Whether you are having a holiday party with your family, a dinner party with friends, or a romantic evening with your significant other, nothing sets the mood quite like candles and wine. Candles can make your home look festive during the holidays or create nice lighting for an intimate dinner party, and let’s face it, everything is better with a little bit of wine! Unfortunately, when you’re dealing with wax candles and a bottle of red, you also have to be prepared for a little wax on your table or floor and perhaps a little spilled wine on your rug. Luckily, the good people at Enviro Maids, have the answer to this problem. In this article they give you tips on how to naturally remove wax and wine stains.

Natural Ways to Get Out Difficult Stains

We’ve all stared in disbelief at a wine stain soaking the carpet, or dried drips of wax stuck to the hardwood floor. While certain spills and stains require little effort to remove, other stains require a little more work. Some stains such as wine, wax and gum are notorious for being particularly stubborn. Here are some natural ways to remove these unwanted stains. With the help of these tips you don’t have to “cry over spilled milk” or spilled wine anymore.

Wax Woes

Candles provide a relaxing backdrop for a dinner party and set a festive mood during the holidays. When the guests have left and the festivities are over, however, the dried wax stains are nothing to cheer about. According to the experts at Beeswax Candle Company, the best way to remove wax from table linen is to melt it out from the fabric. Start by scraping off as much of the dried wax as you can with a dull knife. Place a brown paper bag on either side of the wax stain. Run a warm iron over the paper that is covering the stain. The wax will melt into the paper. Laundering as usual should remove any remaining residue.

Carpeting: Remove wax from carpeting the same way you would from fabric — using the warm iron and paper bag method. You can also use a clean cloth. If greasy residue remains, sprinkle baking soda on the area and let sit overnight before vacuuming to remove the residue.

Wood Surfaces: To remove candle wax spills from wood furniture or wood floors, first soften the wax with a hairdryer set to medium heat. When the wax starts to melt wipe it off with a soft cloth. Finish by wiping the area with a mild vinegar/water solution and polish as normal.

Red Wine

If you accidentally spill red wine on your crisp, white shirt or favorite tablecloth, don’t panic! As the experts at Real Simple contend, the key with all wine spills is to act fast. Start by draping the stained fabric over a bowl and blot using a clean, dry cloth to absorb excess liquid. Rinse out the stain with cool water, followed by covering it completely with a generous amount of salt and let stand for several minutes. Next, carefully pour boiling water over the stain to rinse away the salt and the stain. For stubborn stains, soak the fabric in a solution of one part vinegar to two parts water; Launder as usual after the stain has lightened significantly.

Rug spills: There are a few methods to remove red wine spills from carpets. One way is using cold water and baking soda. Immediately blot as much of the wine you can with a white cloth. After you finish blotting, pour some cold water directly onto the wine stain to dilute it. Continue blotting until most of the stain comes out. To completely remove the stain, make a baking soda paste by mixing three parts water to one part baking soda and applying it to the area. Vacuum once the paste has dried.

Another method uses vinegar. In a small bowl add one tablespoon of white vinegar and one tablespoon dishwashing liquid to two cups of warm water. Dip a sponge into the bowl and begin applying the solution directly onto the wine stain. Continue blotting until the stain has lifted.