How to Clean Mulled Wine out of a Rug (and Other Festive Spills)

Everyone’s coming round to your house for Christmas Day. And while there’s bound to be plenty of eating and drinking and merriment, there may also be some accidental festive spills. 

But not to worry—follow these cleaning tips to banish seasonal stains from your rugs, sofas, cushions and chairs, faster than you can say tinsel.

How to clean mulled wine out of a rug

POV: You hand Aunt Tilda a warm glass of mulled wine as she comes through the door. She’s chatting with your mum when all of a sudden, she trips over the kids’ train track, the wine flies through the air and splats onto the cream rug in the living room. 

Since red wine can be particularly difficult, it’s important to act fast. Gently blot the liquid with a clean, dry cloth—working from the edges in. Do not scrub or press hard, as this can push the stain into the fibres. 

Next, dip another clean cloth in a solution of water with mild dish soap and 2–4 teaspoons of plain vinegar. Gently blot the spillage and repeat until it disappears. If that doesn’t work, you can also try applying some salt and leaving it for 5–10 minutes before repeating the vinegar wash. 

At the end, rinse the affected area with cold water and then pat-dry with a clean towel. Hang your rug to dry as soon as you can. 

How to clean gravy out of an upholstered dining chair

POV: Christmas dinner is finally ready and everyone’s sitting at the dining table. As your dad reaches over to pass the gravy to your cousin, it slips from his hand and pours all over your new upholstered dining chair. 

If you happen to have a leather upholstered chair, all you need is a clean, wet, cloth and that spill will be gone. But if you have a linen or velvet upholstered chair, it’s going to need a more thorough cleaning. 

Gravy is fat and oil-based, which means it can leave a stubborn stain if not treated promptly. First thing you need to do is scoop up as much of the excess gravy as you can (you can use a spoon or a flat knife for this). Next, sprinkle some cornstarch or baking soda to absorb the oil and work it in with a clean, soft bristle brush (even an old toothbrush will do). Allow the powder to sit on the stain for 30 minutes to 3 hours (the longer the better) and then use your vacuum cleaner to remove it. 

If there’s still a gravy stain, create a simple household stain remover with 1 tablespoon of dishwashing soap, 2 cups hot water and 1 tablespoon of ammonia or plain vinegar. Without over-saturating the fabric, blot the solution onto the gravy stain with a clean sponge. Then use a clean cloth or paper towel to gently pat it dry. Repeat the process until the stain is gone. 

How to clean chocolate out of a velvet sofa

POV: You get up from the sofa and hear a rustle. Please be wrapping paper. Oh great, it’s a half-eaten chocolate bar from a selection box that has melted all over your trousers (and your velvet sofa). 

First thing’s first, you want to lift away any of the chocolate that hasn’t yet sunk into the fabric. You can do this with a standard table knife—working from the outside in, so you don’t spread the stain further. Next, rub a piece of ice over the stain for just a few seconds. This will quickly harden excess chocolate which you can scrape off carefully with a table knife. 

Once most of the chocolate is gone, make a cleaning solution of 2 cups of cold water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Rub it gently into the fabric with a clean cloth. Rinse with cold water and another clean cloth, or repeat the process if necessary. If the stain still isn’t lifting, spray on an oxygen-based cleaning solution and leave for 5-10 minutes before gently rubbing the stain with a cloth. When the stain’s gone, pat your sofa dry with a clean cloth or towel. 

How to clean melted brie out of a cushion

POV: The games are in full swing and the cheeseboard’s going down a treat. Mid-charades, your brother-in-law drops some melted brie on your linen cushion during his hilarious rendition of The Muppet Christmas Carol. 

Lift away any of the cheese that comes off easy. With that gone, you follow a similar process as tackling any oil-based stain. Don’t go in with water straight away—instead, sprinkle on some cornstarch or baking soda to absorb the oil and leave it for at least 30 minutes (but ideally, for 2–3 hours). Next, use your vacuum cleaner to remove it. 

Mix 2 cups of cool water, 1 tablespoon of washing up liquid and 1 spoon of ammonia or vinegar in a bowl to make a gentle stain remover. Work gently into the stain with a clean cloth. If that doesn’t work, try adding a tablespoon of an enzyme laundry detergent to a bowl of warm water and work gently into the cushion. 

If you can remove the cushion cover, pop it in an appropriate laundry cycle—but only if the stain is gone. If you can’t remove the cushion cover, rinse the fabric with cold water and a cloth, being careful not to oversaturate your cushion, before hanging up to dry. 

How to clean candy cane off a carpet

POV: As the last guests wave goodbye and the dishes are all done, you switch off the Christmas tree and start walking upstairs to bed. Under your feet, there’s a crunch. Is that LEGO, or a broken candy cane? 

When dealing with candy cane in your carpet, it’s not just the sugar you need to think about—it’s the dreaded red dye. 

The first thing to do is get rid of the bigger pieces. If the candy is stuck to the fibres of your carpet, you can re-moisten it ever so slightly with a spray solution of water and white vinegar. You don’t want to flood it with water and risk the dye spreading even further. 

Next, make a solution of warm water and a wool-safe laundry detergent. Work it onto the stain with a soft bristle brush. Take the handle of your brush, a spoon, or a table knife and start to gently rub the cleaning solution into the carpet to break up some of that crystalised sugar. Remove the excess cleaning solution with the nozzle on your vacuum cleaner (but only if your vacuum cleaner can handle water). If not, use a clean towel. Repeat this process until most of the stain is gone and then rinse with your white vinegar and water mix. 

If the red food dye persists, you can treat the carpet with a low percentage hydrogen peroxide (no more than 3%). Pat it into your carpet with a soft brush and leave to air dry.