Before you welcome guests into your home next week, we’ve collected a few must-have buys to help you treat unwanted stains caused by some favorite Thanksgiving “fixins.” We also have some tricks to deodorize your kitchen so you’re ready to entertain.
First, while you’re making your grocery list for your ingredients, you may want to add club soda, cornstarch and an oxygen whitener, like Oxi clean, not for the food, but for the stains, those foods can cause if dripped on cloths or fabric furniture.
Removing cranberry sauce:
Real Simple magazine suggests you treat any cranberry sauce drippings immediately from fabric with club soda. The bubbles help break the bond between the fabric and the stain. Cold water and dish soap can be used too if your host does not have any club soda. Once you get home, treat the spot with 1 teaspoon of dish soap and 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then wash on the coldest water temperature setting. Make sure the stain is gone before you put the treated fabric in the dryer since the hot air will set the stain for good.
Removing red wine:
As soon as it spills on any machine washable fabric, rinse the area with cold water. When you get home, mix a few drops of liquid dish detergent with 1-2 scoops of oxygen whitener, like Oxi clean, and then wash it.
Removing grease from clothing:
Turkey grease or gravy can leave a ‘wet mark” stain on clothing. As soon as you notice the spot, you should dab it with water immediately. Oil-based stains require immediate attention to prevent the stain from setting for good, according to Real Simple magazine. It suggests you sprinkle the spot with cornstarch and let it sit for about 10 minutes to absorb the grease. Later, if the stain persists and is small, you can use chalk to remove the remaining grease. Then dab the area with liquid detergent or dish soap, and wash.
Deodorizing your kitchen:
There are some hidden places in your kitchen that can be the source of mysterious smells. For example, did you know your dishwasher has a filter? It can collect food that smells over time if it is not cleaned. The filter is usually found at the bottom of your dishwasher under the rack. You can rinse it with cold water to remove any leftover food that has been collected in it.
Does your garbage disposal smell?
The source of the smell coming from your garbage disposal is likely the drainpipe. Consumer reports recommends adding these ingredients to your disposal to clean it. Six ice cubes, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, three lemon slices, a teaspoon of bleach, then six more ice cubes and run the disposal until all the ingredients are sufficiently blended and broken apart.
Removing burnt debris from your oven
We all want to welcome our guests with the smell of turkey and stuffing, not burnt food that has dripped to the bottom of your oven. To get rid of those spots, use a wooden or plastic spatula to scrape away any of the burnt residues. Then, sprinkle the leftover spot with cornstarch, spritz it with water and let it sit overnight. Scrub with a damp microfiber cloth and the spot should be gone.