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Stain Guide: Chocolate

This is a 4th generation dry cleaner's guide for removing a chocolate stain!

What you need
  • Dish soap or liquid laundry detergent
  • All-purpose stain-remover spray (with the enzymes lipase, amylase, and protease)
  • Cleaning brush
  • Powdered oxygen bleach or 3% hydrogen peroxide (as needed)
Steps
  1. Wipe or rinse away any physical bits of the remaining stain.
  2. Mix a solution of 2 or 3 drops of dish soap or liquid laundry detergent and warm water. Work this solution into the stain and tamp it in with the brush.
  3. Treat with the all-purpose stain remover (the enzymes needed to break down chocolate include: lipase for grease/fat, amylase for sugar, and lipase for fat).
  4. Allow these pretreatments to sit on the stain for at least 15 minutes.
  5. Wash as recommended by the care label.
  6. Inspect before drying. If the stain was removed, dry as recommended on the care label. If not, repeat steps 2 and 3 and allow the pretreatments to sit on the stain overnight prior to rewashing.
  7. Rewash on a warm or high water temperature
  8. If the stain remains, soak it in hot water and powdered oxygen bleach for at least 8 hours and then rewash OR spray the garment with 3% hydrogen peroxide and allow it to air-dry.