Stain removal tips: Chocolate 

With Easter came family, friends and… chocolate, and who doesn’t love a bit of chokkie? But if, like us at Drytron, you prefer your chocolate in your tummy and not on your family’s clothes, the carpet or the sofa, then follow these stain removal tips for getting out those pesky chocolate stains.

Like with most stains, the longer a chocolate stain sits, the harder it will be to remove it, so the best thing to do is to act quickly. As chocolate is a combination of an oil stain with a bit of dye, start by using a butter knife, the edge of a spoon or bank card to lift away any solid bits of the chocolate. Don’t rub the stain because this will send it deeper into the fabric and make matters worse. Once the solid pieces have been removed follow the next steps, depending on the fabric you’re trying to clean.

Clothing

For clothes the item needs to be washed as soon as possible. Sponge the stain with plain, cool water – or a stain remover pen can also be used. Then treat it with a prewash stain remover spray, gel or heavy-duty liquid detergent, and launder as per the care instructions on the garment.

If the stain wasn’t treated straight away, pre-soak the entire garment in oxygen bleach and cool water for at least 4 hours and then launder as usual. You can use this method for all washable fabrics. Once washed, before putting the item into the tumble dryer check the stain has completely gone, as high heat can make the stain harder to remove. If it’s still present repeat the above steps before drying.

Upholstery and couches

For couch and upholstery stains, mix one tablespoon of dish washing detergent with two cups of cold water. Work from the outside of the stain inwards towards the centre, sponging the solution with a clean white cloth. This ensures you don’t spread the stain further.

Use a dry cloth to blot away the moisture and repeat until the stain is removed. Complete one final sponge with clear water and allow to air dry.

If the upholstery is a delicate fabric such as silk or vintage, don’t risk trying to clean it yourself as you can cause irreparable damage. Give us a call at Drytron, the upholstery cleaning professionals, and we will get your curtains or couch stain-free in no time.

Carpets and rugs

If the chocolate is still liquid or melted, place an ice block on it for a minute. This will harden the chocolate and make it easier to lift away. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the pieces so you avoid rubbing it in. For the remaining stain, dampen a clean white cloth with water and add a drop of dish washing detergent to the cloth. Working from the outside of the stain towards the centre, gently rub in the detergent. Try not to spread the stain outwards while you are doing this. Allow the detergent to sit on the stain for at least five minutes, then wet a clean white cloth with water and rinse the area to remove the detergent. Repeat until you feel no more soap on the stained area, and allow to air dry. Once dry, vacuum to lift the carpet fibers.

If these at-home stain removal solutions are still leaving your carpet a bit chokkie stained, fear not, we are on call to come and tackle those tricky stains for you using our six-step Drytron cleaning process.