One of the human’s simplest joys is the ability to enjoy one or two scoops of chocolate ice cream at the end of a very busy day. Unfortunately for many of us, this delectable treat has a way of melting and swiftly finding its way onto our clothes, sofas, and carpets. As a chocolate lover, you’ll certainly find these tips on quickly getting chocolate out of your stained clothes handy and applicable.
10 Ways to Get Chocolate Ice Cream Out of Clothes
Stain removal doesn’t have to be a chore or involve the dry cleaner. You’re all set to begin as long as you understand some basic chemistry.
Here are some of the top methods for removing unfortunate chocolate drips and spills from the affected dress.
Act Fast
The first and best thing to do is start working on the stain at home or at the pub. Ensure you get rid of any extra ice cream from the outfit with a dull knife or a spoon. Doing this will reduce the damage and make your final washing easier.
You can also use a moist paper towel, but always remember to blot, not rub! You don’t want to dip the stain deeper into the fabric’s fibers.
Rinse the Stain
Try to run clean and cold water through the affected area, which will flush the stain out of the fibers. Ensure you don’t use any form of hot water as it may cause the stains to set. Doing this will aid your removal procedure and prevent the stain from spreading to other fabric parts.
If you can, twist and squeeze the affected area inside out and run cold water through the backside of the stained area. This also will help to smoothly loosen the stain from the fabric silk and make it easier for the detergent (to be explained in the next step) to erase the chocolate from the fabric.
1. Use Soap
Make use of a clean rag and also try to formulate a DIY dish soap solution to wash out a large amount of the stain. You can make a simple stain remover by mixing up 1 tablespoon of dish soap with 2 cups of warm water.
Another practical and effective method of making a solution is to mix 10 oz water & 1 tbsp. dish soap in a spray bottle. A normal hand or dish soap will work fine if you don’t have your solution close.
2. Using A Toothbrush
You can also try to apply the formulated stain remover by using a clean toothbrush; you can do this by gently dabbing the stain remover over the stain. Be cautious not to rub the stain, as doing this can work the chocolate stain further into the fabric.
After each dab, try to clean the toothbrush and dip it again into the stain remover formula before returning to the stain. Ensure you repeat this step a few times.
3. Pretreat the Stain with Vinegar
Read and follow the instructions on your preferred stain remover to pretreat the stain before putting it into your laundry machine. Always test any stain removal solution on a small affected part of the fabric first to ensure it doesn’t discolor the clothing.
For the pretreating procedure, you can try out the vinegar, baking soda, and lime method.
For 100% polyester, cotton, or other permanent press fabrics, pour 2 teaspoons of white vinegar on the soon-to-be-gone stain and wash the affected part as usual. Another option is to make a stain-destroying baking soda paste.
The procedure is simple; just mix 1 part warm water with 2 parts baking soda in a bowl. Apply the resulting paste on the stains evenly, and watch as the baking soda lift stains out as the paste dries.
4. Alcohol Application
You can also consider applying some alcohol to the affected area. Larger chocolate stains may need to soak for up to half an hour. Gently sponge the stain with a dirt-free cloth until you observe that the chocolate stain is no longer obvious.
Rinse it, apply a pre-treatment (if you have one) and wash as usual in cold or warm water, alcohol is also excellent for removing oily stains from your fabrics.
Experts highly recommend that the stain be rinsed thoroughly in clean cold water. After that, try to soak the garment in hot water treated with some liquid laundry detergent. Adding a little ammonia will also increase the effectiveness.
Ensure it’s all mixed up, add the item, and gently rub the stain. Leave it in that state for 30 to 60 minutes or overnight if the chocolate stain doesn’t want to go away. Once the stain is gone, hand over the rest to your laundry machine.
5. Cornstarch Application
Sprinkle the spot with cornstarch. Allow it to soak up the icy liquid, then apply a gentle brush. The stain spots will lift right out, and you can just finish the leftover stain with your laundry machine
6. WD-40
Another fantastic fix for chocolate spots is WD-40. That’s right. Spray removes the screech out of door hinges and such. Just spray it on the chocolate stain and let it saturate all over the fabric for up to half an hour.
Follow the process up by treating with some available bar soap or any favorite liquid laundry detergent, and allow it to simmer up for another half an hour. Once that’s done, run it through your washing machine per usual and hang it out afterward to air dry, as running a stain through the dryer nearly ensures that it’ll never go away.
7. Apply Hydrogen Peroxide
To remove stubborn chocolate spots from clothing, use 3% hydrogen peroxide — that type you come across in the first-aid section at the drugstore.
Soak the affected area with the peroxide. Make use of the blade of a butter knife. If you don’t have that, then your fingernail will work just fine. Use either of those two to loosen and scrape away the chocolate ice cream stain, then rinse it off with more hydrogen peroxide. Wash it as normal after that.
You shouldn’t work yourself up if you don’t have easy access to hydrogen peroxide. However, No matter what or how you choose to call it, cola/soda/pop is adept at removing chocolate stains in a pinch. All you just need to do is soak the stain very well. Soaking it overnight is highly recommended in soda. Then, wash the stain out as normal.
8. Wash the Clothing
This would be the appropriate time to Wash the item of clothing by making use of your favorite laundry detergent or preferred soap. Always ensure you use cold water for the best results.
Now marinate the fabric in cold water for at least 30 minutes. If you still see the stain after soaking, repeat steps two and three and then soak again.
9. Clorox 2 Formula
Since cheap and readily available laundry detergent is not so concentrated and might be free from all of the whiteners and brighteners that you’ll naturally get from premium detergent, getting a Clorox 2 formula tends to give you a better result with minimal stress.
10. Bleaching (For White Fabrics Only)
Another very effective DIY laundry pretreatment involves the use of fabric bleaching agents, but this can only give the desired result on bleach-safe white cloths as applying bleaching agents on any type of cloth could damage the cloth’s color and texture. This method should be your last.
Conclusion
You should always check to see if the stain has been cleaned. If you’ve washed the clothes and the chocolate ice cream stains are still there, repeat the above steps and procedures until the stain has been removed completely before throwing the fabric into the dryer. If a stain is still present in any dress, drying it can make the stain a permanent one.