How To Easily Get Chocolate Out Of Clothes

Chocolate lovers know the absolute delight in savoring a delicious candy bar, with its sweet, creamy texture. The blissful moment can only be ruined by dropping that decadent, melty chocolate on your shirt. Panic sets in as you picture your crisp white shirt with a permanent brown stain. Don't worry — you can banish stubborn chocolate stains from clothing easily with a little basic laundry detergent.

Treat the stain as soon as possible and don't let it sit any longer than it needs to. Chocolate is a tough one because it's a combination stain – one that's made up of proteins, grease, and sugar. The higher the cocoa content, like in dark chocolate, the more challenging the stain can be to remove.

Of course, you may not always be near the laundry room when a chocolate mishap happens. If you can't immediately get to the laundry, try to lift as much of the hardened chocolate off the fabric as you can, without smudging it. It might feel counterintuitive, but if you let it sit for just a few minutes, it will allow any melty chocolate to harden, making it easier to lift off the shirt without smearing. Use a butter knife, plastic credit card, or anything with a hard edge to scrape away any chocolate chunks. In a pinch, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can work as a quick pretreatment for stains.

Once you have access to your laundry supplies, you'll want to begin running cold water along the back side of the fabric, which helps push the chocolate out. Avoid hot water, as it can actually melt the chocolate and cause it to seep further into the fabric. You can then treat the stain by putting a bit of regular laundry detergent directly on the affected area, using it as a pre-treatment similar to a stain stick. You could also DIY your own laundry spot remover to avoid the harsh chemicals that can come from store-bought options. Alternatively, dish soap works well on fabrics like cotton or silk, as it helps break down the oils in the chocolate.

Massage the pretreatment into the fabric with your fingers to help loosen the stain. Once you've treated the chocolate spot, soak the garment in cold water for 15 to 30 minutes. When it's done soaking, put the garment in the washing machine for a normal wash cycle, set to cold. After the wash, check to see that the chocolate is gone. If it hasn't been completely removed, give it another wash before running it through the dryer, as the heat from the dryer will set the stain. Repeat the process until all the chocolate has been removed. If that chocolate happened to hit your shirt on its way to the floor, don't worry. There are also easy steps to save your carpet from dreaded chocolate stains.