Boo!  What’s scarier than haunted houses and creepy costumes during the Halloween season? A stain on your favourite pair of pants of course! With Halloween traditions only a few days away, chocolate, pumpkin, and gum stains may be quick to follow. Here are our top tips on how to get rid of the most common spooky stains at home.

How to Remove Chocolate Stains from Washable Clothes:

What’s your favourite chocolate treat to eat on Halloween? Whether it’s a mini Twix, Areo, or Kit Kat bar, chocolate stains aren’t as satisfying when they end up on your clothes. Here’s how to remove chocolate stains from your washable clothing items:

1. Grab a dull knife to scrape away any left over chocolate
2. Make a simple stain remover by adding 1 tablespoon of dish soap to 2 cups of water
3. Apply this stain remover using a clean toothbrush or clean washcloth, gently dab the stain remover over the stain – repeat this step a few times
4. Next, soak up the stain remover or excess liquid with a clean paper towel
5. Wash as usual

* Tip – Make sure the stain is removed before you put your garment in the dryer. Adding heat to the mix will only set the stain deeper into the clothing

How to Remove Pumpkin Stains from Washable Clothing

Let’s be honest – one of the best parts of pumpkin carving is how messy it gets. That is, except for the aftermath. Here’s our advice on how to remove pumpkin stains at home:

1. Similar to a chocolate stain, grab a dull knife to remove any excess pumpkin
2. Flush the stain with cold water
3. Pre-spot if you have an at-home stain remover (Tide to Go) and let it sit for 15 minutes
4. Check the garment care label and wash your garment on the hottest and safest setting possible 
5. Dry as usual

* Tip – Make sure the stain is removed before you put your garment in the dryer. Adding heat to the mix will only set the stain deeper into the clothing

How to Remove Gum Stains from Washable Clothes

As we all know, gum can wreak havoc and destroy your clothes, carpets, and furniture. If you end us with a gum stain on your clothes, here’s what we recommend:

1. If you can, put your stained item in a plastic bag and into the freezer until the gum hardens. If the gum stain is in an isolated area, you can use an ice cube and rub it over top of the stain instead
2. Grab a dull knife and try to remove the gum as best possible
3. Wash as usual
   

General Costume Cleaning and Care Tips

And what if you stain your Halloween costume? Halloween costumes are made from a wide range of fabrics so the sentimental value and costume price should be the main criteria when it come to determining a cleaning method. If your costume is cheap, you’re better off to donate it to Value Village or The Salvation Army. If it’s a family heirloom or you plan to rewear it, you should make the investment and send it to the dry cleaner.

Our dry cleaner at Gibson’s has over 30 years of dry cleaning experience. He is well versed in cleaning the finest and most delicate fabrics. Rest assured, he will be able to return your costume to pristine condition.

The following advice applies to washable clothing only. Stains on fine tablecloths, area rugs, or dry clean only clothes should be taken to a garment or home care professional like a dry cleaner or wet cleaner as soon as possible.