Happy New Year!

Happy New Year really hits different this year, doesn’t it? While we’re all thrilled to put this year behind us and move forward into a hopeful 2021, we can’t really move forward until we assess last night’s damage – we’re talking about the stains, spots, and sticky-icky that comes as a biproduct of a celebratory New Year’s Eve. Is a champagne toast really done right if there isn’t at least a little splash on the floor? We don’t think so. Read on to find out how to get any alcohol out of any surface.

How to clean red wine from the couch

The most common culprit of all. Here are the steps:

1. Immediacy is key. Always have a white towel on hand to put over a spill as soon as it happens. This will help prevent more liquid from seeping in.
2. Check your laundry cabinet. Stain remover is your friend here, but make sure there’s not bleach in it. If you don’t have stain remover we recommend using a bit of laundry soap.
3. Grab a damp microfiber cloth and gently press the stain remover or laundry soap into the stain. Let it sit for a bit – 5 minutes should be sufficient.
4. With a fresh rag, blot up the stain gently. This is especially important as you don’t want to rub the wine deeper into the upholstery.

How to clean vodka from the carpet

1. Same rule as above – immediacy is key. Grab your white cloth and blot. Then tackle the smell.
2. Laundry detergent will do the trick. Double check and make sure there isn’t any bleach in it or prepare to wreck your rug. Put a small amount on a damp microfiber cloth and press it in to the stain.
3. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to do some work before rinsing your cloth and pressing again, this time with the goal of picking up any residual detergent and the smell that comes with it.
4. Make sure you are blotting, not rubbing. You don’t want to spread the stain out.
5. You may have to repeat this process multiple times to really eliminate the smell. Patience, young grasshopper.

How to clean champagne from bed linens

1. Guess what? Immediacy is still key. Don’t leave your sheets in the hamper for three days or you can get used to those stains.
2. Freeze! Before reading any of these steps, be sure to check for any specific instructions for your particular bed linens. While this might seem silly, if you have any sort of specialty or high end linens, your instructions may be different.
3. This is ESPECIALLY true if you’re thinking about using bleach! Bleach will ruin nice sheets.
4. Instead of bleach, opt for laundry soap that is effective and good for you. We love Seventh Generation laundry detergent in lavender scent. It’s the #1 pick from our founder because it smells great and doesn’t include any ingredients that will irritate your skin or ruin your linens.
5. Any other laundry soap will work fine too. Next time you’re at the store, consider Seventh Generation as a healthier and more sustainable option.

Hopefully, these tips make your NYE cleanup a little easier and a lot less stressful. If you love these tips, we’ve got more for you. Check out our easy online course, How To Clean Your House, for more step-by-step walkthroughs on your most pressing cleaning questions.