Having a big party at your place this weekend? The gang’ll be watching football, too? Friends, family, kids, dogs, popcorn, beer, wine, touchdown! Soon your carpet will look like a stadium parking lot. But don’t fret — there’s hope yet. Here’s a pick-up trick for chewing gum. Put ice cubes in a plastic bag and freeze the gum. When it hardens, scrape it with a butter knife. For greasy stuff, like lipstick, blot any excess, then use dry-cleaning fluid. For pet stains, blot with paper towels, then use a mixture of laundry detergent, ammonia and white vinegar. For really tough stains like shoe polish or ink, dab with paint thinner. For spilled fruit juice or soft drinks, mix teaspoons of laundry detergent and white vinegar in a quart of warm water and sponge well. For burns, trim fibers and, if needed, glue in some extras from the edges. Carpets will be as good as new and ready for next weekend. And that’s the On The House tip for today.