Halloween Clean

Just before Halloween and just after, you’ll have a short window for an indoor and outdoor overhaul. No one is immune to chocolate stains, shedding scarecrows and a prank or two on Devil’s Night, so be prepared to break out the cleaning supplies. From seasonal storage and item removal to trick-or-treat cleanup, we have a full guide to getting your house together for October 31.

Think about all the trick-or-treaters coming to your door on Halloween night, and plan accordingly. "You want to make sure sidewalk and stairs are clear," says cleaning coach Leslie Reichert, author of The Joy of Green Cleaning. "Check spotlights to make sure they’re not hitting anyone in the eye, and remove leaves so the walkway is easy to see."

“Everyone likes to put jack-o'-lanterns by the door, because they’re fun,” says Reichert. “If you do that, don’t put a candle in it, though.” Imagine a young child kicking a blazing pumpkin into your dry leaves … not good.

This fun-in-theory double-whammy is both a safety hazard and a mess-maker. “If you like to invite people just inside your door for trick-or-treating, make sure you put the décor far from the door so they aren’t tripping or knocking into it,” says Reichert.

Whether on your kid or the carpet, chocolate stains are inevitable. "First, use an ice cube on the chocolate to freeze it," Reichert says. "When it’s hard, scrape it off with a butter knife. Try some club soda on the spot, and dab with a white cloth until you can’t see any more residue." From there, rub a shoe or nail brush on an ivory soap bar until foamy. Work on the stain from the outside in, dabbing off chocolate as you go. Use rubbing alcohol on the remaining oil spot.

For face paint, Reichert suggests a three-step method: “First, use cold cream or body balm to remove oil-based paint. If that doesn’t work, use baby wipes or rubbing alcohol, which will take off grease-based paint. If all else fails, try baby oil on a cotton ball, working from the outside in. Be gentle. Try a little spot first, before rubbing, to see which works best.”

Whether kids track it in, dump it on the floor, or leave it after a party, glitter and confetti can wedge their way between carpet fibers and stick. "The vacuum will get this up, but you need tools," Reichert says. "Use the brush attachment and get right down on the floor to scrape it up. You could also lift with a toothbrush or shoe polish brush. The big thing is using bristles."

Your house may not escape holiday pranks on Halloween or Devil’s Night, especially eggs: “Instinct is to grab a hose, but don’t do that,” Reichert says. “Spraying directly will splatter it. Wet the house underneath the egg, coming downward over it, and gently rinse it off. Time is of the essence, so get up early and check for pranks. If the sun hits it, the heat might set the stain.”

The dreaded teen-favorite prank: A TP'd house, garden, trees and lawn. Yuck! “The sooner you deal with the toilet paper, the better,” says Reichert. “Dew will turn it into mush, making it harder to clean up. Use a rake, and a leaf blower to get it down from trees. Try to go from top to bottom, so you don’t blow upward and have to go over branches multiple times.”

Some pranksters may take to ruining your decorations. "If you have smashed pumpkins, get a shovel and scoop it up," says Reichert. "Don’t leave it out there long, because it will bake itself onto your sidewalk with sunlight. Rinse it off your house and walkway with a hose."

Think twice before storing your scarecrows and hay bales in the attic or garage. “Don’t keep things with straw or hay, unless you have a great method for checking out what’s inside,” says Reichert. “It’s a great place for bugs to hide and multiply.”

To save space as you store, compress those festive, seasonal items as much as possible. “Use vacuum bags to suck air out and store,” Reichert says. “Keep air away, and your Halloween items will last longer, especially clothing.”

It might be most efficient to make a call or hit the Internet before you dispose of certain outdoor décor after October. "Talk to your town about how to deal with large items like pumpkins, hay bales and scarecrows," Reichert says. "Check Earth911, where you can plug in your zip code to help you learn what your area recycling rules are."