How to Remove Chocolate Stains

Before we get to the instructions on how to remove chocolate stains, let me point out that there are spills and spots, and they often only become stains if they are not cleaned up quickly. Pick up that chocolate before it is melted or rubbed into the carpet! But if it is too late for that, here are the steps to take...

Put an ice cube on the spot to harden any remaining chocolate. Then scrape out the chunks to the extent possible using a dull knife or the edge of a teaspoon. Now, to remove the rest of the stain...

Wet the area with water a little at a time and use a wet/dry shop-vac to remove the water between applications. This will usually not be enough to get the stain out, so we move on...

Make a mixture of clear ammonia (1 tablespoon) and water (4 ounces). Using a spray bottle if you have one, apply this to the stain without soaking it too heavily (don't let it soak through to the carpet pad). Using a clean white cotton cloth or plain white paper towels, blot up the moisture between applications. Repeat this process until you see no more stain transferring to the cloth as you dab at the spot.

If the stain is removed, rinse and blot repeatedly with water, then dry the area. Otherwise apply a mixture of water (six ounces) and dish detergent (plain Dawn or Joy - a few drops) to the area a little at a time. Blot between applications and watch to see if the stain is still transferring to the cloth or paper towels.

This is how to remove chocolate stains in most cases. If the steps above do not remove the stain completely, you can try applying hydrogen peroxide to the stained fibers, brushing it on using a cotton swab. Let this remain for an hour, and then soak it up with a clean white cotton cloth or white paper towels. You might try one more application, but after that you unlikely to remove any more of the chocolate stain. Dry the area quickly so it will not attract dirt.