Keeping your carpet clean year-round is a constant struggle, and even more so when you’re hosting during the holidays. Between holiday parties, melting candles, chocolates, and other holiday treats, we can use all the carpet cleaning tricks we can get our hands on.

So we asked some professional cleaners for their favorite carpet cleaner tricks—and we wish we knew them sooner.

Use a fork to stick the carpet

Over time, carpets naturally begin to look flat and lifeless, especially in high-traffic areas such as living rooms, entryways, hallways and stairs. But James King, operations manager at DeluxeMaid, has a solution.

“Use a fork,” he says. “Yeah, any plain old fork you already have in the kitchen. Run the prongs gently through the fibers to fluff it up.”

Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest hacks, expert tips and more!

Remove the gum with ice cubes

If you’ve ever had gum on your carpet, you know it can feel like you’ll have to live with it forever. The sticky substance just gets into the fibers like nothing else, and sometimes the only solution is to cut it out with scissors or a sharp knife.

But before you get your scissors out, there’s actually a much easier solution to removing gum from your carpet, and you probably already have this item in your home.

“With an ice cube, you can place it directly and let it sit for a few minutes until the gum hardens,” says King. “Simply scrape with a spoon or butter knife and it will come off easier without pulling the carpet fibers.”

Use essential oils for a quick refresher

Taylor Riley, founder of Boom. Facility Services Advisors and co-founder of Impact Cleaning Professionals, has a simple trick to freshen up carpets before guests arrive. While he says it doesn’t necessarily help with cleaning, it does help keep your home smelling fresher if you’re short on time.

Riley recommends mixing some of your favorite essential oils into the baking soda—she likes to use lavender or lemon. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, then vacuum it up.

“It’s a quick and easy way to keep my carpets smelling fresh and my home ready without much effort,” he says.

Use a steam iron for wrinkles

Steam irons are not just for clothes. According to King, they’re also a great way to remove wrinkles and creases from carpets and rugs.

King suggests starting with a damp cloth, towel, or washcloth and placing it over the crease or creased area.

Then run a steam iron over the fabric.

“I’ve been using it for those overlapped areas and I love how quickly it smooths things out,” says King.