How to Tackle the Post-Christmas Clean Up: Sort out spills and stains, naturally

Updated: August 2026 — This seasonal care guide has been reviewed and refreshed for accuracy.

Festive meals can leave tablecloths and napkins with gravy, candle wax or red-wine marks. The best response is usually calm and prompt: blot rather than rub, keep stained textiles away from high heat and follow the item’s care label.

Test any detergent or stain treatment on a hidden area first. Avoid chlorine bleach, and do not use a method simply because the ingredient is described as natural—vinegar, alkaline powders and heat can still affect dyes, finishes and fibres.

How to treat gravy and greasy food stains

1. Lift away solid food gently with the edge of a spoon or a blunt utensil.
2. Blot excess moisture or oil with a clean white cloth. Do not rub.
3. Rinse from the reverse with cool water if the care label permits.
4. Apply a small amount of mild liquid detergent or a suitable enzyme treatment, avoiding enzyme products on fibres or finishes that exclude them.
5. Wash at the temperature stated on the care label, then inspect the mark before drying. Repeat treatment if needed rather than using high heat.

Absorbent powder may help contain a fresh oily spill during a meal, but remove it carefully before washing and test first on dark or delicate linen.

How to remove candle wax cautiously

1. Allow the wax to cool and harden. Do not spread hot wax further into the fabric.
2. Gently lift away the hardened surface wax without pulling threads or scraping aggressively.
3. Check whether the candle was coloured, because dye may remain even after the wax is removed.
4. Apply an appropriate stain treatment to any oily residue, following its instructions and the textile’s care label.
5. Wash only when the fabric is washable, and inspect it before drying.

Traditional iron-and-paper methods can spread candle dye, drive oily residue deeper or expose linen to excessive heat. For valuable, coated or delicate textiles, consult a professional cleaner or textile conservator.

How to respond to red-wine spills

1. Blot the liquid immediately with a clean white cloth, working from the outside of the mark towards the centre.
2. Rinse from the reverse with cool water where suitable.
3. Apply a colour-safe stain treatment approved for the textile. Avoid improvised mixtures whose ingredients may react with one another or affect the dye.
4. Wash on the care-label setting and confirm that the stain has gone before tumble drying or ironing.

Do not rub with bar soap or expose the mark to high heat. Older, dried stains may require more than one gentle treatment.

Clean the kitchen safely after a gathering

Use the appliance or surface manufacturer’s instructions as your starting point. A damp microfibre cloth and a product designed for the material are often enough for routine cleaning. Never mix cleaning products, particularly bleach, ammonia, acids or oven cleaners.

For ovens, stone, sealed wood, cast iron and coated pans, check the manufacturer’s method before applying vinegar, baking soda, salt or abrasive tools. Ventilate the room, let hot surfaces cool and make sure cleaning residue is fully removed before an appliance is used again.

For more guidance, read our table-linen care guide and the complete guide to caring for linen fabric.