AS much as we try and keep our home in pristine condition, chances are we'll still end up with a pesky mark or stain at one point or another.
But before you spend your hard earned cash on replacing carpet, painting walls, or simply putting up with the dreaded reminder of what you've done, just know there's a solution for everything – well, almost everything.
Having experienced their fair share of accidental hiccups or unavoidable mishaps, cleaning fanatics have long been sharing the clever way they've removed some serious (and some not so bad) marks.
From a toddler's Picasso attempt on the new sofa (we feel you) or water stains on your furniture (use coasters, people), here's a list of some pretty impressive hacks solving all of your household woes.
Fabric sofa
Give a toddler the chance and you'll end up with a newly decorated sofa – and we don't mean with cushions and a new fancy throw.
Lipstick, my friend, or even permanent marker – either way, it's certainly a sight as these mums experienced.
A mortified mum feared her velvet sofa was ‘ruined’ by her young tot'spermanent marker scribbles.
Using black, green and red markers, the three-year-old covered almost every inch of the side of the grey settee in scribbles
But hairspray was the unlikely solution, proving it works wonders when it comes to terrifying stains – even on pen-covered walls and doors and, according to cleaning pro Heather Barrigan, grass stains too.
She says: "Apply the hairspray to the stain and wait 30 seconds until the spray becomes tacky. Use a stiff, bristled brush, or a clean toothbrush to scrub the stain away."
Similarly, another parent had a red lipstick-covered sofa to contend with but, surprisingly, washing up liquid did the trick.
Carpet
Furniture marks
The super handy TikTok page Clean That Up shared a clip and revealed exactly how to fix your carpet after moving furniture.
If you've ever had this issue you'd understand that your carpet appears ruined by the weight of the item – but fear not because sing a damp cloth and an iron you can get it looking new.
Simply lay down the cloth and press it with and iron for 15 seconds before scratching at the fibres with a fork.
Former winner of The Great British Bake Off, Nancy Birtwhistle, previously suggested the hack but warns against one thing.
She says "never ever" rub the carpet with a cloth as it can leave the fibres permanently damaged.
Alternatively, rubbing an ice cube on the area works well too.
Paint stains
Fancy this, you're giving your home a fresh lick of paint and you accidentally get some on your CARPET.
Well, you'll be surprised to know it's actually pretty easy to remove – with NO product at all.
Just a wall scraper, some hot water and a vacuum and it'll be looking good as new.
Candle wax
Hot wax from a candle? Don't fret. A plastic spoon and a towel is all you need – oh, and and iron.
According to TikTok's Clean That up page, you need to pop a towel over the dried wax and press a hot iron on top for a couple of seconds – then use a spoon to scrape away the softened wax.
Red wine
Cleaning expert, Heather Barrigan from My Job Quote, reckons hand sanitiser is the way to go, but make sure it's 99.9% effective.
She says: "Dab the surface with a wet cloth to get rid of any excess wine, then work the hand sanitiser into the stain. Rinse or dab with a wet cloth again to completely remove the stain."
Make-up, sauces and anything else
Shaving cream
Lynsey the Queen of Clean reckonscheap shaving cream works on ALL carpet stains – and on mattresses too.
Just use warm water and a small soft brush or cloth and very gently rub into the stain leave for 10 minutes then rinse away before patting dry with a cloth.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_O13VqjIlh/
A post shared by Lynsey Queen Of Clean (@lynsey_queenofclean)
Heather Barrigan agrees saying: "Shaving cream contains active ingredients such as surfactants and cleansing agents."
It works particularly well on tea and coffee stains – just gently rub the cstain with shaving cream and rinse with water.
WD-40
If you thought WD-40's only use was for oiling up squeaky hinges, think again.
People online claim you can use the lubricant for a long list of other tasks, from getting chewing gum out of the carpet to making dull silver jewellery look shiny again.
One mum almost ripped up her carpet to replace it after struggling to remove a huge red stain, until a handyman suggested WD-40.
There's no scrubbing either, just spray it on and let it get to work.
Vodka
Cleaning expert Tim Keaveney from Homethings swears by vodka to help keep your carperts stain free
In fact, any clear alcohol will do the job – be it white wine, vodka or just ordinary rubbing alcohol.
He says: "If you can get to the spillage before it sets, blot it first. Otherwise, just dab away with your liquid of choice.
Washing up liquid
If you've tried everything, or nothing, give washing up liquid a go.
It's a sure way to remove almost anything. Simply squirt a tiny amount and press a damp cloth onto the stain (don't rub, ever) and you'll see it vanish before your eyes.
Wood/vinyl
Ring marks on furniture
No matter how well prepared you might be, there'll always be someone who doesn't use a coaster, and in turn leaves a dreaded water stain on your coffee table.
But any oil-based product will do the trick, according to The Cleaner Home blog, including mayonnaise or olive oil.
Simply add a generous amount of full-fat mayonnaise to a paper towel, and then apply it to the stain until it's completely covered.
Leave it overnight to give the wood time to absorb the stain, then rub it off with a soft clean cloth.
With olive oil, however, you can simply apply it to a cloth and gently rub the area.
Scratches
Have you ever tried moving furniture around and taken a chunk of your timber floor with it? Yep, it hurts, but you don't have to replace your floors.
A walnut is all you need – simply rub it over the scratch until it eventually disappears.
It works in the same way as the water ring marks and the oil in the nut is where the magic happens.
According to Lifehacker, wood, vinyl or laminate flooring absorbs the oil from the nut which helps conceal the scratches – or eliminate them altogether.
Walls
The walls in your home, particularly those painted in light, neutral tones, often fall victim to all sorts of grubby marks.
But before ducking out to the hardware store for a new pot of paint, first consider checking your pantry.
Just as it helps on wooden furniture, mayonnaise works wonders on all sorts of common marks you'll find on your walls – including pen, crayon and any type sticky residue (we're looking at you kiddies).
In a desperate attempt to remove her son's artwork from the wall, one mum cracked out the mayo and slathered it on nice and thick.
She, and many other cleaning-obsessives, were amazed the results, and with good reason as the marks were completely gone.
What's more, cleaning-mad mum Mrs D shared with Fabulous some other genius ways mayonnaise can help around the home – including removing scuff marks from laminate floors.
Vote for your Fabulous Mum of the Year and WIN
Do you know a mum who deserves some extra recognition? We want to pay homage to the best mums in Britain.
During the pandemic they’ve been busy juggling childcare, homeschooling and work, with the added stress of worrying about the health of elderly relatives and vulnerable friends.
It’s never been a harder time to be a mum, so this year it’s even more important to honour the amazing women in our lives.
Nominate her for our Fabulous Mum Of The Year Award and she could win an overnight stay for two at a Champneys spa of her choice complete with a Gold package, which includes four relaxing treatments for the ultimate pampering experience.
Two runners-up will Champneys goodie bag worth £50 plus a £100 M&S voucher and £200 Nutmeg at Morrisons voucher, and all three mums will enjoy a makeover with our glam squad before taking part in a photo shoot for the magazine.
And you could win a £100 Tu at Sainsbury’s voucher, £200 Florence & Fred at Tesco voucher or £250 to spend at Primark just for entering.
If you want to nominate a mum then fill in the form here.
To enter, upload a photograph of the mum you are nominating and explain why they deserve to win.
The deadline for entries is Sunday February 14 and one winner and two runners-up will be announced on Sunday March 14. Good luck – we can’t wait to hear from you!
We previously shared the scrub-free cleaning tips that require zero effort (and they all cost less than a quid).
And Aggie MacKenzie reveals the biggest cleaning ‘mistakes’ that can damage your home – so how many are YOU guilty of?
Plus a professional cleaner reveals why you should NEVER use bleach in the bathroom & says washing up liquid is the top product.
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