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.