After every massive celebration comes a pretty hefty cleaning. With pumpkin juice sitting on the porch, melted candies and gummies on the table and floor, not to mention sticky stains that remain stubborn to your usual wipe-and-go, here are your cleaning solutions:
Sticky candy:
Mix 1 teaspoon of detergent in a cup of warm water. Blot using the solution and cloth. If candy has melted or just doesn’t come off, try using a vinegar solution with 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water. Blot with water afterwards and scrape off the candy.
Gum:
Harden gum by pressing on ice, and then scrape gum off. If gum has gotten on hair, rub hair strands with peanut butter until it eventually gets off.
Pumpkins:
Pick up large chucks of the pumpkins and throw away. Hose down remaining juice and stains. If pumpkin has dried, use a spoon to scrape it off or scrub with soap solution. To make cleaning easier, prevent pumpkin mess by placing newspaper underneath the pumpkin beforehand.
Glitter, confetti:
Vacuum remnants from the floor and also check nooks and crannies for possible hideouts. If glitter has stuck to objects and walls, you can use soap and water to have them come off. You can also use clay or Play-Doh to pick up both glitter and confetti. Confetti can stain hardwood and carpet so clean them up as soon as possible.
Fake blood, food and makeup stains:
Remember to deal with these quickly as stains get tougher by the hour. Soak excess fluids with cloth or paper towels then blot with cool or warm water. For blood or ketchup stains, rub a small amount of liquid detergent on stain and scrub in small circles from the inside out. Finish off by blotting with water. For juice or colouring stains, mix 1 teaspoon of detergent plus 1 cup of warm water and blot (not rub) the stain. Rinse with 3 tsp vinegar and 1cup water and continue to blot. Repeat as needed. If all else fails, try rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, but test first on a small hidden area of the surface to see if they would bleach out the colour.
TP, shaving cream, silly string:
Toilet paper can give you a headache once it becomes wet, while shaving cream and silly string can harden and stain your area in the process. You can remove the tissue by hand or pick them off using a stick wrapped with duct tape on one end. If TP did get wet, wait for it to dry to make cleaning easier. Avoid letting TP sit as it can smother grass. Water down shaving cream and silly string. You can use soap and water to remove the remaining particles.
Egg:
Maybe you didn’t give treats, maybe you didn’t give enough, or maybe the neighbourhood kids just like playing pranks, rest assure that you can clean up just about anything they literally throw at you. Pick up egg shells and moisten the area with the remaining goo then wipe off. If residue persists, place remnant under a cloth soaked in vinegar-water solution with 1:1 ratio and let it sit for 15 minutes. Clean off using another cloth. It is important to get the shells off before watering or wiping them down to prevent scratches on your surfaces.