family and friends, the entertaining, not to mention little ones and the whirlwind of excitement, chances are there will be a few accidents along the way. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year… and the messiest!” exclaims Olivia Young, cleaning expert and product development scientist at Astonish. “Think cooking Christmas dinner for the whole family, that pre-guest arrival panic clean and the aftermath of opening presents – the cleaning never stops, even at Christmas time.” It’s also the season of joy, so if you don’t want to be spending more time than needed cleaning up after everyone, here are some tips and tricks to sort those spills and stains along the way…
Tabletop Christmas trees and poinsettias
Dab, don’t scrub
“If you remember anything when it comes to removing stains, make sure it’s the golden rule – dab, don’t scrub,” says Young.“It’s sometimes a natural reaction to give a stain a really good scrub in a bit of a panic, but this is probably the worst thing you can do.” “Instead, dab the stained area gently.This will help to draw it out of the fabric. Scrubbing it just pushes the stain deeper into the material, making it really tricky to get rid of.”
With all the running around and less elbow space available, you might find some plants or small decorative Christmas trees get knocked over, causing soil to spill on the floor, highlights Young. “If this does happen, your gut instinct will be to reach for the vacuum. But this might actually not be the best choice,” she warns.“The only thing you should be using your vacuum for is to get rid of dust and debris.
Christmas dinner
“Anything bigger could actually damage it, so grab the dustpan and brush to remove any soil spills.”
Sitting down for Christmas dinner, everyone tucking in… cue the stains to your placemats, runner and tablecloth, notes Young.
84 | mccarthyholden.co.uk
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease