Candy. We all love it. But your kids probably love it even more! And with Halloween just around the corner, they're going to be in candy heaven after they come home with their trick-or-treating treasures. With all that candy around, chances are high your little ghosts and goblins are going to come across a candy stain or two, or three, or…. But don't get frightened just yet! Let us here at Tide treat you to some tricks and tips on how to deal with some common Halloween stains.

(Always be sure to read garment care and fiber content labels before treating stains. Not all costumes are machine washable.).

Chocolate and caramel candy stains

Probably the most common of all Halloween stains. Simply soak the garment in cold water and treat with a prewash stain remover like 2X Ultra Tide® with Dawn StainScrubbers™. Then launder in warm water. Rinse and inspect the garment to make sure the stain is fully removed. If the stain remains, re-soak in cold water for about 30 minutes and repeat laundering.

Chewing gum

Too bad gum stains aren’t as much fun as actually chewing gum. But they’re not a lost cause either. If the stain is fresh and the gum is still stuck and hard, apply some ice to harden the gum residue. Next, remove gum by cracking or scraping with a dull knife. Rub the stain with a heavy duty liquid detergent like 2X Ultra Tide® with Bleach Alterative. Rinse in hot water. Repeat if necessary, then launder and inspect the stain. You might have to repeat the process if the gum is not fully removed after the first run.

Fruit-based stains (pumpkin, apple cider, fruit punch)

These stains should be treated immediately. Remove any fruit and run cold water over the stain. Rub the stain with laundry detergent and rinse. Launder the item as soon as possible using the warmest water that is safe for the fabric. 2X Ultra Tide® with Bleach Alterative is always a safe bet, as it keeps colors safe, whitens whites, and provides a powerful clean.

Face paint/makeup

These stains should be treated immediately. Remove any fruit and run cold water over the stain. Rub the stain with laundry detergent and rinse. Launder the item as soon as possible using the warmest water that is safe for the fabric. 2X Ultra Tide® with Bleach Alterative is always a safe bet, as it keeps colors safe, whitens whites, and provides a powerful clean.