A person in a pair of jeans stained with chocolate cake

23 Jan. 2024

Simple Steps to Remove Chocolate Stains

Everyone loves chocolate — it's one of life's greatest comfort foods and a timeless way to show affection. But figuring out how to get chocolate out of clothes is definitely not something everyone loves.

The sweet stuff can be enjoyed in many different, delicious forms, and they all have the potential to leave messy stains. Chocolate stain removal might seem dark and difficult, but they don't have to leave their mark on your clothes permanently. Follow Tide’s handy stain removal tips and learn how to remove chocolate stains out of a white shirt, your carpet, or from your furniture.

15 minutes to read

How to Get Rid of Chocolate Stains: Step-by-Step Guide

Chocolate is not only dark, but it has a high oil content relative to other foods, so when chocolate stains clothes or other fabrics, it can be particularly difficult to know how to get chocolate out of clothes. As with most stains, the more quickly you can begin to treat a chocolate stain, the easier it will be for you to remove. Below, we’ll take you through some quick, general steps on how to get chocolate stains out of fabric before they become a more difficult stain problem.

Step 1

Remove Excess Chocolate

Due to its darker color and higher oil content than many foods, getting to a chocolate stain quickly will make chocolate stain removal much easier for you. Start by removing excess chocolate from the area with a dull plastic knife or scraping utensil, taking care not to damage sensitive fabrics. You should also be careful not to spread the stain to any clean areas, or press too hard, embedding the chocolate into the fibers of your fabric.

If the chocolate has already dried, you can try to break it away without damaging the fibers, but take care not to scrape if it appears to be already bonded as this could further damage your fabric.

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Step 2

Rinse with Cold Water

With excess chocolate removed, rinse the back of the stained area of fabric with cold water. Pushing water through the back of the fabric prevents the chocolate stain from moving deeper into the fabric. It, instead push it outward where it will have fewer fibers to travel through. Do not use hot water during this process as that can actually help set the stain and make it much more difficult to remove.

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Step 3

Rub with Liquid Detergent

Before going about any treatment, you should first test an inconspicuous area with your cleaning solution to ensure the fabric won’t be damaged or discolored. Once you’ve determined it’s safe, using your Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Detergent, gently rub into the stained area using your fingers or a clean, soft white cloth. Try working from the outside of the stain inward to prevent the stain from seeping out to any clean areas of fabric. Rinse the garment with cold water and repeat this step until you feel you’ve removed all of the excess stain.

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Best products for removing chocolate stains

Tide Free and Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent

How to Remove Chocolate Stains from Different Types of Fabric

Removing chocolate stains from fabric can be a sticky proposition, especially if the stain has had time to dry and become firmly attached to the fibers. This dark, oily substance may be a delicious delicacy, but due to its low melting point, it’s very easy to be so distracted by its taste that you don’t even notice it staining your favorite shirt or pants. The way in which you go about removing chocolate stains will depend on the type of fabric you’re removing it from, the strength and composition of its fibers, and whether or not the chocolate stained garment can easily be thrown into the washer for cleaning with your favorite Tide Detergent.

How to remove stains from jeans

Denim jeans are, by nature, more rugged and durable fabrics, so you have more flexibility in the aggressiveness with which you attack a chocolate stain on jeans. As with any item that has a stain, you should start by removing as much of the excess chocolate as possible, preferably right after the stain occurs and is fresh. Using cold water and a clean paper towel or cloth, gently apply to the chocolate stain to remove excess, being careful not to rub it further into your jeans. Apply your favorite Tide Liquid Detergent directly to the stain and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Once satisfied, rinse the area thoroughly with cold water, then launder the jeans as you normally would.

How to remove chocolate stains from white shirts

When it comes to white shirts, it’s imperative to get to the chocolate stain quickly to avoid it setting. Start by removing any excess chocolate from the area, then using cold water and a clean white cloth or paper towel, gently press at the stain to get as much additional chocolate out of the fibers as possible. Be careful during this process that you’re not pushing the stain further into the fibers. Before attempting to clean with any solvents, be sure to read the garment’s care label and spot test your cleaner in an inconspicuous area to ensure no damage will occur. Once satisfied, apply some Tide Free & Gentle Liquid directly to the stain. Allow the shirt to sit with the detergent on it for at least 5 minutes, then machine wash as you normally would.

How to get chocolate out of white clothes

For white clothing, it’s imperative to get to any chocolate stains quickly to avoid it setting deeper into the fabric. Start by removing any excess chocolate from the area, then using cold water and a clean white cloth or paper towel, gently press at the stain to get as much additional chocolate out of the fibers as possible. Be careful that you’re not pushing the stain further into the fibers. Before attempting to clean with any solvents, be sure to read the garment’s care label and spot test your cleaner in an inconspicuous area to ensure no damage will occur. Once satisfied, apply some Tide Free & Gentle Liquid directly to the stain. Allow the shirt to sit with the detergent on it for at least 5 minutes, then machine wash as you normally would.

How to Remove Chocolate Stains from Carpets

Although any drop of chocolate that ends up on your carpet and not in your tummy is a tragic waste of deliciousness, it’s not the end of the world. Just act fast and follow the below steps, and your carpet will be chocolate-free in no time!

Remove Any Chocolate Flakes. If the stain was caused by solid chocolate, use the hose of the vacuum cleaner (with no attachment) to carefully hoover up any loose flakes without rubbing the stain. If you find there’s still some excess left on your carpet, hold an ice cube on it for a minute then scrape carefully in case of hard chocolate or use a clean cloth or paper towel to blot away the excess in case of liquid chocolate.
Apply Stain Remover. Gently dab stain remover with a clean toothbrush over the chocolate stain. Do not rub the chocolate deeper into the fabric of the carpet. Rinse off the toothbrush in between dabs to prevent the further spread of the chocolate. Let the stain remover do its work by allowing it to sit for five to ten minutes.
Rinse and blot. Next, blot the soapy stain with a clean towel without rubbing or layer a few sheets of paper towel atop the stain. Carpets are usually deep and thickly wound so the chocolate stain may not come out the first time. In that case, repeat the process until you can no longer see the stain.

Once you’re confident the soap is removed, blot the area with a clean dry cloth or layered paper towels.

How to Remove Chocolate from Upholstery

Got a bit of chocolate stain on your couch? Don’t worry—removing chocolate stains from your upholstery is a lot like dealing with carpet stains, but even simpler:

1. Remove Excess

Whether you lightly dab a towel over melted chocolate or use the vacuum hose while scraping off an old chocolate stain, remove as much chocolate as you can before applying any cleaning products.

2. Apply Stain Remover

Check if your upholstery is able to withstand chemicals before applying any dry-cleaning solvent or stain remover. If the furniture is stain remover-positive, gently blot a bit of solvent on the chocolate stain with a clean cloth until it is completely absorbed into the upholstery.

You can still see a bit of leftover chocolate stains? In that case, continue to apply the cleaning solution and blot the stained upholstery with a clean white cloth until you can no longer remove any chocolate.

It’s not always possible to get clothing into a washer to remove chocolate stains, but luckily with a few common household items and a clean sink, you can still attack chocolate stains and remove them effectively. Before going about any treatment, you should first test an inconspicuous area with your cleaning solution to ensure the fabric won’t be damaged or discolored. Dawn dish soap or Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Detergent are both great cleaners for removing food stains. Once you’ve determined the cleaning product you’ve selected is safe for your fabric, gently rub into the stained area using your fingers or a clean, soft white cloth. Try working from the outside of the stain inward to prevent the stain from seeping out to any clean areas of fabric. Rinse the garment with cold water and repeat this step until you feel you’ve removed as much of the stain as possible.

Start by removing any excess, dried on chocolate with a dull plastic knife or other flexible scraper, being careful not to damage or tear any threads on the fabric. Next, rinse the stained area with cold water, gently using your fingers to work at the area and loosen as much remaining chocolate from the fibers as possible. Apply Tide Free & Gentle Liquid detergent directly to the stained area. Once the chocolate stain has been fully coated, allow the garment to sit with the detergent on the stain for at least five minutes or longer. Wash as you normally would, without rinsing the clothing. Applying liquid detergent directly to the stained area for an additional cleaning boost before the wash cycle.

Products to treat chocolate stains

Tide Free and Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent

Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid Laundry Detergent

Tide Original Scent Liquid Laundry Detergent