Enjoying a delicious chocolatey treat is great…but getting it on your clothing, carpet, or couch is not. Even the worst chocolate stains can be removed with these tricks.
It is a wonderful treat to eat chocolate. Not so wonderful, huh? Dropping your ice cream cone in the living room or smearing chocolate on your shirt at a restaurant. How can something so delicious end up so unattractive when it’s in the wrong place?
We have some tips to help you remove chocolate stains if you ever find yourself in a sticky situation. Chocolate stains are easier to remove from clothes, carpets, and furniture than you might think.
Here’s how to remove stains like this so you don’t permanently damage your favorite item. Remember this information on how to remove coffee stains and red wine stains from clothes because you’ll definitely need it at some point!
Table of Contents
Does chocolate stain?
You may be wondering if chocolate can cause permanent stains if you or someone in your family just had an unfortunate chocolate-related accident. According to Jennie Varney, brand manager of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company, the answer is unfortunately yes. According to her, “chocolate, just like coffee or red wine, is one of the more difficult stains to remove from clothing, carpet, and furniture.”
This is because chocolate is full of dark tannins, just like red wine. Furthermore, milk chocolate contains oils that can be difficult to remove from textiles. There’s no need to panic: It may be difficult, but it’s definitely not impossible. (Oil stains can also be removed from clothes, in case you were wondering.)
How to get chocolate out of clothes
The key to removing chocolate stains from clothes is to act quickly. The longer you wait, the more time the stain has to set, which is a laundry mistake you definitely don’t want to make. It is also important to remember that some fabrics require special care.
There might be a dry cleaning-only label on wool or silk pieces, for example. It is not recommended to wash them if this is the case. Use an at-home dry cleaning kit like Dryel instead of taking them to the dry cleaner. Before applying detergent or stain remover to delicate fabrics, always test a spot on an unseen area.
If you’re dealing with an old chocolate stain, follow the same steps, but be aware that the stain may take longer to remove. If you aren’t successful at home, you may need to take your garment to a professional.
What you’ll need
- Dishwashing soap or laundry detergent in liquid form
- Removes stains
- Bleach that is color-safe
Step-by-step directions
- After removing the clothing, shake off any excess chocolate into a garbage can or sink. At this point, avoid rubbing the stain or you’ll risk working it deeper into the fabric.
- Cold water should be used to rinse the stain. The stain will set if you use warm or hot water. In order to loosen and remove as much chocolate stain as possible, let the water flow directly onto the underside or back of the clothing.
- Allow the stain to sit for five to ten minutes after covering it with dishwashing liquid or liquid laundry detergent.
- The garment should be soaked in cold water. To loosen the stain, rub the stained area of fabric together while it’s immersed. Continually do this until the chocolate stain is removed or you are no longer able to make progress.
- If the stain hasn’t been removed, use a stain remover like Oxi Clean Stain Pen. Wash as usual with color-safe bleach, following the instructions on the packaging. Wash the garment as usual with a little color-safe bleach if the stain has been removed. Chocolate can be removed from white clothing by using regular bleach if that’s what you normally do.
- After you remove the clothing from the washing machine, do not put it in the dryer, or the heat will set the stain. You should hang the garment to dry and take it to your dry cleaners.
Are there any other tricky stains you need help with? The Carbona Pro Care Laundry Stain Scrubber might be just what you need. Find out how to remove mustard stains from clothes, as well as turmeric stains.
How to get chocolate out of a couch
You might need to know how to get chocolate out of a couch if your Netflix and chill movie night turned into Netflix and spill. As long as you act quickly and don’t let the stain set, it’s relatively easy to remove.
It is harder to remove old stains than new ones. To remove an old chocolate stain, you’ll likely have to work harder and longer. Are you still having trouble? You just need to call a professional upholstery cleaner to fix the problem. But first, try this.
What you’ll need
- Vacuum and/or knife
- Soap for dishes
- Brushes that are clean
- Towel that is clean
Step-by-step directions
- The first step is to remove any excess chocolate. Use a vacuum to remove dried chocolate crumbs, such as candy bar bits. Use a knife or spoon (whichever is easiest) to cut liquid chocolate, such as hot fudge.
- If the cushion covers are removable, check the tag to see if they can be machine washed. Varney recommends washing them immediately if they are. Use cold water, and add your normal detergent since warm or hot water might set the stain. Make sure the cover is safe for drying before putting it in the dryer. Just in case, air-dry the cover if unspecified.
- Varney recommends mixing 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap with 2 cups of lukewarm water if the cushion covers cannot be removed.
- Gently dab the mixture onto the stain with a clean toothbrush. Be careful not to rub. It is possible to work the stain deeper into the fabric by rubbing it. Rinse the toothbrush with water after each dab and dip it back into the stain remover before returning to the stain. Varney recommends repeating this step several times.
- Use a light-colored cloth or paper towel to soak up the stain remover. Blot the surface after pressing into it.
- Follow these steps until the stain and chocolate no longer appear on your cloth or towel.
How to get chocolate out of carpet
If you’re having trouble getting chocolate out of the carpet, follow the same steps as if you’re trying to get it out of the couch. Varney says liquid dish soap is best for removing chocolate stains, even though household items such as baking soda and white vinegar might have some effect.
You’ll want to act as soon as possible since a fresh stain is more likely to succeed than an old one. If the stain is old, you may need to repeat the steps below several times. The expense will be worth it if you can save your carpet if you are unable to remove it. You can also read about how to remove red wine stains from carpets and how to remove coffee stains from carpets while you’re at it.
What you’ll need
- Using a vacuum or spoon
- Soap for dishes
- Brushes that are clean
- Towel that is clean
- Use a vacuum cleaner or a spoon to remove the excess chocolate from your carpet.
- Prepare a mixture of 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap and 2 cups lukewarm water.
- Use a sponge or light-colored cloth to apply the mixture to the stained area, rotating it frequently to ensure you’re always applying a clean area to the carpet. Rub gently, as rubbing may work the stain deeper into your carpet and damage the fibers. Continually repeat.
- Blot the carpet with a clean, dry cloth to absorb the stain remover. Don’t rub again.
- After blotting the cloth clean, repeat these steps until you can no longer see the stain.
- Varney says you can shampoo your carpet with a carpet shampooer like a SpotBot to remove any chocolate that has penetrated the fibers.
How to remove chocolate from other fabrics
Most of the time, you can follow the same steps detailed in the sections above to remove chocolate from other fabrics not mentioned here. Dishwashing liquid and laundry soap are gentle and safe to use on a wide variety of textiles.
To ensure you’re following the manufacturer’s guidelines, read the tags or paperwork. Especially if you’re dealing with specialty fabrics, like silk couches. Call a professional if you are unsure. Discover how to remove permanent marker stains and nail polish from just about anything next.