Carpet stains will disappear in minutes if you apply natural 3-ingredient paste

The colder months are the perfect season for hosting - but with more dinner parties and people in your home, you might experience an uptick in carpet stains too. Whether they're from greasy cutlery, red wine or just grubby shoes, stains on the carpet can be disheartening. But they don't have to stick around forever.

There is a quick and easy way to get rid of carpet stains that requires no harsh chemicals, and won't take hours from your day either. According to Southern Living, all you need is baking soda and water - and maybe a dash of vinegar for those super stubborn stains.

If the stain is a light one, create a paste using baking soda and water and then apply it to the carpet and let it dry.

Once it has fully dried, use your vacuum cleaner to hoover it up and it should have disappeared.

This tip will also work for stains on upholstery but always make sure you patch test it, as certain fabrics may stain.

If the stain is stronger, larger or has been there for longer then you may need to bring in the big dogs. And in this instance the big dog is vinegar.

For a tougher stain, sprinkle it with the baking soda and then use a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water and spritz the stain.

It will fizz and bubble, so let it do its thing then blot the stain with a clean cloth. Once it's fully dried, vacuum the area. Again, always make sure to spot test this method somewhere less noticeable to make sure it won't make the stain worse.