What's not to love about Halloween? If you're anything like us, you'll be thinking about when to plan your trip to the pumpkin patch, what costume you'll be wearing, and (most importantly) what movies you'll be watching throughout the spooky season well before October 31st rolls around.
But you should also be thinking about how to spend a low-waste Halloween. The scariest thing about Halloween might be plastic waste. So, don’t hesitate to compost your pumpkins after Halloween, and for your costume, get inspired by your closet; no need to buy a new one!
When it's finally time to unleash the Halloween fun, there's another very important thing that we mustn't forget – the party (where you can use your own plates and cups)! If you've put your hand up to host this year's Halloween soiree, be prepared to put in a little elbow grease when the dust (glitter? fake blood?) has settled. The tips below will help to guide you along while cleaning up any aftermath of your ghoulish gathering:
How to remove candy stains?
Not just a delicious treat! Did you know candies also double as a sticky mess of a 'decorative' item? If the candy you've left out has made its way to walls, furniture or floors, you'll need to get to it ASAP to avoid any potential stains.
- Mix a dash of dish soap and a cup of warm water
- Blot the stain with a clean microfiber cloth
If that doesn't work, mix one-third vinegar and two-thirds warm water – blot once again and then scrape off any remains. You could also try our Natural All-Purpose Cleaner, which is safe and effective on all washable surfaces.
Finally, if you have candy stains on your clothes, here is one good hack to get rid of them.
- Scrap off any big chunks of your clothes.
- Apply a dose of liquid laundry detergent onto the stains and load your piece of clothing as well as your other laundry into the machine.
- For food colouring stains, start immediately by dabbing them with some cold water. If they don’t go away immediately, you can soak the fabric in more cold water and some oxygen bleach for as long as needed. Then, wash the clothes.
Best way to clean out pumpkin guts
Did you leave your pumpkin to sit outside or in the window for a little longer than it should have? (no judgment – we've all been there). You're in luck! Jack-o'-lantern guts are one of the easier Halloween messes to get rid of.
- Get a spoon and scrape up as much as you can.
- Get out the trusty dish soap and water mixture once again and give the rest a good scrub.
If the pumpkin won't budge, our Natural SuperScrub Scouring Powder makes light work of any scrubbing tasks.
Trick or treat: cleanup after pranks
Were you terrorized by a gang of 4-foot-tall mischief makers in costume? Harrowing. When you're done laughing (come on, we were all young once), it's time to get stuck into the prank cleanup.
- Toilet Paper in the trees? Easy. Just wrap the end of a stick in duct tape and go to town – just do it before it rains, or you'll have some serious papier-mache on your hands.
-Victim of a good old-fashioned egging? Just pick up eggshells before hosing off cars or porches and remove any leftover residue by resting a cloth soaked in half-water half-vinegar on the mark for 15 minutes before wiping it down with a second clean cloth. Good as new.
How to win your battle against glitter after Halloween?
There's a saying about two things being certain in life – death and taxes. This is incorrect. It clearly fails to mention life's third certainty, that is, you will absolutely be finding glitter in places you never thought possible for months, years, and maybe even decades after you use it.
- Use a vacuum to get as much of it out of the way as possible, and life hack.
- Use a ball of play dough, lint-rollers or a bundle of tape. It will work like a charm in picking up sparkles that won't budge from your floors. Yes, this is a good life hack to remember!
Use a vacuum to get as much of it out of the way as possible, and life hack: a ball of play dough, lint-rollers, or a bundle of tape will work a charm in picking up any sparkles that won't budge from your floors.
Depending on what your guests decide to dress up as (and how they decide to behave), the list could go on and on. A roaring party can have an aftermath that isn't too dissimilar to a horror movie, and even the mellowest of Halloween parties aren't safe from a bit of wine spillage. But like any type of cleaning, the sooner you do it, the sooner your place will be back to its sparkling best.
Having said that, if relaxing after a busy Halloween is more your style, our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. If you’re lucky to live in Vancouver, Calgary or Toronto, you can book a clean today (just click on the cities’ name) and leave the rest up to us – we've got this!
