Ultimate Holiday Stain Survival Guide

Nothing can put a damper on your holiday celebration like a big red wine stain on your carpet or a splotch of cranberry sauce on your shirt.

But The Nest Editor in Chief Carley Roney explained on "The Early Show" how to get stains out and not risk PSD (Permanent Stain Damage!):

Red Wine

Chances are, just about every holiday party will have red wine being served, and chances are some of that wine will end up on your carpet.

What to do immediately: Spilled on carpet? Cover the stain with salt to absorb the wine, vacuum it up and then blot it with a mixture of 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.

Guests are still there? Sprinkle salt and cover with a bowl to keep guests from tracking

Got it on your clothes? Blot with damp cloth and sponge with a few drops of white vinegar until no more color comes out. Then sponge with rubbing alcohol and saturate with water to flush out the spot.

Stain still there? Spread a cloth over the stain and put a heavy book on top and leave it overnight

What to do the morning after: If there's any remaining color, spray on 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and don't rinse. Or try a product called Wine Out, which can be effective at removing vino stains

Greasy Gravy and Oil

When setting a nice holiday table its one of those occasions to break out the fine china and cloth napkins. The problem is by the end of the meal there are grease and gravy stains all over your nice linens. You don't want to toss them, so here's what to do:

What to do immediately: Treat this stain ASAP! Blot up excess oil and sprinkle the stain with cornstarch or baking soda. Sponge the stain with a dry cleaning solvent like Dryel. Blot until the solvent is absorbed and reapply the solvent and blot again if the stain won't budge

What to do the morning after: Sponge with Dryel again, blot dry and then wash it in the hottest water possible, adding bleach if necessary

Cranberry Sauce and Other Berry Stains

Cranberry sauce is about to be at a Thanksgiving meal, but this colorful sauce can do some damage on your clothes and furniture

What to do immediately: Spoon up the excess sauce and sponge with cool water, if safe for fabric. Dab with a solution of one part white vinegar and two parts water and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then apply a solvent like Shout

If it's on a nonwashable fabric, treat it the same, but use water sparingly, apply a mild detergent like Woolite and don't throw it in the laundry

What to do the morning after: Soak the stain for 15 minutes using a mixture of 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent and 1 quart cool water. Rinse. Sponge with rubbing alcohol, and then throw it in the wash, using bleach if needed

Chocolate

Props: slice of chocolate cake on a plate, absorbent cloth, Gonzo, bowl of water, hydrogen peroxide, 2 stained khaki pants

Whether it's a chocolate martini, chocolate cake or chocolate candy, chocolate is sure to make an appearance at a holiday party, and a good chance will end up on somebody's pants!

What to do immediately: Get up as much as you can with a slightly damp, absorbent cloth; then blot with a dry spotter like Gonzo on a clean white cloth. Rinse thoroughly

What to do the morning after: If the stain's still there, spray on 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and don't rinse

Coffee

Props: cup of coffee, dishwashing liquid, bowl of water, absorbent cloth, dry spotter, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, 2 stained white shirts

What to do immediately: Mix a solution of 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup water and blot with a cloth until the color is no longer absorbed. Then rinse with warm water. If the coffee had cream/sugar, add some dry spotter like Gonzo on a cloth and blot until the cloth stops absorbing color. Make sure you don't pour the solvent directly into the fabric. Saturate the area with water

What to do the morning after: Smear glycerin over the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes. Repeat the steps from the night before. If any stain remains then add 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and don't rinse

Holiday Stain #6: Candle Wax Drippings
Props: candlesticks with candles, ice pack, butter knife, iron, paper bags, wax right on the tabletop linens

Candles can set a nice mood, but unfortunately that pesky wax has an uncanny attraction to your white tablecloth. Luckily, wax stains can be treated right away or when it's hardened so if some wax gets on the table you don't have to stop everything to clean it!

What to do immediately: Wait for the drippings to dry before applying an ice pack to the wax or stick it in the freezer. Let the wax dry completely overnight

What to do the morning after: Scrape off the wax using a credit card or thin butter knife. Then place one paper bag under the tablecloth/napkin/placement and another on top of the stain. Gently iron the area until the wax has been transferred to the paper bag.