Post-Halloween Party Cleaning Tips

Post-Halloween Cleanup Cheat Sheet

The costumes are coming off, the candy bowls are empty, and a few reminders of the fun are probably scattered throughout the house. Whether you’re faced with sticky candy stains, leftover pumpkin residue, or hidden glitter, we’ve come up with a few simple cleaning tips and tricks that will help you get your home back in order!

Before you begin your cleaning, we would like to remind you to keep waste in mind. This means washing any reusable party dishes (cups to plates), saving costumes and decorations for next year, and checking your local guidelines for composting pumpkins. 

Once that is done, roll up your sleeves and follow along for quick fixes to help manage your biggest Halloween horrors!

HOW TO REMOVE CANDY STAINS?

HARD SURFACES

Not just a delicious treat, candy also doubles as a sticky mess! If the candy you've left out has made its way to walls, furniture, or floors, you'll need to get to it ASAP to avoid any potential stains.

  • Mix a few drops of Dish Soap with a cup of warm water.
  • Gently wipe the affected area with a clean Microfiber Cloth dampened with the solution.
  • Wipe away any soap residue with a clean, damp cloth, then dry.
    For lingering sticky residue, try using an All-Purpose Cleaner (following the product directions). Make sure to also check the surface’s care instructions and test a hidden area first!

CLOTHING

If you have candy stains on your clothes, here is one good hack to get rid of them.

  • Gently scrape excess candy off the fabric.
  • Apply a small amount of Liquid Laundry Detergent onto the stains and load your piece of clothing, as well as your other laundry, into the machine.


FOOD COLORING STAINS ON FABRIC

For food coloring stains, start immediately by dabbing them with some cold water. If the stains remain and the fabric allows it, soak the fabric in some cold water mixed with a little bit of Oxygen Bleach. 

DRYING INSTRUCTIONS

It is important to mention that before you put your clothes into the dryer, make sure to double-check that the stain has been completely removed, as if this isn’t the case, the heat will set in the stains, making them harder to remove!

HOW TO REMOVE CANDY STAINS?

HOW TO CLEAN UP PUMPKIN RESIDUE

Did you leave your pumpkin to sit outside or in the window for a little longer than it should have? (No judgment – we've all been there). You're in luck! Jack-o'-lantern guts are one of the easier Halloween messes to get rid of.

  • Get a spoon and scrape up as much as you can.
  • Get out the trusty dish soap and water mixture once again and give the rest a good scrub.
  • If the pumpkin won't budge, our Natural SuperScrub Scouring Powder makes light work of any scrubbing tasks.

Before composting your pumpkin, remove any candles and decorations, and check your local collection rules!

TRICK OR TREAT: CLEANUP AFTER PRANKS

Were you terrorized by a gang of 4-foot-tall mischief makers in costume? Harrowing. When you're done laughing (come on, we were all young once), it's time to get stuck into the prank cleanup.

Toilet Paper in the trees? Easy. Just wrap the end of a stick in duct tape and go to town – just do it before it rains, or you'll have some serious papier-mache on your hands.

Victim of a good old-fashioned egging? Just pick up eggshells before hosing off cars or porches and remove any leftover residue by resting a cloth soaked in half-water, half-vinegar on the mark for 15 minutes before wiping it down with a second clean cloth. Good as new.

HOW TO CLEAN UP HALLOWEEN GLITTER

There's a saying about two things being certain in life – death and taxes. This is incorrect. It clearly misses life's third certainty: you'll find glitter in places you never thought possible for months, years, and maybe even decades after you use it!

  • Use a vacuum to get as much of it out of the way as possible.
  • Use a ball of play dough, lint rollers, or a bundle of tape to pick up sparkles that won't budge from your floors.
HOW TO CLEAN UP HALLOWEEN GLITTER

LET US DO THE DIRTY WORK!

Having said that, if relaxing after a busy Halloween is more your style, our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Explore our cleaning services in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, and leave the rest up to us!

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Frequently asked questions

How do you remove candy stains from furniture?

Mix a few drops of dish soap with a cup of warm water. Gently wipe the area with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth, and then remove any remaining soap residue with another clean, damp cloth. Make sure not to soak the furniture with the solution, and check the care instructions and test a hidden spot first.

How do you clean candy stains from clothing?

Begin by gently scraping off any excess candy from your clothing. From there, pretreat the stain with a small amount of liquid detergent. Let this sit for 5-10 minutes before you put it in the washer and follow the item's washing instructions. Once the wash cycle has finished, check to see if the stain has been removed, and only if it has, put it in the dryer. If the stain persists, wash it again. Putting stained items in the dryer will only set the stain into the fabric, making it harder to remove.

How do you clean up pumpkin residue after Halloween?

Start with a spoon to remove as much of the pumpkin as possible without causing damage to the surface. Wash away the rest of the mess with warm water and dish soap. If you’re dealing with stubborn residue, try using a scouring powder!