How to Remove Halloween Stains: Candle Wax, Fake Blood, and Face Paint

Halloween brings some messy stains. Wax drips off a candle. Fake blood ends up on the rug. Face paint gets all over a pillowcase.

The good news is that most of these come out. Below are the simple steps I use, for each stain and each surface.

How to remove Halloween stains: five rules first

1. Act fast. A fresh stain is much easier to remove than one that sat overnight.
2. Use cold water, not hot. Hot water can set dye and makeup stains.
3. Blot, do not rub. Rubbing spreads the stain and pushes it deeper.
4. Test first. Try any cleaner on a hidden spot before you use it on the stain.
5. Skip the dryer until the stain is gone. Dryer heat locks stains in for good. Air dry and check first.

How to remove candle wax

Candle wax on carpet and rugs

1. Let the wax harden. Hold an ice cube in a plastic bag on it for a minute to speed it up.
2. Gently scrape off as much as you can with a dull butter knife or an old gift card.
3. Vacuum up the flakes.
4. Lay a plain brown paper bag or a white paper towel over the spot.
5. Set an iron to low with no steam. Press it on the paper for a few seconds. The wax melts into the paper.
6. Move to a clean part of the paper and repeat until no more wax comes up.
7. If a little color is left, dab it with rubbing alcohol on a white cloth, then blot dry. Test a hidden spot first.

Keep the iron low and keep it moving. Some carpets are made of plastic fibers that can melt.

Candle wax on tablecloths and clothes

Use the same steps: harden, scrape, then iron through paper. Then rub a little liquid laundry detergent into the spot and wash it as the tag says.

Candle wax on wood tables

Harden the wax with ice, then gently lift it with a plastic card. Never use a metal knife on wood. Buff away any haze with a soft dry cloth.

Candle wax in glass holders

Put the holder in the freezer for an hour or two. The wax shrinks and pops right out.

Want to skip wax cleanup next year? Use battery candles. My Halloween party cleaning checklist has more ideas like this.

How to remove fake blood

Most fake blood is syrup with red dye in it. The syrup washes out easily. The dye is what stains, so speed matters.

Fake blood on clothes and costumes

1. Rinse the back of the stain under cold running water. This pushes the dye out the way it came in.
2. Rub in a little liquid laundry detergent or dish soap.
3. Soak it in cold water for about 30 minutes.
4. Wash in cold water.
5. Check the spot before drying. If you still see pink, repeat the steps.

Fake blood on carpet

1. Scoop up any thick blood with a spoon.
2. Mix a few drops of dish soap into a cup of cold water.
3. Dab the mix on with a white cloth, then blot with a dry one. Keep going until the cloth stops turning pink.
4. Blot with plain cold water to rinse out the soap, then blot dry.
5. For leftover color, try rubbing alcohol on a white cloth. Test a hidden spot first.

Tip: when you shop, look for fake blood that says washable on the package. And keep it away from light colored couches and rugs.

How to remove face paint and costume makeup

Most face paint is water based. Some costume makeup is greasy, like cream makeup and clown white. Here is how to handle both.

• Water based face paint. Rinse with cold water, rub in a little dish soap, and rinse again. Then wash as usual.
• Greasy cream makeup. Rub in dish soap first. Dish soap is made to cut grease. Let it sit for a few minutes, rinse, and wash.
• Pillowcases. Put an old pillowcase on the bed on Halloween night. Kids rarely get every bit of makeup off before bed.
• Towels. Use dark towels for washing off makeup. Treat any spots with dish soap before they go in the wash.
• Carpet and couches. Blot with a cloth dipped in cold water with a drop of dish soap. Then blot with plain water and let it dry.

How to remove chocolate and candy

• Chocolate on carpet. Let it harden, then scrape off what you can. Blot the rest with cold water and a drop of dish soap.
• Chocolate on clothes. Scrape, rinse the back with cold water, rub in detergent, and wash cold.
• Hard candy and lollipops. Sugar melts in warm water. Lay a warm wet cloth on the spot for a minute, then wipe it up.
• Gummy candy stuck on the floor. Harden it with ice and pop it off with a plastic card.

How to remove glitter

Glitter is not a stain, but it acts like one. It gets everywhere and stays for months.

• Use a lint roller or wide packing tape on fabric and couches.
• Wipe hard surfaces with a damp cloth. A dry cloth just pushes glitter around.
• Vacuum carpet with the hose, going over each spot a few times from different directions.
• Do not sweep it. A broom spreads glitter into new rooms.

Before you clean a couch: check the tag

Most couches have a tag with a cleaning code. It tells you what is safe to use.

If there is no tag, test on the back or underneath first, or call a professional.

When to get help

Small, fresh stains are easy to handle with the steps above. Big stains that have set in are harder. For those on carpet, a carpet cleaning company with a hot water extraction machine is your best bet.

For the rest of the house, I can help. After a Halloween party, I offer one time house cleaning in New Lenox and nine nearby towns. If the house needs more than a quick reset before the holidays, a deep clean gets the spots a regular clean skips.