Spills and stains are generally much easier to clean up when you attack them right away.

If you a treat a stain without delay it offers little resistance, but wait until the next day and it’ll be much tougher to get out.

The rare exception to this rule is mud that has been tracked onto your carpet.

Mud is easiest to clean when you’ve let it dry first. Wait until it’s bone dry and crumbly, then just vacuum it up.