19 Oct Spooky season – top tips from cleaning experts to keep your home spook and stain free this Halloween
Removing fake blood stains
If you’ve got some vampires running around your house this Halloween, there’s a chance there might be some fake blood stains appearing too! Unfortunately, stains are one of those things throughout your home that are so easy to appear, but can be tricky to get rid of – especially on your carpet and furniture. The trick here is to act fast, as the longer you leave a stain the worse it will get. So as soon as you see the fake blood coming out, be on standby to get to it immediately. This will give you the best chance to remove it completely.
What that doesn’t mean however is that you should give it a really good scrub. That’s the worst thing you could do and will certainly give you a fright as the stained blood will probably appear to be getting worse! Instead, dap the stained area gently. This will help to draw it out of the fabric. Scrubbing it just pushes the stain deeper into the material, making it really tricky to get rid of. If the blood has made it’s way to carpets, curtains or chairs opt for a Specialist Carpet Care & Upholstery Cleaner. This is completely safe to use on wool and synthetic fabrics – simply spray the stain and gently dab, then pat dry. Whatever product you use, always make sure you test on a small area inconspicuous first, just to be sure it won’t cause any adverse effects.
Washing costumes
One of the best parts of Halloween for little ones is deciding what costume they will wear to go trick or treating! Witches, ghosts, pumpkins and cats – there’s so much consideration that goes into getting that perfect outfit. Whilst it might be fresh when it’s put on, throw some fake blood, glitter and sticky fingers from sweets into the mix, and it’s more than likely going to need a wash at the end of the night.
Before you do so, double check that the costume can definitely be machine washed. If it’s made from cotton, polyester or nylon then you’re more likely fine to do so – but it’s always advised to check the tags first. A top tip to ensure nothing gets damaged is to turn them inside out. This will ensure anything like sequins, buttons, beads or added extras are protected during the wash. Generally speaking, you should opt for a delicate wash cycle and use cold water to prevent any shrinkage and to keep your costume in top condition, ready for next year!
Restoring your windows
From pumpkin stickers and lanterns to ghost lights and skeletons, your windows are likely to look spooktacular. Once the trick or treaters have gone, you might want normal service to resume in your home which will mean taking down all your décor. If you’ve had things stuck or hung on your windows, they’ll probably be in need of a good clean to remove any finger marks, sticker residue and streaks from the decorating.
Restoring your windows to be shiny and streak-free can be really easy, and you can do so with a product you are sure to have already – washing up liquid. It’s really effective at cleaning glass due to an agent in it that cuts through grease. If your windows need some extra care post décor takedown, opt for an Everyday Window & Glass Cleaner that can cut through grease, grime and fingerprints with ease, leaving them streak-free and shiny. Simply spray and wipe with a dry paper towel or lint free cloth. A bit of a top tip is to work in an ‘S-shape’ when cleaning, this avoids smearing and smudges.
Cleaning cobwebs
It’s been spider season recently so you might have noticed an increase in eight legged friends throughout your home. The sudden drop in temperature has also meant they’ve been making their way inside, to get some warmth! When they’re ready to leave your home and head back out, they often leave behind a reminder that they’ve been there in the form of cobwebs. This might make a great bit of extra décor during the Halloween season, but it’s probably not something you’ll want to keep past then.
Cleaning up cobwebs is really easy and shouldn’t take much time – just make sure it’s clear of any spiders first. The quickest method would be to get your vacuum and suck the cobweb up using the long attachment – it’ll be gone in a flash! Just take care not to mark your walls with the attachment. To avoid this, you can use an extendable duster to help you reach into the corners where the cobwebs are most likely to be.
