How to Remove Chocolate Stains
What can you do when your favourite chocolate treat falls onto your favourite shirt? Don’t worry because we’ve put together some easy steps to make sure your clothes remain as good as new after an unexpected chocolaccident (sorry about that one).
What makes chocolate stains hard to clean?
Chocolate stains are known for being hard to remove without leaving a mark. There are a few reasons for this:
Tannins: They are organic compounds found in chocolate. Tannins can discolor and stain fabrics, potentially leaving a mark when trying to clean the stain.
Fats: For a cocoa bean to turn into chocolate, one of the substances that are extracted is cocoa butter, which is high in oil and therefore hard to remove.
Melting point: Chocolate melts quickly in your hand because it only needs close to body temperature to melt. Removing a stain becomes harder once it has melted into your clothes or other materials.
Time: The stain, if left untouched, can oxidise and become set, making the cleaning process much harder.
What you’ll need
It’s tempting to start applying products that look like might work, but this can actually be counterproductive. The keys to success are choosing the right products in the right order, and acting quickly to be able to remove the stain before it sets too much.
Here’s what you will need:
A spoon or another blunt-edged object
A sink
Washing machine
Cold water
Washing-up liquid or dish soap
How to remove chocolate stains on clothes and fabrics
Remove excess. Take a spoon or another dull flat object and remove any excess dry chocolate that’s sitting on the fabric. Avoid using a sharp object as it could damage your clothes.
Soak the material. It’s useful to soak the stained item in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes. Cold water prevents the stain from sinking deeper into the fabric.
Apply washing-up liquid. Add a few drops of washing-up liquid or dish soap to the stain. Rub the washing-up liquid into the stain with your fingertips. After this, let the fabric sit for a few minutes.
Rinse. Rinse the stained area with cold water to get rid of any remaining traces of washing-up liquid.
Wash. For increased effectiveness, wash the item in a washing machine after finishing the previous manual process. If needed, we recommend adding a stain remover liquid or gel to the stained area before washing.
Dry. Lastly, dry your item. Preferably outside under the sun to get the natural benefits of UV light, but if this isn’t possible, drying your clothes or fabric indoors it’s a good option too.
Conclusion
Hopefully this guide has been helpful and the chocolate stains are gone. They can certainly be a nuisance, but they can be effectively removed when using the right techniques.
Now it’s time to enjoy some delicious chocolate treats without having to worry about stains. However, if they do happen again, you’re welcome to come back to revisit this guide!
