IF you’ve noticed some stubborn stains on your favourite table cloth after Christmas dinner, don’t fret.
A handy hack can be used to easily remove everything from red wine to gravy stains.
White vinegar is a known miracle worker in the cleaning world, working to remove stubborn stains for a fraction of the price of chemical products.
And now you can use the staple, which costs just 35p from supermarkets, to tackle a variety of festive spills.
Red wine
If you spill red wine this Christmas season, the sooner you act, the better the results.
Begin by blotting up as much as possible, resisting the urge to rub the stain.
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Martin Seeley, CEO and mattress expert at MattressNextDay, spoke to Ideal Home about the best way to utilise white vinegar in this scenario.
“Use salt to draw out the colour and absorb the liquid, leaving it to sit for a few hours before vacuuming,” he advised.
“You should then follow this with a gentle dab of cold water and white vinegar in equal parts.”
He added that warm water should be avoided at all costs as it can set the stain into the fibres.
Oil and fat
And if you’ve noticed any oil or fat from your festive feating has landed on your carpet, white vinegar can once again come to the rescue.
First, you will ideally want to use some kind of absorbent powder, such as salt or baking soda, to absorb as much of the liquid as possible.
Next, use white vinegar and water to gently brush the affected area to remove any residual staining.
You could even add a small drop of gentle, eco-friendly washing-up liquid to this mixture if you have some handy.
Cranberry sauce
Thanks to its bright red colouring, cranberry sauce can be another stubborn stain over the festive season.
However, much like red wine, it can be easily lifted using a white vinegar solution.
As soon as you’ve scraped off as much of the cranberries as possible, spray the affected area with white vinegar and blot it with a damp cloth.
5 cleaning hacks
Say goodbye to ironing
Don’t have time to smooth out the wrinkles of a shirt with an iron? Lenor‘s Crease Releaser makes wrinkles vanish – simply hang up creased items, give them a quick spritz and smooth against a hard surface.
Teabags for trainers
When trainers smell a little squiffy, pop a used (and still moist) tea bag inside and leave for about an hour. The tannins will seep into the sole of the shoe to fight nasty-smelling odours.
Remove limescale without scrubbing
When bathroom taps start looking a little grimy with limescale, slice a lemon in half and sprinkle on baking soda. Rub the fruit over the taps and with a gentle clean they will come up sparkling. Use a toothbrush to get in all the nooks and crannies.
Streak-free mirrors and windows
White vinegar is a handy secret weapon when it comes to keeping mirrors and windows streak-free. Mix one part white vinegar with four parts water in a spray bottle. Squirt then wipe with a microfibre cloth and voilà, clean glass in an instant.
Make your home smell amazing
For dust-free skirting boards, pour some fabric softener onto a cloth and give them a quick wipe. It will stop dirt collecting so quickly and, as an added bonus, make your home smell amazing.
While this should be enough to remove the cranberry sauce stain, you might want to repeat the process with a little drop of washing-up liquid in the mix if it persists.
Coffee
And whether you’re pouring a drop of Bailey’s into to enjoy the rest of your Christmas break or you’re in need of a classic cup to survive, coffee is another festive must.
However, it can be easy to remove from carpets, table cloths, and sofas if you don’t tackle it right.
Simply soak the affected area in a solution of white vinegar and warm water, adding a drop of washing-up liquid if required.
