How to remove crayon from a fabric couch

1. Scrape away as much crayon as possible. Use a butter knife to gently scrape up the crayon. Scraping is only necessary if the crayon has melted onto the couch fabric or is ground into the fabric in large chunks. If the crayon is just in the form of marks, you will not be able to scrape any off.

2. Moisten a paper towel with ammonia or dry cleaning solvent. Either product will work well, so use whatever you have on hand.

3. Dab the moistened paper towel over the crayon stain. Avoid rubbing over the stain the crayon will spread further. Dab the couch fabric several times with the paper towel. Blot the couch fabric with a dry paper towel.

4. Continue this process, switching from blotting with the moistened paper towel to blotting with the dry paper towel, until no more colour from the crayon is transferred from the couch to the paper towel.

5. Fill a small bowl with 1 cup lukewarm water. Add 1 tsp. of bleach-free dish soap to the water.

6. Dip a sponge into the bowl, and wring it out lightly. Dab the couch fabric with the sponge and soapy water. This will remove any traces of the cleaning solution, as well as any crayon residue.

7. Rinse the couch fabric with a rag and plain water. Blot the couch fabric with a dry rag to remove excess moisture. Allow the couch fabric to air dry the rest of the way, then inspect for any traces of the crayon.

8. Apply a lubricating spray such as WD-40 to the couch fabric if the crayon mark remains. Apply a small amount of the spray, and allow it to sit on the stain for about five minutes.

9. Scrub the crayon stain with a stiff scrub brush to loosen the crayon from the fabric. Clean the cushion with the sponge and soapy water, rinse with a rag and plain water and blot excess water from the fabric with a dry rag. Allow the couch fabric to air dry.

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How to remove tomato stains from your couch

1. Pick any tomato pieces off the couch and scrape as much of the stain off as you can with the back of a butter knife or other dull object.

2. Combine 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent. You can also use a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar.

3. Apply the solution to your stain and blot it with a clean cloth.

4. Repeat the process until the stain is gone.

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How to clean sheer curtains

1. Fill your washing machine with lukewarm water. (Even if you only have a few curtains, use a full washer as it will help to keep the curtains from twisting and wrinkling). As the washer is filling, add a water conditioner.

2. Once the washing machine is full, press the curtains down into the water. Never fill the washer more than half full with curtains.

3. Put the washing machine on pre-soak and let the curtains soak for five minutes. After five minutes, put the washer on a gentle rinse cycle.

4. After rinsing, with the curtains still in the washer, fill the washer to full once again with lukewarm water.

5. Mix detergent into water. If you use powdered detergent, mix it in a bowl to dissolve the clumps before adding it to the washer with the curtains.

6. Put on a gentle wash cycle for three to five minutes. Continually check on the curtains during the wash cycle to be sure curtains are not twisting around the agitator.

7. When the wash cycle has completed, put the curtains on a gentle rinse cycle with cool water. Once the washing machine has filled, add fabric softener, stirring it through the water.

8. When curtains have had their final spin, place them in the dryer on "air dry." Add three to four small hand towels to help absorb the moisture. Hang up as soon as they are dry, to ensure they will not wrinkle.

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How to clean marks off walls

Things you will need

Baking soda

Water

Small bowl

Instructions for painted walls

1. Mix 1/4 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a small bowl to make a paste
2. Wring out a clean, wet cloth or sponge
3. Dab the cloth or sponge into some baking soda mixture and rub it on the mark.  Do this in a circular motion
4. Rinse the wall with another well-wrung rag or sponge

Dave's Tip

Try using an eraser for scuff marks made by shoes or other objects

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How to clean a Fireplace Window Glass

Read your owner's manual to make sure your cleaning procedures don't invalidate the warranty. This is rarely a problem with recent fireplaces, but older models have a number of restrictions.

Things you will need

Razor blade or painting scraper

Ammonia - based cleaner

Disposable towels or rags

Instructions

1.     Remove the sooty buildup with a razor blade or paint scraper. You can skip this step if there is only minimal black debris on the windows.

2.     Spray the windows with an ammonia-based cleaner. You can make your own with a mixture of equal parts ammonia and water.

3.      Using clean towels, start wiping the windows in a circular motion. You won't be able to remove all of the buildup with a single wash. Spray and wipe at least three times.

4.      Use wet newspaper with a little bit of ash sprinkled on it if there are spots that won't come off with just the ammonia cleaner. The newspaper and ash will scrape off stubborn particles that ammonia alone will not remove.

5.     Allow the window to dry completely once all the visible soot has been removed. Spray and wipe down the windows one more time with ammonia and water. This will prevent most of the fogging from ash and sooty remains that aren't visible.

Tips and Warnings

Add 1/4 cup vinegar to your cleaning solution if fogging continues after cleaning. Occasionally burn an extremely hot fire to burn off excess soot from the windows. Most soot is material that hasn't completely burned, and so the heat will break down much of what you can see. Extra hot fires also help remove soot buildup from your chimney.

Make sure you do not clean the glass while it is still hot. Cold liquid on hot glass can cause it to shatter


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How to remove pet vomit from upholstery

1. Scoop up any solid matter from the upholstery. Use an old spoon to carefully scoop the vomit from upholstery, taking care not to further spread the vomit. Spray on a small amount of water if the solid particles need to be loosened to remove.

2. Sprinkle a generous coating of baking soda onto the vomit stain. Allow the area to dry completely for a few hours.

3. Vacuum the baking soda from the upholstery. Use the soft brush hose attachment to vacuum up the baking soda. The baking soda will have absorbed a large amount of the vomit stain.

4. Sprinkle another coating of baking soda onto the affected area. This will help to absorb any remaining vomit from the upholstery. Let it dry for a few hours then vacuum up the baking soda.

5. Pour some club soda onto the vomit. It is important to thoroughly cover the stain without completely soaking the upholstery.

6. Blot the stained upholstery with a thick stack of paper towels. Continue blotting, switching to clean portions of the paper towels frequently, until no more vomit is lifting from the upholstery.

7. Rinse the area with a rag and plain water. Dry with a clean rag to soak up excess moisture.

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How to remove ice cream stains from fabric upholstery

1. Immediately scrape to remove any excess ice cream.

2. Sponge the area with a dry-cleaning solvent.

3. Apply dry spotter and cover with an absorbent pad moisted with dry spotter. Let it stand as long as any stain is being removed. Change the pad as it picks up the stain and keep the stain and pad moist with dry spotter.

4. Flush with one of the liquid dry-cleaning solvents. If any stain remains, apply a few drops of liquid dishwashing or laundry detergent and a few drops of ammonia to the area.

5. Tamp (the method of bringing a brush down with light strokes on stained durable fabrics and materials) or scrape to loosen the stain. Keep the stain moist with detergent and ammonia solution. Blot occasionally with an absorbent pad.

6. Flush well with water to remove all ammonia and allow to dry.

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