From berry stains on a white shirt, to bleach stains on a dark carpet, here's a list of 16 of my top "magic" cleanup tricks that will help you banish blemishes, stains and marks for good. To find the stain-buster that's right for you, choose a category below:

1. Berry stains on clothing
Hold the stained area tightly over a pot or a heatproof bowl. (An old-fashioned embroidery hoop works best to keep the fabric stretched, but if you don't have one, and I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't, have a couple of friends help you hold the fabric tight). Then hold a kettle of boiling water at least 12 inches above the stain and pour the hot water through the stain.

2. Blood on clothing
Pour some three-percent hydrogen peroxide, the kind sold as an antiseptic, onto a fresh stain, watch it bubble up, then rinse it away. Repeat until stain is gone. (This doesn't work on set-in bloodstains. Use Mary Ellen's For Those Days.

3. Grease on washable items
Dab on some Crisco or butter, and then launder as usual. Or, sprinkle talcum powder on the spot while it's still wet, let it dry, and brush it off.

4. Lipstick on clothing
A saleswoman at Bloomingdale's, the New York department store, shared this trick. Non-oily makeup remover on a cotton swab eliminates lipstick, foundation and eye shadow from many garments, from cotton to silk.

5. Miscellaneous food stains on anything
If you catch them right away, you may be able to remove all kinds of stains—even blood, salad dressing, grape juice, ink, pizza sauce, Kool-Aid—with a moist disposable towelette or baby wipe.

NEXT: More stain-busting secrets