Once you have filled yourself with Christmas dinner, almost to the point of explosion, there is only one thing left to do- eat dessert. If you get a dollop of dessert on your Christmas outfit, don’t worry, because this handy guide will help you to remove the stain. 

• Brandy butter
• Mincemeat 
• Double cream
• Jelly 
• Toffee sauce

Brandy butter 

Brandy butter is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dessert, especially if you’re having a Christmas pudding. Its combination of butter and alcohol though makes it a tricky stain to lift.  

To lift your brandy butter stain you will need…

• Dull knife or spoon 
• Talcum powder, baking soda, or cornstarch 
• Soft-bristled brush
• Heavy-duty liquid detergent 

To begin lifting your brandy butter stain use a dull knife or spoon to remove as much solid butter as possible. Be careful when doing this as pushing too hard could result in pushing the stain further into your garment. 

Once you have removed as much solid butter as possible, cover the stain with talcum powder, baking soda, or corn-starch. Brandy butter stains are oil-based, and fine powders, such as talcum powder, can absorb oil quickly. Make sure that your full stain is covered by the powder, and leave it for 15-30 minutes. After 15-30 minutes, shake off as much of the powder as you can. 

Next, use your fingers or a soft-bristled brush to work a small amount of heavy-duty liquid detergent into the remaining stain. Make sure that you are covering the whole of your stain with the detergent, and using a gentle scrubbing motion to ensure that your stain is being penetrated. 

Finally, after working the detergent into your stain, launder your garment as you usually would. Check that your stain has been completely lifted before drying your item. If it hasn’t then repeat the process. 

Mincemeat  

Mince pies are a Christmas staple. Sticky mincemeat filling, encased in a beautiful buttery pastry makes for the perfect after-dinner treat. If you drop mincemeat filling down yourself, follow these simple steps. 

To lift your mincemeat stain you will need…

• A spoon or blunt knife
• White vinegar 
• Clean cloth
• Washing powder 
• Warm water
• Sponge 

To begin lifting your mincemeat stain use a blunt knife or spoon to remove as much of the mincemeat as possible. Be careful when doing this as mincemeat is incredibly sticky and can easily spread to other parts of your garment. 

Once you have lifted as much mincemeat as possible, pour a small amount of white vinegar on to a clean cloth and gently dab at the remaining stain. White vinegar contains a mild amount of acetic acid which is strong enough to lift stains without causing damage to your clothing. Continue dabbing at your stain until it has lightened in colour. 

Next, mix 1 teaspoon of powder detergent to a mug of warm water and mix thoroughly until the powder has dissolved. Use a sponge to gently dab the detergent mixture on to your remaining stain.

After you have dabbed your stain, wash your garment as your usually would. Before drying, check that your stain has been completely lifted. If not, repeat the process. 

Double cream 

If you are not a fan of brandy cream, double cream is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dessert. Be careful though, because it is very easily dripped. 

To lift your double cream stain you will need…

• Clean cloth
• Cold water 
• Heavy duty liquid laundry detergent
• Soft bristled brush 

To begin removing your double cream stain use a clean cloth to soak up as much of the cream as possible. Carefully blot at the cream using your cloth, making sure that you are blotting and not rubbing as this will set the stain further into your garment. 

Next, flush out the remaining stain by holding it under a cold running tap with the underside of your fabric facing up. The constant stream of cold water will push the protein molecules from the fibres of your clothing, ultimately lifting the stain. 

After flushing your stain, wash your garment as you usually would. Before drying check that the stain has been completely lifted. If it has not, fill a sink with cold water and add a teaspoon of heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent. Place your stained item in the water, making sure that it is completely submerged, and leave it to soak for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove your garment from the water and wash it again. If your double cream stain still has not been lifted, repeat the process. 

Jelly  

Sometimes after a big Christmas dinner you just want something light for dessert, like jelly. Eat with caution though as this wibbly wobbly dessert can easily fall from your spoon and straight on to your lap. 

To lift your jelly stain you will need…

• Dull knife or spoon
• Cold water
• Clean sponge 
• Rubbing alcohol
• Oxygen based bleach 
• Tepid water 

To begin lifting your jelly stain, use a dull knife or spoon to scoop up as much of the jelly as possible. Be extra careful when doing this as you don’t want your jelly to fall off of your utensil and back on to your clothing. 

Once you have removed as much jelly as possible, flush the remaining stain by holding it under a cold running tap. Make sure that your water is nothing warmer than cold as jelly stains are protein based and any warmer water will cook the protein, making the stain harder to lift. 

After flushing your stain, use a clean sponge to gently dab rubbing alcohol onto the area. The rubbing alcohol will help lift the remaining stain. Continue dabbing your stain with the alcohol until it has completely lifted. Once it has been lifted, wash your item as you usually would. 

If, after a while of dabbing, you notice that your stain is not getting any lighter, mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach and tepid water. Completely submerge your garment in the water for a minimum of 4 hours. The oxygen-based bleach will penetrate your stain, removing the artificial colouring and leaving your garment stain-free. After 4 hours, remove your clothing from the water and wash as you usually would. 

Toffee sauce

A sticky toffee pudding would not be complete without it’s deliciously sweet toffee sauce. Unfortunately, a toffee sauce stain is quick to dry, so to remove it you have to act fast. 

To lift your toffee sauce stain you will need…

• Dull knife or spoon
• Borax
• Cold water
• Heavy duty liquid laundry detergent 
• Hot water
• Hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar 

To begin lifting your toffee sauce stain, first use a dull knife or spoon to lift as much of the sauce as possible. Be careful when doing this as pushing too hard will cause the stain to set further into your garment. 

Next, mix a paste of 1 tablespoon of water with 3 tablespoons of borax. Spread this paste over your stain, making sure that the whole area is covered. Leave your garment to sit for 15-20 minutes, giving the borax adequate time to penetrate your stain and lift the sticky toffee sauce from the fibres of your clothing. After 15-20 minutes, rinse your garment thoroughly, making sure that all of the borax paste has been removed. 

Once you have removed all of the borax paste, rub a small amount of heavy duty liquid laundry detergent directly onto your stain. Use your fingers to work the detergent in to your stain, saturating the area with detergent. Leave your garment for a minimum of 5 minutes, before flushing your stain, and detergent, with hot water. Make sure that the water is as hot as possible as this will help push the stain from your clothing. 

If your stain has been removed, or is significantly lighter, wash your garment as you usually would. If it has not been removed, use a sponge to gently dab a small amount of hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar on to the stained area. This should only be done on white or colour-fast clothing to avoid bleaching and ruining your garment. Continue to blot until your stain has lifted, and then wash your item as you usually would. 

Christmas is for spending time with loved ones, not doing your laundry. Give yourself a well deserved Christmas break and book your Laundryheap service today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.