Whether you’re just joining friends for a fun dinner or you’re meeting a business contact for a meal that could lead to a big opportunity, the last thing you want to have happen while you’re eating is to spill something on yourself. But because we’re all fallible, there’s always a chance that a mess could be made. And it sometimes seems like the more that’s at stake or the whiter the clothes are that you’re wearing, the more likely it is that something will spill. Luckily, there are things that you can do to address issues like this if and when they happen.

To help you see just what can be done for you, here are three things to do if you spill on yourself while out to eat.

Blot The Spill

The very first thing you should do as soon as you’ve noticed that something has spilled on you is to blot the spill.

While your first instinct might be to try to brush it off or rub the stain, this can actually make things worse. So while it might not seem like blotting is doing the job as quickly as you might like, blotting is going to be the best way to address your spill without turning it into something bigger that might require professional cleaning.

Use Cold Water

After you’ve blotted the stain that you’re trying to remove, your next step should be to try to wash it off with some water.

When trying to rinse off a stain, you should always use cold water rather than warm or hot water, especially if the stain is grease-based. For stains like this, using warm or hot water can actually set the stain deeper into the material and make it even harder, if not impossible, to remove. But when you use cold water, the stain will more easily be repelled.

Keep A Stain Remover Stick On You

While it can be annoying to always be carrying a stain stick around with you, if you’re going to a lunch or dinner where you want to be sure to make a good impression, keeping this small stick with you can be a lifesaver.

With stains that get on your clothes from food, especially if it’s something that you’ve just eaten and had freshly fallen on your clothes, stain sticks usually work very well. Once the stain has dried, the stain stick usually won’t be as effective. But if you have a place to keep a stain stick on you, which is usually pretty easy since they’re about the size of a pen, this could help make any cleanup extremely easy.

If you’re worried about keeping yourself clean and clear of stains when you’re going out to eat, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you remove any stains you might create.