Holiday Cleaning: Quick Tips for Common Christmas messes

With so much happening on Christmas – hosting family and friends, entertaining, and the excitement of little ones – accidents are bound to happen.

“It’s the most splendid time of the year… and the messiest!” says Olivia Young, a cleaning expert and product development scientist at Astonish.

“Think about cooking Christmas dinner for the whole family, the quick clean before guests arrive, and the aftermath of opening presents – the cleaning never stops, even at Christmas.”

If you don’t want to spend too much time cleaning, here are some tips to handle spills and stains…

Dab, Don’t Scrub

“If you remember one thing about removing stains, it’s this: dab, don’t scrub,” says Young. “It’s natural to scrub a stain when you’re worried, but that’s often the worst thing you can do.

Instead, gently dab the stained area. This helps lift the stain from the fabric.Scrubbing pushes it deeper, making it harder to remove.”

Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner is a time for everyone to enjoy… and perhaps create stains on your placemats, runner, and tablecloth, says Young.

“Gravy drips as dishes are passed, cranberry sauce splatters… but don’t worry,” she says. “These stains are easy to handle.

First, use a spoon to gently scrape off any leftover gravy or sauce. Then, mix a tablespoon of white vinegar with a little cold water, dab it onto the stain with a cloth, and let it soak for about 15 minutes.”

if needed, wash the tablecloth in the washing machine on a low heat to remove any remaining stain.