Labor Day picnics are supposed to be fun and relaxing. So if your hotdog hoedown goes haywire and you or your guests wind up with globs of mustard or ketchup on your clothing, don’t worry—just try one of these quick and easy fixes:

• Scrub mustard spots with a solution of 1 teaspoon each of dishwashing liquid and white vinegar in ½ cup of water. Lay the stained area on top of an old absorbent towel, pour the solution onto the stain, and let it soak for about 10 minutes. Rinse the area with hot water, then launder the item as usual.

• Ketchup is one of the easiest laundry stains to remove. Just wet a sponge or paper towel with lukewarm water, add a dab of dishwashing liquid, squeeze the extra moisture out, and blot the spot. But whatever you do, don’t rub in the stain—it’ll just drive deeper into the fabric.

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