HALLOWEEN CLEAN UPS

When the calendar flips to October, many minds, especially those belonging to children, start looking ahead to Halloween.

With all the fun and sweets of this holiday come a variety of hard-to-deal-with stains. It seems like every year, they get more challenging.

Every Halloween, I hear from people who set a pumpkin on a wood table, ending up with two problems -- a stain and mold.

First of all, pumpkins only last between three and seven days inside before they can begin to mold. If you are setting one on your table, please put a plate under it to avoid the grief. Paper plates will allow the moisture to soak through, so use a plastic, Styrofoam or real plate.

Now if you have stains, moisten a soft cloth with warm water and apply non gel toothpaste to the spot. Work in the direction of the wood grain. If the spot is stubborn, mix some baking soda with the non gel toothpaste and work gently with the grain. Wash the area with a little mild soap and water. Rinse and dry well. If a white spot remains, apply a little petroleum jelly and let it sit for a few hours or overnight.

MORE SCARY HOLLOWEEN STAINS

Pumpkins aren't the only source of Halloween stains. There's candy, makeup, hair color and more.

To remove candy from fabrics, combine 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 quart of warm water. Soak the stain in the solution for 15 to 30 minutes, then flush with warm, clear water. Pre-treat and launder as usual.

If the candy is red and a reddish stain remains, treat with Wine Away® Red Wine Stain Remover. It's available at many wine shops. To find a retailer near you, call 1-888-WINE-AWAY.

Chocolate is an issue all its own. Scrape off all of the chocolate that you can from the fabric surface. Soak washable fabrics for 30 minutes in an enzyme pre-wash such as BIZ. Rub detergent into the remaining stain and work well between your fingers. Working Fels Naptha® Laundry Bar Soap into the stained area might also work.

For sturdy white clothes, soaking in denture cleaning tablets dissolved in warm water is effective.

Now let's talk costumes, specifically makeup and hair color. While makeup is much safer for children than masks, which can obscure their vision, it can also be messy.

Remove glitter makeup and heavy dark makeup from kids' faces with petroleum jelly. Gently work in the jelly then wipe or blot away with tissue. Be careful because glitter can scratch the skin if you rub too hard. If you went the greasepaint route, use cold cream or petroleum jelly to wipe off. Finish up by washing well with soap and water.

For makeup on clothes, work a little hair shampoo into the spot, let soak, then launder as usual. You can also use Fels Naptha®, working it into the moistened spot, then laundering as usual.

Fake blood can be a real pain. Who thought of this stuff? Work Fels Naptha® into the stain and flush with cool water. If a stain remains, grab your Wine Away® Red Wine Stain Remover or Red Erase® and use according to the directions. Look for both of these products at Linens 'N Things.

Did you color your hair or the kids' hair green only to find that it won't come out? Don't give up hope. Reach for the baking soda, liquid dish soap and shampoo. Make a paste the consistency of thick shampoo and work it well into your hair. Be sure to concentrate on the hair, not the scalp. Rinse thoroughly.

Have other spots or stains? Check out my books, "Talking Dirty With The Queen of Clean®" and "Talking Dirty Laundry With The Queen of Clean®," and keep an eye out for my upcoming DVD series!

HALLOWEEN SAFETY

Now that we've covered some of the spots and stains that come with Halloween, let's talk safety.

When your little ghosts and goblins head out on their candy-gathering missions this Halloween, safety might not be the first thing on their minds. It is, however, something that you no doubt think about.

First, make sure a grownup accompanies the little ones on their quests. Everybody in the group should have a flashlight or a glow stick. Reflective tape on costumes is a good idea, too.

Speaking of costumes, avoid masks if you can. The can obscure vision, especially peripheral vision. Some masks, if they don't fit properly, can also make it hard to breathe. Makeup is a better option if you can make it work.

Next, stick areas to where you know the neighbors and avoid houses where the lights are off. A good alternative to traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating is an organized public event. Many malls, for example, host store-to-store trick-or-treating and include activities like costume contests. Check your local community calendar to find events near you.

Before the kids dive into their candy haul, make sure you check everything carefully. Discard anything that's homemade unless you're sure of the source. Some doctors' and dentists' offices offer free X-ray services to check candy for foreign objects. It might sound like a bit much, but you can't be too careful. Check the community section of your newspaper a little closer to Halloween.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Linda Cobb
The Queen of Clean®
All contents copyright 2005 Queen of Clean®

To learn more about Linda Cobb, The Queen of Clean® click here or visit her website at www.queenofclean.com.

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