Ask ACI: Pumpkin Stains

Q. From carving jack-o-lanterns to making Thanksgiving pie, the fall has many opportunities to enjoy pumpkin. And I do, but not the stains! How can I prevent pumpkin stains or get them out when they happen?

A. Prevent stains by keeping messes under control.

• Carving Jack-o-Lanterns: Pick a good spot for carving, ideally outside. Lay down a tarp or plastic tablecloth. Keep a bowl for innards and one to collect seeds for roasting. Use a sharp knife for clean cuts and keep paper towels close to clean your hands while you work. When you're done, dump the innards bowl into the trash and wipe down the tarp or tablecloth.
• Making Thanksgiving Pie: Wear an apron. Keep beaters down in the filling to avoid splatter.

Getting out stains is a matter of acting quickly. Scrape off any excess pumpkin and then flush under cold water to loosen the stain. Pretreat with a prewash stain remover. Launder in the hottest water that's safe for the fabric, using chlorine bleach, if safe for the fabric, or oxygen bleach.

Fresh stains are easier to remove, so if you're too tired after a holiday meal to pay much attention to laundry, pretreat the items with a prewash stain remover, toss them in the washing machine with laundry detergent and the type of bleach that's safe for the fabric, and let everything soak overnight.