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No matter your age Halloween is one of the most fun and unfortunately one of the messiest days of the year. Between the makeup, the candy, pumpkin guts, glitter, and any halloween pranks gone awry, these massive messes can cause quite a fright. Here are some clean-up tips to help you conquer the post-halloween chaos.
Make-up Stains
Spooky makeup can complete a costume but it can easily get everywhere in your home especially with young children. There are a couple different ways to attack makeup stains but in any case your best bet is to tackle the stain immediately, the quicker the better as not to let the stain set in. One option is to use an oil free makeup remover, the same kind that you would use around your eyes. Place a small amount on the stain and use a disposable spoolie or soft toothbrush to loosen the stain. Another option is to use shaving cream, place a small amount of shaving cream on the stain, gently rub the area and dab with water and a clean cloth. The last option is to use a combo of water and dish liquid, most halloween makeup is oil based, using a liberal amount of water and dish soap can gently lift most stains.
*Tip- for lipstick stains use hairspray. Spray the area and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then dab with a clean cloth.
Pumpkin Stains
Carving pumpkins is one of the most classic halloween activities, especially for families. Your best bet in getting rid of any stains caused by the dreaded pumpkin guts, is to first scrape off any excess pumpkin and then use dish liquid, water and a clean cloth to gently dab the stain. Be sure to dab with clean sections of the cloth each time to avoid adding orange stains back onto the fabric.
Chocolate and Candy Stains
Candy is arguably the best part of Halloween, but cleaning melted candy is very difficult. The key to cleaning candy off of most surfaces is to first scrape away any excess, then wet a clean cloth using warm water and dish soap. Press the wet cloth on the stain for about 30 second to a minute, then use vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and gently dab the area.
Glitter
While glitter can be the perfect final touch for a costume, it can also be a huge pain to clean up. Going at glitter with a vacuum seems like the right plan, but if you go this route then you’ll be finding glitter around the house for ages. The best tool when it comes to glitter is a lint roller. Go over the furniture in your home with a lint roller and watch the glitter disappear (at least until next year).
Candle Wax
Candles are holiday staples, but one misstep and candle wax can spill everywhere. If possible try to get the majority of the spilled wax up while still wet. To avoid damaging any delicate surfaces, you can use a hair dryer to gently melt the wax making for an easier cleanup. A plastic scraping tool or even a plastic bank card can be used to scrape the wax off of most surfaces. If the wax gets on your clothing or other loose fabric, place the fabric in the freezer for about a half hour and the wax should peel right off.