11 Common Thanksgiving Day Stains (and how to remove them)

Whether you’re in the kitchen preparing a feast, or you’re lounging on the couch watching football enjoying a plate of appetizers, stains are inevitable on Thanksgiving. Once the pie has been eaten, plates have been cleared, and thanks have been given, it’s time to survey the damage to your table linens.

Red wine, chocolate, candle wax, and gravy are all common holiday culprits. But don’t fret just yet if one of them takes a tumble. A holiday full of good times with friends and family and delicious food shouldn’t lead to clothes or a favorite table cloth being ruined by a small stain.

The following Thanksgiving stains can be fixed with a little effort and on-hand ingredients. So feel free to gobble down all your favorite Thanksgiving foods—sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and more. This easy stain guide will keep you and your home stain-free.

1. Food Grease

Put dish soap on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes before laundering with cold water. Repeat if there are still traces of the stain. Remember: You should always confirm a stain is completely gone before using the dryer.

2. Pumpkin and Sweet Potato

Scrape off any excess with a dull knife and run the fabric inside out under cold water to flush out as much of the stain as possible. Pretreat with a laundry stain remover, then wash the fabric on hot.

Rinse the stain with cool water. Add 1 Tbsp. white vinegar and 1/2 tsp. liquid laundry detergent to 1-quart cool water. Blot the mixture on the stain with a clean cloth until the spot has disappeared.

4. Red Wine

Red wine stains can be tricky to get out. Saturate the area in white vinegar, then rub in liquid detergent. Next, run under hot water to lift the stain. Remember to have your water very hot, not just warm, for the optimal stain-removing power.

5. Candle Wax

Scrape off what you can with a dull knife, then use a hairdryer to melt the remaining wax. This will leave an oily residue you can dab away with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. Launder the item as usual.

6. Gravy

Add 1/4 tsp. dishwashing liquid and 3 drops ammonia to 1/2 cup warm water. Using a clean cloth, press the solution into the stain; do not rub. If the spill is on wool or silk, use club soda instead of ammonia.

7. Chocolate

Remove any crumbs or hardened chocolate with a dry, clean toothbrush. Add 1 tablespoon dish soap to 2 cups warm water and apply the mixture using a microfiber cloth, gently dabbing the stain. Do not rub, which can work the stain deeper into the fabric. Repeat a few times before soaking up the solution with a clean towel.

8. Butter and Oil 

Much like treating a grease stain, spilled butter or oil can be treated with plain dish soap. Pour several drops of dish soap directly on the stain, making sure it’s completely covered. Let it sit for a few minutes, then use a clean, wet cloth to wipe away the detergent. Wash the garment as normal on cold, making sure the stain is gone before putting the item in the dryer.

9. Mashed Potatoes 

The best mashed potatoes are loaded with butter and cream, which can leave stains if you’ve dropped a forkful in your lap. To treat the stain, wipe away any potato residue and then spot treat the area with dish soap. Rinse with cold water (hot water will set the stain) and repeat if necessary before tossing the item in the washing machine.

10. Coffee

An after-dinner coffee spill is easy to treat. Mix one part white vinegar with two parts cold water and use the mixture to rinse out the garment over the sink. Repeat several times until you can no longer see the stain, then wash the item on cold in the washing machine.

11. Lipstick

Pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, working it in with a toothbrush. Allow the detergent to sit for at least 15 minutes, then wash the fabric on hot. If necessary, repeat before drying.