Halloween in Boise is a blast. Between trick-or-treating in the North End, costume parties, and candy piled on the coffee table, it's also one of the messiest nights of the year. By the morning of November 1st, a lot of Treasure Valley homes have a few new "souvenirs" ground into the carpet and couch.

The good news: most Halloween stains come out if you act quickly and use the right approach. Here at 208 Cleaning, we've seen just about every spooky spill there is, so we put together our favorite tips.

First, the golden rules

Before you tackle any specific stain, keep these in mind:

• Blot, don't rub. Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the fibers and spreads it out. Press gently with a clean white cloth or paper towel.
• Work from the outside in. This keeps the stain from growing.
• Use cold water. Hot water can "cook" sugars and proteins into fibers and set the stain for good.
• Test first. Try any cleaner on a hidden spot before using it on the stain.
• Check your furniture tag. Upholstery usually has a cleaning code. "W" means water-based cleaners are okay, "S" means solvent only, "WS" means either, and "X" means vacuum only. If you see an S or X, skip the DIY solutions below and call a professional.

Chocolate

Melted fun-size bars are the number one Halloween stain we see.

1. Let the chocolate harden, or hold an ice cube on it to speed things up. Then gently scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife or spoon.
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of clear dish soap with 2 cups of cold water.
3. Dab the solution onto the stain and blot. Repeat until no more color transfers to your cloth.
4. Rinse with a little plain cold water and blot dry.

A faint shadow left behind? Try the red wine trick below.

Slime

Glow-in-the-dark goo makes a great party favor and a terrible carpet accessory.

1. Pick off every loose piece you can. If it's sticky, freeze it with an ice pack or ice cube in a plastic bag, then chip it away.
2. Spray or dab the spot with white vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. Vinegar helps break down the glue that holds slime together.
3. Gently work the area with a soft brush and blot.
4. Follow up with the dish soap and cold water mix, then rinse and blot dry.

Colored slime can leave dye behind. If you still see a tint after drying, that's a good time to call in the pros.

Red wine

Grown-up Halloween parties have their own scary stain. Speed matters most here.

1. Blot up as much wine as you can right away.
2. Pour a little cold water on the spot to dilute it, then blot again.
3. Cover the stain with a thick layer of salt or baking soda. It will pull up the remaining wine as it dries.
4. Once it's dry, vacuum it up.
5. For anything left over, mix 1 teaspoon of dish soap with 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. Test it in a hidden spot, then dab it on, wait a few minutes, and blot. Rinse with cold water.

Bonus round: wax, face paint, and fake blood

• Candle wax: Freeze it and scrape off what you can. Then lay a brown paper bag over the spot and press a warm (not hot) iron on top. The paper soaks up the melted wax. Move to a clean section of paper and repeat.
• Face paint and makeup: Most are oil-based. Blot with a little dish soap and cold water, which cuts through the grease.
• Fake blood: Treat it like the real thing. Use cold water only, blot, then follow up with the dish soap mix. Many fake bloods contain red dye, so the sooner you start, the better.

When to call 208 Cleaning

Some stains just won't give up, especially ones that sat overnight, ones with heavy dyes, or ones on delicate upholstery. Scrubbing harder can damage fibers or leave a ring that's worse than the original spot.

That's where we come in. 208 Cleaning is proud to serve our Boise neighbors, and our team has the tools and experience to lift tough stains safely and get your home looking great again.

Don't let a little Halloween mess haunt you all season. Give us a call, and we'll make those spooky stains disappear. Happy Halloween, Boise!