The messy remains of a Halloween party can be more horrific than the creepy costume you and your friends spent hours choosing (or creating)!
Halloween is the perfect occasion to throw a party, isn’t it? If you are planning a party at your place this Halloween, your biggest concern right now must be the “aftermath cleanup”. So how do we go about the big Halloween clean up? Helpling has compiled a few tips that will help you with after-party clean up.
Let’s start with those sticky but yummy candies you left out for the guests.
Everyone loves Halloween treats – particularly the ones shaped to disgust and amuse you at the same time (slimy worm candies, pumpkin faced cookies, Frankenstein marshmallows etc.), but unfortunately the sticky residue they leave on bowls can be extremely hard to remove and clean. To clean your bowls or containers from the melted candy, simply mix a teaspoon of detergent and a cup of warm water together and blot the stain with the solution and cloth. If the melted candy residue persists, mix one-third vinegar and two-thirds water together and blot at the area before scraping off any remains. In case of a gum residue, use an ice cube to harden the remains and then scrape it off!
Creating those creepy (but slightly cute) Jack-o-lanterns.
What’s a Halloween without a Jack-o-Lantern? If you decide to make your own pumpkin jack-o-lantern, then head’s up : It’s going to be messy. Very messy – unless you follow our tip ! just lay down some newspapers under the pumpkin for easy cleanup. Reading this tip a little too late? No worries, Use a spoon to scrape off as much as possible, then scrub with a solution of dish-washing liquid and water.
Party’s over. Time to get rid of all that fancy glitter and confetti!
It’s always a good idea to get rid of all the confetti and glitter first, a house with an after-party remains is never a good sight, plus confetti can stain hardwood or carpet if left for too long. Begin with vacuuming all the glitter you can see, and in-case you come across some stubborn confetti and glitter that just won’t come off your carpet or floor, take some playdoh and roll it over the surface to get rid of them.
Removing those nightmare stains.
All those colorful witches brews and concoctions can have deadly consequences on your house fabrics and clothes, so be-aware ! However, if by some bad luck ( which most of us succumb to) the drink you made spills onto any of your fabric or clothing items, leave all the Halloween games and treats and tend to the stain immediately, the quicker you remove the stain, the higher the chances of the stain disappearing altogether.
Clean up the stain by soaking up as much of the stain as possible with cloth or paper towels, then mix one cup of warm water with a teaspoon of detergent and blot at the stain with small amounts of your best cleaning solution. Whatever you do, Do NOT rub the stain – ONLY blot at it. Once most of the stain is removed, rinse the area with a solution of three teaspoons vinegar and one cup water and continue blotting. In-case of a very stubborn stain, try rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide ( it’s always a smart idea to first test these on a hidden part of the carpet or couch because they could lighten or bleach the area ).
If only licking the chocolate stains could get rid of them.
We saved this point for last, because, well, no one likes getting rid of chocolate (unless your fabric is the one that chooses to eat it). Begin by dry scraping the excess chocolate, without grinding the stain deeper into the fabric, then depending on the fabric, apply appropriate stain remover and wash. If necessary, wash again with a fabric or color safe bleach!
If these tips seem a little too overwhelming to follow through, then despair not, for our Helpling cleaners can always come to your rescue! If however, you are experienced with undoing Halloween messes then feel free to drop us a comment on how you deal with the horrors of a Halloween aftermath! Have a spooky and mess-free Halloween everyone.
