Feb 14, 2024
And as V-Day draws to a close, chocolate’s in the air. Sometimes literally.
There are 3 main components to watch out for with food-on-clothes spills, and Chocolate brings them all:
Goopiness
Pigment
Grease (and/or protein)
So while these steps work for almost all food stains, chocolate is a particularly good example.
Chocolate on your finest Chore Dress? I got you.
These 3 steps work for stopping most stains.
Are you doing these yet??
Pro tip: Treat it like a fire. Stop, drop, and rolllllllllll to the nearest sink. Don't just keep karaoke-ing, forget about it, and then throw the garment in the hamper.
(That's how your clothes end up with chocolate-drip-shaped tattoos that they will regret for the rest of their lives!)
Instead, do this:
1: Scrape!
If there's goopiness—aka messy substances sitting on top of the fabric that could be removed, then remove them as best you can.
Is it too goopy? Cool it down with some ice. (Wrapped in a napkin or paper towel to contain the chocolatey meltwater).
Then, chip it away as needed.
2: Cold Water!
This helps keep the pigment from setting in.
Speed is your friend: The sooner you do it, the better.
If you can, take the garment off and run cold water on the spot under the tap.
If you need to keep it on, dab with a cold-water soaked napkin.
3: Soap!
Soap dissolves grease, oil, and protein… compounds that both make foods tasty, AND that make stains stain-y.
The most convenient soap in your kitchen is also one of the best for fast treatment of food stains: DISH SOAP! Removing food is literally what it's for, and any dish soap that's ok for your hands is generally safe on fabrics.
We have liquid and bar dish soap in our kitchen, and I use whatever’s easier to apply in the moment.
Rub it in. Work up a little lather!
WHEW.
With these 3 steps, you’ve bought yourself some time!
You can go back to your romantic dishwashing or whatever (just me?).
Wash the garment as usual whenever you get to it.
The stain will likely come out, easy-peasy.
Want ONE MORE step to really be a stain hero?
Put eyes on that stain AFTER you wash the garment, BEFORE you throw it in the dryer.
If you can still see see the stain, try one of these two secret household weapons (while the fabric's still damp):
White vinegar. Dab enough on the spot to saturate it. Let it soak in for 10-20 minutes. Rinse again.
OR
Baking Soda. Take a pinch and rub it into the stain gently. Rinse well.
If you're thinking, why can't I mix the baking soda and vinegar together??? Well, you can. I just have too many science lab volcano memories to feel comfortable with it.
You can also try the vinegar and/or baking soda on set in stains (e.g. stains that you weren’t able to treat right away when they happened, with the above 3 steps.)
A word of caution: some dyes, particularly natural ones, may react with vinegar and baking soda.
You know the drill: test a discrete area of the fabric first.
When you’ve decided it’s ok to proceed, cut your risk by only leaving the cleansing substances on the fabric long enough to work the stain out. Then, rinse well.
If you aren't treating stains this way yet, write these 3 steps on an post-it, stick it near your kitchen sink, and MEMORIZE IT!
You will be unstoppable.
Happy chomping,Allegra