*click on the image above to see the Halloween Greeting!

After you wake from the sugar coma and throw out the pumpkins (before you forget and leave them out until spring) you may find the little trick or treaters left you a treat in your house…. Dirt. The little feet of the doctor, transformer, and batman tracked in dirt, leaves, and… GUM!!
Before you swear off Halloween and post “Trick or Treaters Prohibited” (trust me, the results are bad) here are some easy and affordable cleaning solutions for most flooring types. Also, advice for next year so the Halloween horrors do not follow you into the next day.

Carpeting:
Maybe you’ll rethink having trick or treaters step into your front door and onto your carpet next year. With a bowl full of sugar being held in front of them, no child is going to think of wiping their feet. For dirt, sucker stains, face paint and even gum, i would recommend cleaning your carpet or rugs with Host products. It’s a tough product but gentle enough to use on wool, sisal and other delicate oriental rugsThe best bet is to purchase the Host Carpet Cleaning Kit, because they contain everything you need to tackle tough stains.  If the spill/stain is dry, use a bit of the included carpet cleaner. Then, you just need to sprinkle on the Dry Carpet Cleaner and brush the area in all directions. Once it is dry (I usually wait about an hour), you can just vacuum the area.

Hardwood:
I’ve seen many people brought to tears talking about damaged done to their hardwood floors. If there is gum or other really sticky hard residues on your hardwood, you’ll have to take great measures of care when cleaning. This tip below is something my mom taught me, which means it’s absolutely 100% true (just kidding). Always take care in trying this out in a small area first. Situations vary.

Take ice cubes and place them into a plastic lunch bag. Place the bag with a kitchen rag (so the ice doesn’t melt onto your floor). Place the bag on top of the chewing gum or stick mess and let it sit for a while. The main goal is the completely harden the gum.

Once the gum has hardened, take a butter knife or paint scraper and pull up the gum. You may need to re-harden the gum as you work to make sure it pulls off easy. Next, clean the area with your normal hardwood cleaner (such as Bona or other hardwood floor cleaner) to remove any residue. You may need to use a small amount of floor polish if you caused any scratches or marks in the floor.

Other Hard Surfaces:
For really sticky stains, try using an Oops product. The easiest of their products is the Multi-purpose remover in an aerosol can. This can be used on vinyl, laminate, furniture, concrete, fiberglass, metal, glass, Formica, and more. Because this is a chemical based product, please take a moment to test it in inconspicuous area first. Otherwise the Halloween Hell might continue.

Only 364 days until the next Halloween….
To prepare for the next Halloween, you may want to purchase some type of flooring protection for the inside of your door. Whether it be a vinyl carpet runner or waterproof flooring protection. Protect your flooring investment from the lil monsters.

If anyone as any Post-Halloween Horror stories or tips to share, please do so!!

Everyone have a Safe and FUN Halloween!