Chocolate Stain Removal

Written by Amy Gordon (last updated July 8, 2024)

Chocolate, while a delicious treat for many, can be a nuisance for those who have to clean up the mess. Here are a few tricks to put up your sleeve to get rid of those chocolate stains.

For a chocolate drip (or more) on the carpet, you need to first blot away as much of the excess chocolate as possible. Then, if the carpet is light colored or colorfast, try a solution of one spoonful of ammonia to one cup of water. Put the solution in a spray bottle and spray it onto the stain. Blot the solution away, being careful that the moisture does not soak all the way to the bottom of the carpet and get onto the backing. When you blot, use a white paper towel or a white cloth. If the carpet is darker, you can blot with any color wet cloth.

Try to remove as much of the chocolate as possible with a kitchen knife—slide the knife in between the fibers and bring it up under the chocolate. Once you have removed as much of the chocolate as possible with a knife, remove any remaining chocolate by blotting the chocolate stain with a solution of 3 squirts of detergent with 1/4 cup of water. Rinse the stain using a spray bottle of tap water, again being careful not to get the carpet backing wet. Soak up the remaining liquid with a towel or several paper towels, placing them on top of the stain and pressing them down.

For chocolate on clothes, first remove as much of the stain as possible by scraping the chocolate gently with the back of a butter knife or the edge of a credit card. Next, run water through the back of the stain to loosen the chocolate and perhaps get more of the stain out. Once the stain is thoroughly wet, rub liquid detergent onto the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes before soaking the stained area in a sink full of cold water. Every few minutes, rub at the stain to get more of the chocolate out. Once the stain seems loosened, remove the garment from the sink or basin and rinse it well. If there still appears to be some chocolate, rub more detergent on, wait, and repeat the soaking and rubbing process.

Sometimes, after you have removed all of the chocolate, an oily stain remains. You should be able to remove this residue by simply applying a stain remover spray or stick and throwing the garment into your washing machine as normal. Remember to check for the stain before putting your clothes into the dryer so you don't set the stain by drying it.

Author Bio

Amy Gordon

Amy Gordon loves keeping things simple, natural, and safe so she can spend more time having fun. Every day she learns new things about making life at home easier and she loves to share it with you! ...

MORE FROM AMY

Remove Grease from Your Drain with Salt

Greasy foods can often clog up a sink or create a disgusting smell. A simple solution of salt and water can help clean ...

Discover More

Removing Red Wine Stains

Your guest drops their glass of red wine on your beige couch. Quick! What do you do? These tips will help you make quick ...

Discover More

Fruit Trees in the Backyard

When planting fruit trees, make sure to give them plenty of room to grow, since wide root systems may damage your home. ...

Discover More

Keep Your Hardwood Floors Like New Bona's hardwood floor cleaner is the #1 choice of professionals. The no-residue formula is specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. Check out Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill today!

More Cleaning Tips

Identifying and Dealing with Unknown Stains

Identifying and dealing with unknown stains can be a real trick sometimes. After all, how do you go about removing ...

Discover More

Removing Hair Dye Stains

Hair dye can easily stain both skin and clothing. To prevent these stains, wear old clothing and spread petroleum jelly ...

Discover More

Cleaning Mildew

Mildew is an obnoxious type of mold that is commonly found in damp areas in houses. If trying to prevent the mildew from ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven more than 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.