We’ve all been there – you’re enjoying a tasty chocolate treat and accidentally drip some onto your shirt or pants. While fresh wet chocolate can seem impossible to remove, even dried brownish stains can be conquered with some tried and true cleaning methods. Don’t despair over chocolate stained clothes!
Supplies You’ll Need
- Dish soap
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Laundry detergent
- Old toothbrush
- Paper towels
- Rags
- Washing machine
Act Fast for Wet Spills!
If the chocolate stain on your clothing is still damp and gooey, act quickly! Use a dull knife or spoon to scrape off excess chocolate gently. Avoid smearing it further into fabric. Blot remaining sticky residue with paper towels or a rag. Rinse the area under cold running water. Then follow up with soap cleaning described in next steps.
If chocolate has already dried on fabric by the time you notice, don’t worry – it can still be removed with a little extra work. Just avoid extreme heat, as it can set staining. Now let’s get that pesky dried chocolate out!
Step 1: Dish Soap and Cool Water
Apply a small amount of liquid dish soap directly onto the stain. Using your fingertips, gently rub the soap thoroughly into the fabric. Run the clothing under cool water to rinse. Check if the stain has lifted. Repeat soap treatment and rinse until no more chocolate transfers onto the paper towel when dabbed.
Step 2: Vinegar Soak
For extra cleaning power, soak the chocolate stained garment in a mixture of 1 part white vinegar diluted with 2 parts cool water for at least an hour, up to overnight. This weak acid solution helps break down residues. Rinse thoroughly after soaking before moving to next steps.
Step 3: Baking Soda Scrub
Make a paste of baking soda and water – about 3 parts powder to 1 part water. Take an old toothbrush and use it to gently scrub the baking soda solution thoroughly onto the chocolate stained area. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before rinsing clean. The abrasive action can help lift staining from fabric.
If the chocolate stain persists after trying these methods, bring out the big guns…
Step 4: Hydrogen Peroxide
Undiluted hydrogen peroxide can bubble away many dried food stains with its active oxygen molecules. Carefully pour some directly onto the chocolate stain. Let bubble for 10-15 minutes, reapplying peroxide if foaming stops. Then rinse well. Check if the stain looks lighter or removed.
Step 5: Laundry Detergent Soak
Make a strong detergent solution – up to 1 cup laundry detergent per gallon of very hot water. Place the chocolate stained clothing in the hot soapy brew and allow to soak anywhere from 30 minutes up to a few hours for heavy stains. Agitate periodically. Then wash as normal.
Step 6: Prevent Set-In Stains
If these techniques aren’t cutting through the chocolate stain fully, avoid drying and washing the item at high heat. This can permanently set the staining into fibers. You’ll likely need professional stain removal to save clothes at this point. Act fast next time!
References
- Good Housekeeping, “How to Remove Chocolate Stains”
- Consumer Reports, “How to Remove Chocolate Stains from Clothes”
- The Spruce, “How to Get Chocolate Out of Clothes”
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.