Lickety-Split
Party Clean Up Tricks
So the party was fun. Between those nasty headaches and the headache of cleaning up, the day after usually isn’t. Home economist Fay Carpenter of Fairfield, Connecticut, can’t do much about your…um…overindulgence. But following her expert advice can help minimize clean-up trauma.

• House smell like a bar? Empty the ashtrays immediately. Things will smell better right away! Vacuuming with a scented powder works wonders too.
• Soak baking pans before going to bed. The water might look like pond muck the next morning but you’ll save elbow grease.
• Keep your cool if a guest spills a drink, but don’t wait ‘til the party’s done to deal with it. Use a wet/dry handheld vacuum to slurp up the spill in a hurry.
• Red wine can be nasty to clean up, especially if it dries. If there’s a spill, nonchalantly blot and sponge with a small bowl of cool water ASAP! It should soak out quickly.
• If red wine dribbles on the tablecloth (and won’t hurt the table), the problem is less demanding. Cover the stain with a napkin or towel. After guests go, arrange the stained area of the tablecloth flat in the bottom of the kitchen sink. Sprinkle the stain liberally with table salt, and pour boiling water – from a height of at least one foot – over the stains. The force of the water, plus the salt, should remove the stain. Repeat if necessary.
• When setting a buffet, put a terry towel under the dish. (Guests don’t mean to be sloppy, but somehow spills just happen.) The towel will help protect the table and catch sauce that might stain the tablecloth.
• Need to snooze as soon as you get rid of that lingering last guest? Hit the hay instead of tackling Grandma’s china or any special wine glasses. Wash them when you’re fresh instead of ruining the evening by accidentally breaking something.
• Don’t panic if you discover dried on stains on carpet or upholstery the next day. Try to identify the stain so you know how to treat it. If someone spilled marinara on the couch, for example, brush off any large dried sections. Then use cool water and a sponge to soak the stain. Rinse and pat stains away. Follow with warm, sudsy water and rinse again.
• If someone got too excited and dropped a hot cheese canapé, dab the greasy stain with cleaning fluid. You may have to repeat several times before the stain comes out.
• For heavy-duty stains on upholstery or carpets, use a professional liquid cleaner like Simple Green. If you still can’t lift the stain, call in the pros as soon as you can.
• What about water rings on furniture? They’re deadly, so try hard not to let this happen. Before the party, position coasters and napkins strategically around the room. Have a friend pick up dirty plates and used glasses during party time. If a water ring mysteriously appears, try rubbing it with mayonnaise the next day. The oil in the mayonnaise might remove or lighten the ring. Shoe polish might work too.

  Still seem like too much effort? Narrow the invite list to neat-niks!

  -- Michelle Nellett