Removing corn syrup stains from pots and pans is easy, especially if they're ceramic, nonstick or stainless steel; soak, wash and rinse -- finished. Removing dried corn syrup from cloths and carpets, laminate floors and counter tops, though, requires a solvent, such as lemon juice or rubbing alcohol, to break down the sucrose and glucose before clean up can begin.
Cloth and Carpet
Mix a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar with a cup or so of hot, sudsy water. Soak a sponge with the solution and blot the affected carpet or cloth until it's saturated. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes. Press the affected area with a nylon brush or back of a spoon to work it in. If the cloth is delicate, though, skip the pressing. Rinse the corn syrup away using a cloth moistened with warm water.
Problem Areas
If soapy water and food acid doesn't alleviate the stain, moisten a sponge or absorbent cloth with rubbing alcohol. Saturate the stain and let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe the stain away using a turned, fresh side of the alcohol-moistened cloth. As a last resort, mix 1/2 ounce of a detergent containing oxygen bleach designed to fight stains with 1 quart of warm water. Saturate the corn-syrup stain and let it stand for 30 minutes; blot the stain as needed to keep it moist. Flush the stained area with warm water.
Floors and Counters
Mix a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar with a cup of hot, sudsy water. Saturate the corn syrup with the hot, sudsy water and let it congeal for several minutes. Scrape the corn syrup from the surface using a plastic or wood scraper. Wipe the stain away with a lint-free cloth moistened with the acid and soapy water; repeat if needed.
Writer Bio
A.J. Andrews' work has appeared in Food and Wine, Fricote and "BBC Good Food." He lives in Europe where he bakes with wild yeast, milks goats for cheese and prepares for the Court of Master Sommeliers level II exam. Andrews received formal training at Le Cordon Bleu.