HELP! CHECK HERE BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING
Well Done help for spillages. However careful you are, accidents happen – spills and accidental bumps can often leave stains on carpets or upholstery, and you need to act quickly to stop any damage setting in before you call in the Well Done Group for a permanent solution.
Here's a few useful hints to help you through that first panic.
Beer stains badly if it's left alone, so apply detergent and blot up the mess, then apply white vinegar and blot up the residue. Once you're finished, rinse with water.
Use a mixture of baking soda and water or soap and water, then rinse thoroughly with clean water. If this doesn't work, you can try hydrogen peroxide, but be careful which surface you're using this on, as it's a bleach.
Remove the excess butter with a knife, then apply detergent, blot it up and rinse with water.
Remove the excess butter with a knife, then apply detergent, blot it up and rinse with water.
Sprinkle baking powder onto the carpet, leave it for a few hours and vacuum it up.
Always act fast, and remember to dab and wipe, never rub or scrub.
Soak up spillages with kitchen towels or cloth and remove solids with a blunt knife. Then rinse thoroughly with cool or cold water.
Blot up the water, rinse again and keep repeating until the stain has gone.
Like wax, use ice to freeze the gum and chip it off with a blunt knife. Then use rubbing alcohol (if you haven't got any, try neat, colourless alcohol, such as vodka).
Remove the excess butter with a knife, then apply detergent, blot it up and rinse with water.
Rinse with soap, followed by white vinegar and water.
Lighter fluid or WD-40 will usually remove crayon stains, followed by soap and water to get rid of the last of the colouring.
Wipe up the excess, then apply detergent and blot it up, then apply ammonia solution and soak it up in a cloth. Finally, rinse with water.
Baked-on food can be painlessly removed with baking soda and hot water: leave it to soak for a few hours, then wash as normal.
Soap and water is usually the best option, especially for oil-based food. Wine or highly-coloured food on a tablecloth is best treated with a generous helping of salt: leave a pile on the stain to draw out the liquid, then wash as normal.
Wash with a mixture of vinegar and water.
This works for PVA and school glue...
Apply water generously and blot it up, then use detergent. Finally, rinse with water.
For superglue, call us.
EITHER
Apply detergent and blot, then ammonia solution and blot. Next, use white vinegar and blot and finally rinse with water.
OR
Make up a paste of warm water and white sugar (yes, white sugar) and cover the stain. leave it to sit for about 30 minutes, then wash as usual.
Make sure that all the stains are gone before you put the clothes in the dryer - the heat can set the stain permanently.
Rubbing alcohol will get most ink stains out, but always make sure you launder any clothes quickly.
Dab the affected area with dishwashing liquid, then rinse with distilled white vinegar.
This works equally well with pasta sauce!
Dab the affected area with mineral spirits, them rinse with rubbing alcohol. Repeat until the stain is gone, then wash with an enzyme detergent.
For mascara, lipstick, nail polish try nail polish remover. If that fails, try WD-40.
To get rid of baked-on food, cook a large bowl of water for 5 minutes. The steam will soften the food and make it easier to remove.
To get rid of mildew from a bath's rubber surround, soak cotton balls in bleach and leave them on the stains.
Apply cool detergent (with cold water, not hot). Then blot with ammonia solution, followed by white vinegar. Finally, rinse with water.
WD-40, lighter fluid, cooking oil, paint thinner and nail polish remover will all dissolve motor oil.
Mustard contains turmeric, which stains a very strong yellow. Try lighter fluid or paint thinner, and if that doesn't work, use vinegar or hydrogen peroxide (but remember, hydrogen peroxide is a bleach, so wash it off quickly and rinse thoroughly.
Oil-based paint: apply a paint remover and blot, Then put more paint remover down and place tissues over it with a weight on top. Replace tissues regularly. Next, apply detergent and finally rinse with water.
Water-based paint: apply detergent and blot, followed by ammonia solution. Rinse with plenty of water, and if any stains remain, blot with a paint remover.
To remove pet hairs from upholstery, put on a rubber glove, wet it, then run your hand over the surface. If that doesn't work, wrap sticky tape around your hand (sticky side out) and dab it over the fabric.
To get pet hairs from carpets, run a window squeegee across the carpet, and you'll find that the hairs collect together.
A vinegar/water mix, or lemon juice and water will remove most rust stains from fabrics.
Scorch marks are often difficult to remove from fabrics, but it's worth rubbing a raw onion on the mark, leaving it to dry, and then rinsing it off.
Try a very small amount of toothpaste. It's an abrasive, so go gently!
Try a pencil eraser to get rid of scuffs on skirting boards. Silicon-based erasers usually work best.
Soak in a bucket of vinegar, water and salt to kill off any mould, then wash with soapy water.
Bleach first, then follow it up with a mixture of boiling water, dishwasher liquid and lemon juice.
A bowl of vinegar left overnight will absorb the smell of cigarette and cigar smoke. But make sure you have time to let the vinegar smell dissipate before your guests arrive!
Spray furniture polish or fabric softener onto a sheet of kitchen paper and drape it over a radiator.
Thoroughly rub shampoo onto a grimy shirt collar before washing it.
Put a sheet of aluminium foil into a large bowl, fill it with very hot water and add salt and baking soda, then place the silver into the bowl. The tarnish will transfer from the silver to the foil.
Ask a parent!
If there isn't one around, try mild soap and water to get rid of most of it, then blot with vinegar and water, and finally a string detergent.
White wine traditionally removes red wine stains. Don't be afraid to use plenty of it – you want to drench the stain. If it's a small splash, then a liberal dose of salt will usually absorb the stain from a tablecloth.
If you have dents in unvarnished wood, dry laying a cloth over the dent and putting a steam iron on a low heat over if for a few seconds. The steam will seep into the wood and it'll expand slightly, lifting the dent.
Be careful, though - you don't want the iron on a high setting, as this risks scorching the surface.
Rub a freshly cut walnut on the scratch: the oil in the nut will soak into the wood and can often hide nasty scratches or scuffs.
Getting rid of water stains isn't impossible, but you do need to be careful...
Put a clean cloth and lay it over the stain, then place a dry iron on the lowest heat (turn off the steam setting) over the cloth for a few seconds. Use the cloth to wipe away the residue and repeat as necessary. Polish when you're done.
Got a handy tip? Tell us!