Stain-Free Super Bowl Party

“The greatest accomplishment is not in never failing, but in rising again after you fall.” -Vince Lombardi

“The greatest accomplishment is not in having a Super Bowl party without spills, but in having the stains disappear the next day.” -Andy the Intern

Vince Lombardi is a sports icon who had the Super Bowl trophy named in his honor. I’m just an intern who paraphrases famous people to inspire you. What do Vince and I have in common? We both know that a Super Bowl party is a daunting event to host because you don’t want your house looking like the site of a food fight the next day.

Whether you’re a passionate football fan or you’re just throwing a party to socialize and watch commercials, you do not want to spend the night anxiously watching the cups and plates in your living room. So to help you avoid a lot of stress on February 4th, I’m going to walk you through some hypothetical situations and how you can best respond.

Situation #1

As time expires in the first half, Nick Foles throws a 55-yard “Hail Mary” touchdown pass giving the Eagles a lead going into the half.

Your uncle Dave, a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan, explodes with excitement! He jumps out of his seat to hug everyone in the room forgetting he had a full soda in his hand. The dark soft drink falls through the air onto your carpet. What do you do?

Use a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid. Then mix one tablespoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water. Next, dip a clean white cloth or sponge into the solution and begin to blot the stain. Whatever you do, DO NOT RUB the stain! That will make it even harder to get out.

Situation #2

Tom Brady leads his team on a clutch 90-yard drive in the 4th quarter. He sealed off the amazing drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski who aggressively spikes the ball in the end zone to celebrate.

Your coworker Steve, a massive New England Patriots fan, goes to mimic Gronk’s touchdown celebration and in doing so knocks the bowl of homemade guacamole onto your couch. Now while I am unable to help you cope with the emotional loss of homemade guac, I know how to get it out of your couch.

First, remove any guacamole with a wet/dry vac or a towel. Then you will use hydrogen peroxide but be sure to test it first in an inconspicuous spot on the couch. If there is no color change, blot, DO NOT SCRUB, the stain with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Allow it to work for one minute. Afterwards, you will remove the remaining hydrogen peroxide by alternately blotting the area with a damp cloth and a dry towel.

Situation #3

You’re clumsy and spill food all the time! Like me 🙂

Your neighbors brought your favorite buffalo sauce and used it to generously coat perfectly fried wings. Now you cannot resist the temptation to eat them in front of the TV in your favorite chair. This is how you recover from the inevitable.

Scoop up any solids and blot, DO NOT RUB, the liquid hot sauce from the outer edge of the spill in with a white cloth or paper towel. Then mix a solution of 2 teaspoons of hand dishwashing liquid, one-fourth cup distilled white vinegar and 2 cups cool water. Dip a sponge, white cloth or soft-bristled brush in the solution and blot, DO NOT RUB, the stain. Alternate between blotting solution and a clean, dry cloth until the stain is absorbed. Then finish with a clean damp cloth to rinse away any remaining cleaning solution.

Debrief

Depending on your level of interest in the game or the commotion at your party you might not be able to attend to the stain right away. And that’s okay. If you can’t make a full-fledged attack on the stain immediately, just pre-treat the area with warm water and deal with the stain when the timing is more suitable for you.

If the stain remains after treatment, call a professional if the furniture is worth saving. If it was an old piece of furniture and this is was your final straw to replace it, come check out our selection at Virginia Furniture Market. We have the best selection at the best prices. On top of that, we offer a 5-year warranty plan so you’ll be covered should such an incident occur over the next 5 Super Bowl parties.

*Worthy of note: If you buy our 5-year furniture protection and don’t use the protection plan in the 5 years you receive your money back in the form of a store issued gift card!

While the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots are in Minneapolis, MN making final preparations for the biggest game of the year, I hope this short read prepares you for your big battle against stains!

Down with Stains,

-Andy the Intern