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We love seeing our little ones play a game of football, explore their creative side with paints and colours, enjoy a chocolate treat on a hot summer day and eat their meals independently. But when we have to wash their clothes once they complete yet another fun-filled activity, we can't help but grumble. Their small-sized clothes manage to harbour some of the toughest stains like that of grass, mud, paint, crayons, and of course, those pesky chocolate stains that we have to encounter repeatedly.
We realized that we were spending a considerable amount of time on these stains. The entire process of soaking the clothes for a couple of hours and then scrubbing with a bar and brush, only to see the stain still not removed, was proving to be tedious.
In our attempt to deal with tough chocolate stains, we tried home remedies like vinegar and lemon juice, thinking they would work well and be inexpensive. However, we were disappointed with the results. We disliked the unpleasant smell that lingered on our clothes after using vinegar, and the lemon juice remedy ended up discolouring some of our coloured garments.
Thankfully, over time we were able to find a quick and easy way to get rid of the chocolate stains on our kid’s clothes. Read on to know more.
Can Chocolates Leave Behind Permanent Stains?
This is a question that often crosses our minds, and the answer to it is yes. Just like coffee or red wine, chocolate stains are among the toughest stains to remove from clothing. The reason for this is because chocolate contains tannins which are responsible for staining. Also, milk chocolate has oil content which makes it hard to remove from any fabric.
Make Chocolate Stains Disappear Quickly with These Simple Tips
Just as in the case of any other stain, the golden rule we follow to remove chocolate stains from a piece of clothing is to act instantly i.e. as soon as the stain is spotted. We have noticed that the longer we wait, the more the stain sets into the fabric, making it quite challenging to remove. For removing both old and new chocolate stains, follow the given steps:
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1. Begin with Removing the Excess Chocolate
For old stains, we use a spoon or a butter knife to gently scrape off any remnants of chocolate from the garment. For newer stains, on the other hand, we suggest placing the stained cloth in the freezer to solidify the stain and then scrape it off. Refrain from using any sharp object as it could result in the tearing of the fabric. Also, work with care so as to avoid spreading the stain to the other cleaner parts of the garment. We have noticed that rubbing results in the chocolate stain from setting in further into the garment. So, rubbing is off limits too.
2. Always Rinse the Stain with Cold Water
We have seen that using warm or hot water makes the stain set deeper into the fabric. Also, hot water can ruin delicate fabrics like silk, wool, satin etc. by causing wrinkling or shrinkage. Hence, it’s best to rinse the stain with a steady stream of cold water to prevent any kind of damage to the garment. Allow the cold water to flow onto the backside of the chocolate stain to loosen and lighten it.
3. Soak in a Detergent Solution
Prepare a detergent solution with water and a laundry detergent that dissolves easily. Now soak your chocolate stained garment in this solution for about thirty minutes. After this, take out the garment from the detergent solution and gently wring out all the excess water. Now the garment can be washed as usual with the normal load of clothes.
We used Surf Excel Easy Wash Detergent Powder for both soaking and washing in the machine as it is a superfine powder that dissolves easily in water. We noticed that because of its easy solubility, it could penetrate the stubborn chocolate stains faster and remove them effortlessly. We no longer had to scrub at the stain with a brush or soak the clothes for long periods to get rid of tough stains. We were amazed to see that this product also helped save water in each wash as its unique formulation enabled it to produce enough lather with less water and without any compromise in its cleaning efficacy. An additional benefit was that our clothes were also free of residue when we used Surf Excel Easy Wash Detergent Powder.
4. Use Correct Dosage of Detergent
Correct dosage of detergent ensures that clothes are cleaned properly and are completely free of the chocolate stain. We tried Surf Excel Easy Wash Detergent Powder for machine and hand wash and were quite satisfied with the results. As per the instructions on the packaging, we used two scoops of Surf Excel Easy Wash Detergent Powder when we were washing by hand and three scoops for machine wash. We loved the fact that we could use this product for both coloured and white garments without having to worry about any colour bleeding onto our precious garments.
5. Opt for Sun-drying
After the wash, if there are still traces of the chocolate stain remaining on the garment, there are chances that the heat of the dryer may set the stain further into the fabric. Hence, we suggest allowing the clothes to dry out under warm sunshine if conditions are conducive. We have seen that sunlight helps eliminate any remnants of the chocolate stain on the garment because of its natural bleaching effect.
Don’t Try to Remove Chocolate Stains from These Types of Fabrics.
Some fabrics are delicate and need extra care. Garments like silk or wool may be labelled as dry clean only. Thus, as their fabric care label mentions, we recommend not trying the above stain removal treatments on such clothes and instead send them for dry cleaning.
