Halloween Clean Up Hacks
Oh the fun of Halloween! I mean, what’s not to love? Nothing could be better than a night of free candy, costumes and ghost stories? It’s too bad it only happens once a year. I for one LOVE Halloween and I can’t wait to get started decorating each year. In fact, I’ve already started this year! I keep all of my decorations organized and easy to find so that when its time to decorate, I just pull it out of the totes I have it all stored away in and away I go. To read more about my Halloween storage solutions check out my blog, How to Organize your Halloween Decorations.
Let’s face it though. Halloween clean up can be downright scary! We face challenges that require unique solutions. After all, it’s not every day that someone TP’s your tree or smashes a pumpkin on your front step. These clean up tasks can be time consuming and a bit of a challenge! But don’t worry, because we here at Guarantee Maid Services love Halloween, we have made it our mission to figure out some easier ways to clean up after the fun!
1. Toilet Paper Tree – Doesn’t it just make you cringe? How on earth did they do that and get it all the way up there? This can be a bit of a touch one, but we have an ingenious solution that might help. Stick some 2-way tape onto the pad area of a swifer, extend the handle and start swiping at the tree. It may take a bit of time, but it will be far easier than climbing a ladder to reach it!
2. Chocolate Stains on the Couch – If you have little people, this is bound to happen! After all, kids will be kids – especially when they are loaded up on sweets! Try this solution -scrape off excess chocolate. Mix one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with two cups of cool water. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the detergent solution. Whatever you do, don’t rub! That will only make the stain worse!
3. Jack-O-Lanterns – Sure they look great for awhile, but after they have outlived their decorative usefulness what do you do with them? Rather than throwing them in the garbage to go to the landfill, why not give them to a local farmer for his animals, or use them for your compost to contribute to next year’s gardening soil.
4. Fake Blood Spills – It’s made from corn syrup and red dye, making it a particularly dastardly stain if it were to end up somewhere it’s not supposed to be. Rubbing alcohol will remove it from both fabric and hard surfaces. For the real thing (just in case, because you never know) hydrogen peroxide is excellent for removing blood stains. To use it, dab at the stains using a rag or cotton ball dipped in the peroxide, flushing with cold water and repeating as necessary until the stain is gone.
5. Pots with Stuck On Candy – Old Fashioned Candy Apples….yummm! But the mess the sauce leaves behind isn’t so great. There are lots of ways to remove it – from a sharp knife to chip it off, to soaking it for days until it peels off. Give this method a try and it should make this nasty job a little bit easier! Put 1/2 cup of vinegar in the pot and add enough water to cover the area you are trying to clean off. Put it on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Let it boil for about 20 minutes. The stuck on candy should come right off. Check out this recipe to make your own old fashioned candy apples right at home.