There is a classic type of conundrum that thankfully, people do not have to deal with all too often. However, this means that when it does happen, you end up with an issue in that you can never seem to remember how to sort it! We are talking about the sticky stain, the equivalent of the chewing gum in the hair moment, where everyone has some old wives tale about how to get it out, but none of them seem very probable. Knowing how to deal with different stains is a big part of being able to clean your home effectively, so it is well worth looking into the ways in which you can get rid of the more gunk based messes that can befall you. Removing sticky messes form hard surfaces is pretty easy, but if you have a sticky stain on the carpet or upholstery, then the problem is a different matter. Knowing how to act so that you can act fast is essential, so have a look over the following tips to see how it is done.First of all, you need to remove as much excess stain as possible. The issue with sticky messes is that they can be hard to get off, depending on how thickly adhesive they are. Scrape as much off as you can, without spreading the stain on to the surrounding clean fabric, and ensure that there is no likelihood that you are pushing the stain deeper in to the carpet of sofa. You need to keep the area wet for most stains, but with some thicker staining, this is a mistake. Some materials that get spilt are the type that you can peel or break away if they are hardened, and this is what you need to do if possible. Use ice to cool substances like chewing gum, tar and marmite down, so that they harden. Once this has happened, you should be able to peel or flake of a fair bit of the excess residue. This will then leave you with the buried in stains that are the toughest part to get rid of.If the stain is made up of protein residue, like thick gravy, then you can use enzymes to eat away at the stain, breaking it down until it is ready to be washed out. Otherwise, you may want to try hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, or even straight up laundry soap. Use your finger nails to try and scrape out as much of the stuff as you can whilst it is wet and soaped up, as this will mean that you are not at risk of damaging the fabric with anything else. Be gentle if you are using a rough sponge or a scraper of any other kind, as tearing the material would leave you with a much worsened problem than you thought you had!Of course, when it comes down to it you have a decision to make right at the beginning. Do you think that you can get rid of the stain or not? If not, then it is likely much more worth your time to get a professional round to try and get rid of it, and trying anything yourself could well result in making much more of a mess than you had in the first place! Before you use anything like enzymes or hydrogen peroxide on a fabric, be sure that they are not wool or silk, as both of these things eat away at protein fibers, which is what those fabrics are made up of!