Chocolate Stains

Chocolate is my enemy in more ways than one. I have a bad habit of eating some chocolate during the night. I then fall asleep, and drool melted chocolate on sheets, pillowcases and nightgowns. Mostly cotton, and always Hershey's. I have tried Shout Extra, Tide, soaking, scrubbing, and lots more.

Of course, by the time I can get to the laundromat the chocolate is hard and dry. I scrub the spot with hot water to melt it, then I wash in cold water, treating the stain with laundry soap. No matter what I do, I cannot get the brown stain out. Please help.

Dori Ann from Belvidere, NJ

Answers:

Chocolate Stains

I use dish liquid (any brand) for food stains. But my favorite spot remover is the one that starts with a Z. I want to say Zout, but don't think that is right. Good luck. (03/26/2008)

By Carol in PA

Chocolate Stains

One word for really difficult and rather oily stains: GOOP. It's a waterless hand cleaner like you might find in a garage. It can be found at auto-parts stores, and in some bigger grocery stores in the soap aisle. You just rub some of this into the area and let it sit about 20 minutes. Then wash it as usual. I don't wash anything in hot or warm water. We stopped having a lot of stains. I also took to making my own laundry soap, again way fewer stains. Remember to always check the stain before you put it in the dryer.

(03/26/2008)

By Sarah Leach

Chocolate Stains

This is Dori Ann from Belvidere, NJ. Thanks to all who answered my post. I tried many of your "tricks" and found the best thing to remove not only chocolate stains, but also garden dirt on my new jeans. The winner is Dawn dish soap. I was blown away. From now on that's what I put on any stain. I used the new foam that left a lot of bubbles in the washer, so I just ran it through a double rinse before washing as normal. My best friend is a self-proclaimed slob. Whatever she eats is on her shirt. She has ruined many tops with bleach and a Q-tip. Now she uses Dawn on everything. Too bad Dawn doesn't make a laundry detergent. Thank you everyone. (04/07/2008)

By Dori Ann from Belvidere, NJ

Chocolate Stains

I agree with the dish soap solution. My dish soap is Palmolive, but worked like a charm, even after I had used laundry stain remover, washed the shirt, and dried it (which usually sets any remaining stain for good). (08/06/2008)

By Gina

Chocolate Stains

My 8 year old got chocolate ice cream on some pants of hers and I could not get the stain out even after pretreating it with a stain remover. After reading this I tried my dish soap and it was a miracle. The stains were vanishing right away. I'll always resort to the dish soap from now on. I used the Clorox Green Works dish soap since I didn't have Dawn. This worked great. (02/14/2009)

By Ruth

Chocolate Stains

I am an American that lives in Belgium, and I used Belgian non-brand dishwashing liquid, and it came right out. So you can use any kind of dish washing liquid. (02/15/2009)

By JonasvanDijk

Chocolate Stains

Add me to the people who had success removing chocolate stains from white clothing by using dishwashing liquid. I used 7th Generation "eco-friendly" liquid and it worked just as well as the brands mentioned by others. I got the chocolate stains on my white capri pants the first time I wore them. I was so afraid the pants would be ruined after only one wearing. But the stains came right out. So many thanks for a great tip. (02/22/2009)

By Martha L. from OR