Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without worrying about stains, because we’ve got you covered with this handy guide. 

• Turkey
• Gravy
• Yams
• Pumpkin
• Lipstick

Turkey 

Turkey is the traditional meat eaten on Thanksgiving. In fact, it is probably one of the first things you think about when you think of the holiday. If you accidentally drop a piece of turkey on your clothing, don’t panic, the oily stain left behind can easily be removed. 

To remove a turkey stain you will need…

• Dull knife or spoon
• Clean napkin or towel
• Cornstarch, talcum powder, or bicarbonate of soda
• Heavy-duty liquid detergent 

To begin removing your turkey stain use a dull knife or spoon to lift any solid bits of turkey from your clothing. Be careful not to push too hard when lifting the turkey as you could push the stain further into your garment, making it harder to remove. 

Once you have removed as much turkey as possible, use a clean napkin or towel to blot at your stain. This will soak up some of the oil and make your stain easier to lift. Make sure that you are blotting and not rubbing as rubbing will only push the stain further into your clothing. 

After blotting at your stain, sprinkle cornstarch, talcum powder, or bicarbonate of soda over the stained area, making sure that your stain is completely covered. Regardless of which of these powders you use, they will help to absorb any oil that you could not lift from blotting. Leave your powder for 10-15 minutes, before shaking it off. 

Next, rub a small amount of heavy-duty laundry detergent directly onto your stain. You must make sure that you are using a heavy-duty detergent as they contain the necessary enzymes to break down the oil molecules in your stain. You can use your fingers or a soft-bristled brush to work your detergent into your stain. Once you are satisfied that your detergent has been fully worked in, leave it to sit for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, wash your garment as you usually would, checking that the stain has been completely lifted before drying. 

Gravy

You can’t possibly enjoy turkey without gravy. Be careful though, as gravy, although delicious, is easily spilt. 

To remove a gravy stain you will need…

• Dull knife or spoon
• Heavy-duty laundry detergent
• Soft-bristled brush
• All-fabric bleach (optional)

To begin removing your gravy stain use a dull knife or spoon to lift as much gravy from your clothing as possible. You may be tempted to use a cloth to rub the stain, however, this will only set it further into your garment and make it harder to remove. 

Next, cover your stain with a heavy-duty laundry detergent and use a soft-bristled brush to work it into your stain. Scrub your stain lightly with your brush, using enough effort to ensure that the stain is being penetrated by the detergent, but not enough effort to rip your garment. Once you are satisfied that your detergent has adequately covered the stain, leave your garment for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, wash your clothing using the hottest setting advised on your items care label. You may also want to add a small amount of all-fabric bleach to your washing machine to lift any discolouration caused by the gravy.

Once your wash cycle has finished, check that your stain has been completely removed before drying. 

Yams

Yams are the perfect Thanksgiving side. They are beautifully sweet and taste wonderful when paired with gravy. If you accidentally drop some, don’t worry, a yam stain is easily removed. 

To remove a yam stain you will need…

• Dull knife or spoon
• Cold water
• Heavy-duty laundry detergent

To begin removing your yam stain use a dull knife or spoon to lift as much solid yam from your clothing as possible. Try to be as gentle as possible whilst lifting your yams as you could push your stain further into your clothing, making it harder to lift. 

Immediately after lifting as much solid yam from your clothing as possible, use cold water to flush out your stain. The water will run through the stained area of your garment, pushing out as much of the stain as possible. Make sure that you are using cold water as anything hotter will only set the stain into the fibres of your clothing. 

Once you are satisfied that your stain has been adequately flushed, pour a small amount of heavy-duty laundry detergent directly onto the stained area. Work the detergent into your stain using your fingers, making sure that the whole stain is covered by detergent. Once you are satisfied that your stain has been covered, set your garment to one side for 15 minutes. During this time the detergent will penetrate your stain and begin breaking down its oily molecules. 

After 15 minutes have passed, wash your clothing as you usually would. Once your garment has completed its wash, check thoroughly to make sure that the stain has been completely removed before drying. 

Pumpkin 

After a delicious Thanksgiving meal, there’s nothing better than a delectable dessert. Pumpkin pie is one of the most popular desserts to have during Thanksgiving, and pumpkin is a likely stain to find during the holiday season. 

To remove a pumpkin stain you will need…

• Dull knife or spoon
• Cold water
• Heavy-duty laundry detergent 
• Rubbing alcohol or white vinegar 
• White cloth or napkin

To begin removing your pumpkin stain use a dull knife or spoon to lift as much solid pumpkin from your clothing as possible. Be careful when doing this as pumpkin can be slippery and you don’t want to spread your stain to other areas of your clothing. 

Next, flush your stain using cold water. Before putting your stain under the water make sure that it is cold as any warmer temperature will set your stain further into your garment. Leave your garment under the water until you are satisfied that no more of your stain can be flushed out. 

Once you have removed your garment from the water, rub a small amount of heavy-duty laundry detergent into your stain. Make sure that your whole stain has been rubbed with detergent or risk only lifting part of the stain. Once you are satisfied that your whole stain has been adequately rubbed with detergent, set your garment to one side for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, wash your clothing as you usually would. Once your garment has completed its wash, check to make sure that the stain has been completely removed. If the stain has not been removed, dampen a clean white cloth or napkin with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar and blot at your stain. Once you are satisfied that you won’t lift any more of your stain by blotting, rewash your garment. 

Lipstick 

Thanksgiving is about sharing time with the people you love, and showing them how much you care. As such, don’t be surprised to find a lipstick stain or two pressed into your clothing by the end of the day. 

To remove a lipstick stain you will need…

• Heavy-duty laundry detergent 
• Oxygen-based bleach 
• Cold water

To begin removing your lipstick stain use your fingers to rub heavy-duty laundry detergent directly into the stain. Make sure that you are covering the whole of the stained area with the detergent. Once you are satisfied that the detergent has been adequately applied to the stain, set your garment to one side for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes, wash your clothing as you usually would. Once your garment has been washed, check to see if the stain has been removed. 

If your lipstick stain has not been completely removed, mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach and cold water. Submerge your garment completely in the solution, and leave it to soak for 8 hours. Over the course of 8 hours, the oxygen-based bleach will penetrate the waxy stain, loosening it and making it easier to lift.  After 8 hours, remove your garment and wash as you usually would. If your lipstick stain still has not been lifted, repeat the process. 

Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy yourself with your loved ones, not a time to be worried about laundry. Book your Laundryheap service today by heading to the Laundryheap website or by downloading the free Laundryheap app.