How to Remove a Hair Dye Stain from Carpet

Hair Dye

Melanie asked, “What do you do when you have spilt an entire bottle of brown hair dye on a cream carpet & you don’t want your housemate to find out?” Spilled the hair dye on the carpet? Well, you could change the color of your hair really quick and blame it on the other housemate! Hair dye is one of the tougher stains to remove.¹ Your best hope is to act quickly, using the tips below. Always test a cleaning solution in an out-of-the-way spot to determine if it will damage the carpet. Removing Fresh Hair Dye Stains You Will…

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How to Clean a Flask

Flask

Brielle asked, “How does one clean a flask?” Usually when one thinks of a flask, we think of the well dressed man pulling a flask out of his suit pocket to pour a bit of alcohol into a waiting cup. It’s all very romantic and mysterious. With the current push to recycle and reuse, flasks are becoming more common for beverages other than just alcohol. Stainless steel flasks are especially desired because of their durability. The cleaning tips below should help with the many different cleaning needs of flasks used today. Cleaning the Flask You Will Need: Dish detergent Boiling water Baking soda…

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How to Remove Beet Stains from Fabric

Beets

Benjamin asked, “How do you get beet juice off dress clothes?” Beet juice can leave a nasty looking purple stain.¹ Never fear; there is a chance it can be removed with the tips you find here. Always test a cleaning solution on a small spot to check for colorfastness. Removing a Beet Stain You Will Need: Dull knife or spoon White bread Water Bucket, bowl or sink Borax Dish soap Commercial stain treatment Hydrogen peroxide Steps to Remove the Beet Stain: Scoop up or scrape as much of the spill as you can using the knife or spoon.² Dredge a…

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How to Remove a Marinara Sauce Stain from Carpet

Spaghetti plate on carpet

Little J asked, “If anyone has tips on how to get marinara sauce out of a white carpet, feel free to send them my way…” Carpet covers the floors of most homes these days and is prone to gather stains almost daily. With a little know-how and a bit of guidance, even tough tomato sauce stains can be handled. Before tackling the stain removal though, check out our guide How to Clean Carpet to determine the type of carpet you have and any special cleaning recommendations for your carpet type. Remember to test a cleaning solution on an out-of-the-way spot to determine if…

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How to Remove Tea Stains from Clothing

Tea and Jasmine Flowers

Betty asked, “Anybody know how to remove a tea stain?” Hot tea, iced tea, sweet tea, herbal tea. It seems there are as many different teas as there are stars in the sky. Tea is a popular beverage around the world and stains are not uncommon. Just as there are a huge variety of teas to choose from, there are a number of ways to treat the stains left behind by our favorite one. Removing Fresh Tea Stains You Will Need: Clean white cloth Club soda Borax White vinegar Salt Denture cleansing tablets Liquid enzyme detergent Baking soda Lemon juice…

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How to Clean Gold Leaf

Gold Leaf Frame

Ali asked, “Any tips on good way to clean antique gold leaf oak mirror?” Gold leaf is an age old process of decorating by pounding gold into very thin sheets. It is used to decorate many things from picture frames to clothing to dishware.¹ It is beautiful to look at, but don’t try to clean it other than routine gentle dusting, as it can easily be damaged. Any cleaning besides dusting should be completed by a professional. However, here are some tips to help you care for your gold leaf piece. Caring for Gold Leaf Only dust gold leaf routinely with…

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How to Remove a Gravy Stain from Fabric

Gravy Boat

Stacey asked, “White cotton tablecloth, not sure what the stain is, maybe gravy?” No matter how neat you are, after a meal with gravy on the menu there are bound to be spots from the dripping gravy bowl. Never fear; they are not impossible to get out. Follow the steps below to put your tablecloth away stain-free for your next meal. Removing a Fresh Gravy Stain You Will Need: Dull knife White cloth or white paper towels Club soda Salt Baking soda White bread Water Clear dishwashing liquid Ammonia Steps to Remove the Fresh Gravy Stain: Using the dull knife, sweep…

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How to Clean Vomit Off a Wall

Paintball Vomit on Wall

Jalyn asked, “How do you clean barf off a wall?” It is no fun when you are caring for someone who is sick. No matter how hard you to try to think of everything, like keeping that bucket near the bed for when they throw up, it never fails that something odd happens. Someone throwing up on a wall is not that uncommon and can be cleaned up in a flash following the suggestions below. Removing the Vomit You Will Need: Rubber gloves Large spoon, dustpan or something similar to scrape the wall Bucket Towels Sponges Water Enzyme digester, such as Biz…

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How to Clean a Plunger

Housewife with Plunger

Matthew asked, “Where do you keep your plunger and how do you clean it off after using it?” A plunger is one of those household tools we need, but don’t want to admit we actually use. It does not have to be a gross addition to your cleaning supplies; read on for no-fuss cleaning and storage tips. Cleaning a Plunger You Will Need: Detergent, such as dish liquid Chlorine bleach All-purpose disinfectant spray Boiling water Plunger holder Small bucket Steps to Clean the Plunger: After using the plunger to clean a toilet, flush the toilet a few times and use the…

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How to Remove Salsa Stains from Fabric

Salsa and Chips

Olivia asked, “Someone help; how do I get a salsa stain (the size of my fist) out of my bed sheets?” Believe it or not, salsa is nearly as popular in the United States as ketchup and mustard these days so finding salsa stains is not an uncommon occurrence.¹ Removing Salsa Stains You Will Need: Unsharpened knife Club soda Enzyme detergent Liquid laundry detergent Clean sponge White vinegar Lemon juice Hydrogen peroxide Steps to Remove the Salsa Stain: Scrape off the solid salsa with the knife.¹ As soon as you can, use a clean cloth to dab at the stain…

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