Jacqueline asked: How do I remove old chocolate stains from fabric? My daughter and I got messy with some chocolate ice cream. My hubby washed and dried our t-shirts, and did not pretreat the chocolate stains on the clothing first. Now, both t-shirts have been through the wash a couple of times with no luck getting the stain out. Help!
Table of Contents:
Chocolate makes a wonderful treat, but when it lands on your clothes, the delight quickly turns sour. Fortunately, with a few simple steps, the chocolate can be broken down and removed. Here are several options to remove your chocolate stain for good.
You Will Need:
- Laundry detergent
- Stain treatment (ex: Shout, Spray ‘n Wash, etc)
- Oxi Clean
- Ivory bar soap
- Dawn dish soap
- Spoon
- Small bowl
Steps to Remove the Chocolate:
- Chocolate stains are best treated fresh. They require some simple pre-treatments to keep the stain from setting.
- Allow any clumps of chocolate to harden, then scrape away as much as possible using a spoon or dull knife.
- Apply a stain treatment to the stained area. Any of the above products will work fine.
- Allow the application to soak for several minutes.
- If the stain is large or ground into the fabric, allow the stained area to soak in a bowl filled with cold water and one of the detergents/soaps from the list above.
- Launder as usual with cold water. Avoid using warm or hot water as this can set the stain.
- Hang the clothing to dry completely and ensure the stain is removed before placing it in the dryer for future cleanings.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Dish soap, such as Dawn or Palmolive, has been effective in removing chocolate stains that are fresh as well as those that are set-in.
- Heavy cream makes the fatty components of the chocolate fresh and easier to remove. Saturate the area with the cream, allow it to soak and launder as normal.
- If the stain is placed in the dryer, the heat can set the stain and make it difficult, if not impossible, to remove.
