Halloween is near and we are all waiting for it, preparing costumes, and searching for the best recipes for creepy looking snacks. This is a holiday for the whole family, with the whole neighbourhood celebrating. Unfortunately, usually after the celebration it is the best costumes and the most delicious foods leave the biggest messes and the most stubborn stains.And while dealing with dirty clothes is easy (you just pour tons of stain remover over them and stuff them in the washing machine), your sofa and other upholstered furniture is at real danger. Last year we’ve posted some tips on how to deal with after Halloween cleaning and you can check them here.

Check also: How to Clean Before and After Party at Home.

Clean the 5 Most Stubborn Stains on Your Sofa

We at Happy House Cleaning decided to share with you how to deal with the worst Halloween spills and spots on your couch and prevent them from becoming stubborn stains. Read on, but for optimal results you can read our guide on cleaning different types of upholstery first.

Pumpkin Stains

If you need to remove pumpkin, apple, or any other fruit stain from your sofa, you need to get a dull knife, a few clean clothes, lukewarm water and upholstery stain removal product. Scrape off any excessive residues, or pulp from the fabric, spray lightly with lukewarm water and apply the stain cleaner. Leave it like this for a few minutes then blot the spot with damp cloth. Repeat until the colour is gone. Take another clean damp cloth and blot the spot again to ‘rinse’ the sofa from the stain removal product.

Lipstick and Foundation

For oil based makeup, and everything that is labelled as a long lasting product you need to apply undiluted stain removal directly onto the sofa. Leave it for 5-10 minutes and then scrape off the excessive residues with a dull knife. After this, blot the stain with clean damp cloth to rinse the sofa fabric.

Check also: How to clean your home after the Holiday season.

Chocolate Smudges

Remove any solid chocolate residues carefully, without pressing onto the fabric. Spray the smudge on the upholstery lightly with lukewarm water. Take a dishwashing liquid and apply a few drops directly onto the stain. Dab gently the affected area with a damp sponge in order to extract the remaining dirt. Blot the spot on your sofa with clean damp cloth to rinse the dishwashing liquid residue.

Food Colouring

Mix 1 part of strong stain cleaner and 1 part of water and pour the solution into a spray bottle. Apply directly onto the stain and leave it like this for 1 or 2 hours. Take a clean sponge and blot the area carefully. If there is still some colouring on your sofa – repeat again. Rinse the upholstery by dabbing it with a clean damp sponge.

Permanent Hair Dye

Mix 1 part of ammonia and 3 parts of water and pour this liquid into a spray bottle. Spray the stain lightly and let the solution work for 10 minutes. Blot out the area to extract the cleaner and the dye. If there is any colouring left – repeat the procedure.

Read also: How to Clean and Maintain a Suede Sofa.

NB: Whichever cleaning product you are about to use, always try it on a small inconspicuous area of the sofa first to see if it will damage the fabric. You can try the how to cleaner works onto a small spot of the upholstery between the cushions, in the corner between the armrest and the back, or somewhere near the legs. If you have any doubt that your cleaner might be very harsh and ruin your upholstery, don’t take the risk, better call professional sofa cleaners. Specialists use wide range of products and tools that will remove the stains safely from any kind of fabric and material.

This is just one of the benefits of hiring professional cleaners for your home.