Sherry Tyra: If you're hosting a party or family gathering spills and stains are bound to happen.

Now don't panic, I'm going to show you some simple remedies for some common mishaps.

Prevention is key. If you're using disposable dinnerware, make sure you select a sturdy style to prevent spills. Prepare your furniture by coating the upholstery with a spray-on fabric protector which will repel liquids and prevent spills from soaking in.

To prevent candles from spilling wax on to table clothes, be sure to trim the wicks to a quarter inch before lighting. Glass discs or bobeche, which are available at your local craft store, will catch any drips before they make their way to your tablecloth.

If stains do happen, you need to act fast and catch the stain while it's still wet. For red wine stains, be sure to have some salt on hand. Blot up as much of the liquid as you can with paper towels, then coat the stains with salt and let it sit for a few minutes. The salt will absorb most of the moisture. Vacuum up and spray the spot with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and a little carpet shampoo. Keep blotting until the stain is gone.

Other great items to have around are hair spray and shaving cream. Hair spray can easily remove lipstick smudges by spraying the stain and rubbing the fabric together. Remove coffee stains by spraying on some shaving cream and scrubbing until the stain disappears.

Just remember, don't panic and let it ruin your day. The longer you let it sit, the more chance it has of doing permanent damage. So attack spills as quickly as you can.