Tips for tackling tough Thanksgiving stains

Everybody enjoys the classic Thanksgiving traditions: gathering with family, friends and loved ones, the parade and football on the TV and — most importantly — the delicious food on the dinner table. But there’s one tradition nobody looks forward to: the inevitable stains that find their way onto your favorite formal clothing, tablecloths and other household fabrics. Here’s how you can quickly deal with some of the most common culprits for Thanksgiving Day stains: Red wine Unfortunately, red wine stains are some of the toughest to remove, especially if you don’t act fast. Immediately blot excess wine with a paper towel but be careful not to rub the stain any further into the fabric. Run the item under cool water or soak it for up to 30 minutes to release even more of the wine before pre-treating with stain remover or liquid fabric detergent. Launder with hot water and use chlorine or color-safe bleach, depending on what your fabric will tolerate. Keep your item out of the dryer until the stain is completely removed. Cranberry sauce You may only eat it once a year, but it seems everybody’s experienced a cranberry sauce stain that’s proven difficult to remove. Carefully remove as much of the sticky sauce as possible (without rubbing it further into the fabric!) with a dull knife or spoon, then soak in a solution of half a teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent, one tablespoon of white vinegar and a quart of cool water. After 15 minutes, rinse and blot with cool water then launder with hot water and the appropriate bleach your fabric will allow. Gravy Gravy is a tricky “combination stain” as it includes grease, fat and protein. Scrape off any excess gravy immediately and rub a small amount of liquid dishwashing soap into the fabric. Rinse the area well and then pre-treat and soak in water with an enzyme detergent. Launder in hot water with the appropriate bleach for your fabric, and as always, don’t put your item in the dryer until the stain is completely removed. Pumpkin pie No Thanksgiving meal is complete without dessert! Pre-treating with stain remover, rinsing and laundering with enzyme detergent is a good defense against pumpkin pie stains. Pre-treating with dish soap and letting baking soda sit on the stain for 10 minutes before washing will help, too, if whipped cream or ice cream are part of the mess. If any of your Thanksgiving stains are extra stubborn, bring your items in to any of our convenient Greater Indianapolis locations or let us pickup and deliver them back to you with our Gold Star Delivery Service.