From cake to ice cream, chocolate is a fantastic part of life. With so many chocolate food items to choose from, there is a high chance of getting chocolate stains on your clothes. Chocolate is delicious, but the stains it leaves are not!
Fortunately, our cleaning tips will help you learn how to get chocolate out of clothes effectively.
Interested to know more? Then keep on reading!
What Type of Stains Are Chocolate Stains?
Chocolate stains are made up of tannins, proteins, and oil.
The proteins are derived from milk, whereas the fat in chocolate comes from butter, which can leave difficult-to-remove oily spots. Tannins and oil are the two elements that combine to form stains.
Tannin is a naturally occurring substance found in many plants’ fruit, roots, bark, rhizomes, and wood, including chocolate, red grapes, and coffee. Tannins are a compound that causes red or dark brown stains left by spilled chocolate, wine, and coffee.
Tannins are well-known for their dark pigments, making tannin-based stains extremely difficult to remove. Also, if you’re a wine lover like us, you should also check our tips on getting rid of wine stains effectively.
And we hope that coffee stains don’t scare you because people who drink coffee live longer!
After washing chocolate-covered clothing, you may notice a dark spot embedded in the material. The most effective way to avoid staining is to treat and wash your clothes as soon as possible.
How to Get a Chocolate Stain Out of Clothes?
Check the care label on the clothing before you begin. You need to inspect the recommended wash and dry cycle, the fabric type, and the highest recommended temperature.
How to Get a Fresh Chocolate Stain Out of Clothes
Here are the steps you should take:
1. Scrape
Scrape excess chocolate from the fabric with a spoon or butter knife. This will keep the stain from spreading during the removal process.
If the chocolate is liquid or goopy, place the clothing in the freezer for a few minutes before scraping.
2. Rinse
Turn the clothing inside out and run cold water over the stained area. This will loosen the stain from the fabric’s fibers, making it easier for the detergent to get the chocolate away from the material.
3. Pretreat
Soak the stain with a stain remover, dish soap, or laundry detergent for at least half an hour in cold water to remove chocolate stains.
4. Wash
Wash the clothing according to the instructions on the tag. Make sure the stain is completely removed before putting it in the dryer. It’s best to use a natural, enzyme-based detergent.
5. Rewash
If necessary, rewash the clothing and use a detergent booster if the stain persists.
6. Dry
Let your clothing air dry when the stain is gone before rechecking it. If it’s still there, you’ll need to repeat the procedure.
How to Get Chocolate Out of Clothes After Drying
If you don’t take care of the chocolate mess immediately, you may have to do some work to get the stains out. To save your clothing, follow the steps outlined below.
1. Scrape
Try to scrap the dried chocolate that has remained on your clothing.
2. Use a Stain Remover
Allow a stain remover to soak the affected area for at least a few minutes.
3. Wash
Wash it with the hottest water recommended by the label, using a laundry detergent.
4. Repeat
If the chocolate stain persists, you can repeat steps two and three while adding a detergent booster.
5. Dry
Allow to air dry and check whether the stain is visible. If it’s there, give these steps another chance.
How to Get Chocolate Ice Cream Out of Clothes
Ice cream is fantastic but can be messy if it drips on your clothes. Follow our tips to get chocolate ice cream out of your clothes.
1. Remove
Don’t wait! Wash with cold water to remove as much ice cream as possible.
2. Soak
Soak the clothes in a mixture of cold water and an enzyme-containing detergent for at least half an hour. Using an enzyme-containing detergent softens and releases the milk protein.
3. Wash
Launder the garment in warm water with your detergent.
And remember that one of the most critical factors in successful machine-washing clothing is the amount of detergent used.
How to Get Chocolate Milk Out of Clothes
Every parent’s worst nightmare is chocolate milk stains. However, spilled chocolate milk doesn’t have to be a cause for concern. Just follow our tips to get rid of it!
Use Oxygen Cleaning Powder
An oxygen-cleaning powder is a way to go if you want an easy solution for your stains. It’s quick and efficient, and the stain can be removed in less than an hour.
However, an oxygen powder isn’t recommended if your clothing is made of silk, wool, or other natural fabrics.
You’ll need oxygen powder, laundry detergent, and water for this procedure.
1. Mix
Pour an equal amount of water and oxygen powder onto the desired area. Wait until the oxygen bleach has wholly penetrated the fabric.
2. Wash
Put them in the washing machine or do it by hand with a laundry detergent, whichever you prefer.
Toothpaste and Baking Soda
Combining toothpaste and baking soda can get chocolate stains out of clothes.
Toothpaste can remove various food stains, whereas baking soda is excellent for whitening and removing stains.
You will need the following items to complete this method:
- Toothpaste
- Laundry detergent
- Baking soda
- Cold water
- Toothbrush
Once you have all the ingredients, do the following:
- Soak the clothes in cold water for about two to three hours.
- Place some toothpaste onto the stain with a toothbrush and scrub. The toothpaste should then be rinsed away.
- Put a generous amount of baking soda onto the desired area. Now, clean the fabric and rinse. If the stain remains, repeat the procedure.
- Once you remove the stain, wash or launder the clothing.
Wrapping Up
Nothing beats a delicious chocolatey treat, but there’s nothing worse than getting it all over your clothes. Chocolate stains on clothing can be challenging to remove, but not impossible.
If you follow our top tips, you’ll be able to remove chocolate stains and restore the appearance of your clothing in no time.
So, enjoy your chocolate treats to the fullest now that you know how to remove chocolate from your clothes effectively.
FAQ
Does chocolate stain clothes permanently?
Chocolate stains are difficult to remove because they’re set with time and heat. In case of an older stain, rub dish soap or liquid laundry detergent on it and soak the clothing in cold water for at least half an hour to remove it.
Does vinegar remove chocolate stains?
Sure thing!
If you prefer a more natural solution, combine one part water with one part vinegar, soak the stained clothing in the solution for at least 10 minutes, and then wash it.
Will Dawn remove chocolate stains?
Yes, it’s one of the most effective methods for getting chocolate out of clothing.
First, flush the stained area with club soda or cold water. Then, apply a few drops of Dawn dish detergent to the chocolate stain.
Does lemon juice remove chocolate stains?
As a matter of fact, yes, it does! And it’s perfect for white or light color clothing.
Apply lemon juice to the chocolate stain if your clothing is white or light in color, and you won’t have to be worried about visible staining. Just make sure not to add too much lemon juice — just enough to soak the chocolate stain.
Read our full guide to learn more ways how to get chocolate out of clothes!
