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Keep spilled wine, smudged lipstick and other splotches from spoiling your home.

Get stubborn “kisses” off glassware before putting it in the dishwasher (which often fails to eliminate them). Dip a cotton ball in vinegar or rubbing alcohol and wipe away the smudge, then wash.

The key is to act fast — dilute the stain by pouring seltzer onto it, and then blot it away. Cover the spot in baking soda or salt to help draw it out of the fabric. If the stain persists, try a specialty cleaner.

Let the wood dry — ring marks often disappear. If they don’t, gently rub the spot (in the direction of the wood grain) with paste wax or mineral spirits and superfine steel wool. Wipe clean and apply a tinted wax polish.

If you get a tomato-based stain on your clothing, rinse it under cold water, stained-side down. Hold the spot under running water and rub it between your fingers. Then treat it with a stain remover and launder.

Let melted wax on a rug cool. With a blunt knife, scrape off what you can. Put a piece of paper over the stain and iron it on low to melt the wax into the paper.

To eliminate grease from a carpet, scrape off the excess and sprinkle the spot with baking soda or talc to absorb the oil. Leave it for a few hours. Then vacuum and gently scrub with diluted carpet shampoo.

Vacuum up dirt, but don’t attack mud right away; wait for it to dry fully and then vacuum it. Make sure the vacuum bag is empty to maximize suction. Use a stiff brush to loosen stubborn mud and then vacuum again.

Use a dull knife to remove as much chocolate as possible from washable fabrics. Rinse the area with cold water. Treat it with diluted liquid laundry detergent, agitating gently, and then soak it in cold water for 30 minutes. Rinse well and launder on a cool or warm wash. If the stain remains, use a stain remover or take the article to a dry cleaner.

To get a protein stain off clothing, soak it in cold water. Then wash the article with an enzyme-based detergent, in a warm (not hot) water cycle.

Gently rub fine sandpaper onto the burn. If it looks deep, clip off burned fibers and then carefully rub it with sandpaper.

If you know smokers will be at the party, make a preemptive strike with scented candles. If the house still smells smoky the next day, open all the windows. Lightly sprinkle baking soda onto the carpets and vacuum them. Vacuum your curtains, too.

Mop up excess beer from the carpet and sponge off the rest. Pour some seltzer onto the area and then blot it. If a mark remains, treat by gently rubbing it with diluted carpet shampoo.

Stock your cleaning arsenal with useful household staples and a few handy products to get the job done.

• Baking soda: This is a good multitasking product. Sprinkle it on a wet stain to draw the stain out; sprinkle it on carpets to clean and deodorize.
• Carpet cleaner: Use a mild solution to lift stains.
• Bleach pens: These are great for instantly treating whites and removing grass, red wine, tea, berry juice, coffee, etc. Launder any item immediately after using the pen on it.
• Dishwashing soap: Use a diluted solution to lift stains from fabric and upholstery.
• Seltzer: Pour onto a stain (like red wine or beer) to dilute it quickly — the bubbles help get stains out of fabric.
• Stain removers: Pretreat colorfast items that need to be laundered like oil, grass, grape juice, coffee and baby formula.
• Specialist stain removers: Try to anticipate your cleanup needs and keep specialized cleaners on hand to tackle every mess.
• Instant stain removers: They’re useful for tackling food stains like tomato juice and barbecue sauce on clothing.