Chocolate Stain Removal
Tips on Chocolate Stain Removal
If you are like most people, eating chocolate is always a dangerous proposition, so knowing some techniques of chocolate stain removal can be a big help. That’s because no matter how hard people try, they always spill chocolate on their clothes, or the rug, or the car upholstery. Kids are even worse. How is mom going to get the chocolate ice cream stain off of the couch? Or even more critical is: how are you going to remove the stain before mom and dad get home?
Luckily, almost every type of stain can be removed. How to accomplish perfect chocolate stain removal is going to depend on the type of item or material that has been stained. If you can, sending it to a dry cleaner is a good solution to the problem. But if you must figure out chocolate stain removal on your own, there are things you can do to make the spot look normal again.
If you have gotten a chocolate stain on your clothing, one of the first things you need to do is wipe off any excess very carefully--do not grind it further into the cloth or increase the size of the spot. If your garment is made of cotton or any acrylic, you can flush the stain with club soda. That will keep it from setting into the material. Next sponge or spray on a spot remover or flush with a dry cleaning solvent if you have it available. Any stain remaining can be removed by applying a couple of drops of dish washing detergent and ammonia. Do not use ammonia on any other type of material. Flush the spot with water and then launder as normal.
Chocolate stain removal on other types of clothing, such as wool or silk, is a little different. The first thing to do is to get rid of the excess chocolate by scraping or sponging off the spot. Flush the spot with club soda to stop it from setting further into the cloth. Next, apply a spot remover by either spraying it on or rubbing it in. Make sure the instructions on the container indicate it is OK for use on silk or wool. Then flush the spot with water. If any part of the stain remains, use a pre-soak stain remover before laundering.
Carpets are another area where chocolate stain removal can be a problem. They are harder to clean than clothing. If you have synthetic wall-to-wall carpeting, first remove any excess chocolate. Flush the area with club soda to prevent the stain from settling further into the carpet. The next good option is to apply a commercial carpet spot stain remover. Many of these will remove the chocolate immediately and all you will have to do is vacuum.
If this is not an option, after applying the club soda, vacuum the spot. If portions of the stain remain, get one cup of water and add a tablespoon of ammonia. Drip very tiny amounts of the ammonia solution onto the stain. Then flush the entire spot with cold water. Make sure all ammonia has been removed. Blot any excess water with a sponge. Then let the area dry. Vacuum the area once again after it has been dried. Make sure you apply ammonia in very small amounts to synthetic carpeting only. It can damage any other material, including wool or wool blends.