6 Most Common Party Stains — and How to Remove Them

While red wine is a favorite, it can be unkind to upholstery and carpets. To clean, blot with a microfiber or white cloth, pour on club soda, and continue blotting. If the stain's dry, whip up a quick solution of dishwashing liquid (1 tablespoon), white vinegar (1 tablespoon), and warm water (2 cups) and blot the stain.

When wax drips onto that special tablecloth, it's a nightmare to remove. Place in the freezer and scrape with a blunt butter knife. If any wax remains, place a sheet of wax paper on the affected side of the linen and use an iron on the reverse side to transfer the spilled wax onto the paper.

Nothing says holidays like chocolate-y sweets. When stains occur, mix a solution of dish washing liquid (1 tablespoon) and cold water (2 cups) to blot the soiled area until no color transfers to the cloth. Continue to blot soiled area to assist with drying carpet and then place a fan over it until it's completely dry.

Coffee is a crowd pleaser after every holiday feast, until sips turn into spills. Dab carpet stains with a microfiber or white cloth to remove excess coffee and then blot with liquid dish soap (1 tablespoon), cool water (2 cups), and white vinegar (1 tablespoon).

What's a turkey without its best friend gravy? If you're stressing about what spilled gravy may do to your linens or new outfit, relax. Blot the spill to remove excess gravy, treat with laundry stain remover, and soak in the washing machine for two hours. Wash, air dry, and voila!

Cranberry sauce is a sure-shot darling of the holidays, until it spills on the new tablecloth. Quickly combine a solution of mild liquid detergent (1/2 tablespoon), vinegar (1 tablespoon), and one quart of cool water and let the stained cloth sit for 15 minutes; then wash with cool water.