Chocolate. There's nothing more distressing than a lump of
chocolate pressed into a carpet. Here's how to get it out in a flash.
The process works for both white and dark chocolate.
Steps
1. Scrape up excess
chocolate.
Take action as soon as possible
after the spillage. The longer you leave a stain, the tougher it will be to
remove. Remove as much chocolate as you can with a clean non-serrated
knife. Be gentle, so as not to damage the carpet fibres.
2. Check carpet type.
Different
carpets react to stain removal techniques in different ways. Using the
wrong removal method could cause the stain to become permanent or leave a
worse mark than the stain itself. Carpets made of natural materials such as
grass, sisal or wool can be severely damaged by liquid treatments. If you
are in any doubt as to your carpet's suitability, contact a
professional carpet cleaner.
3
Do a
patch test. Before applying any solution to your carpet, you should always
do a patch test. Choose an out of the way area of the carpet and apply a
small amount. Wait a few minutes to ensure that problems don't develop.
If your carpet starts to go brown or lighter in colour, immediately rinse
the solution with cold water. Do not continue and call a
professional.
4
Apply surgical spirit.
To dissolve the fat in the chocolate, use surgical spirit. Put on some
rubber gloves and then apply surgical spirit to a white cloth. Lay the
cloth over the stain. Use a spoon to add the solution to your carpet. With
the spoon, massage the stain through the cloth. When the surgical spirit is
thoroughly worked into the stain, remove the
cloth.
5
Mix a detergent solution. Now
make a detergent solution by mixing a quarter of a teaspoon of a mild
carpet shampoo with a litre of warm water. Remember to carry out a patch
test.
6
Apply the detergent solution.
Apply the detergent solution to a fresh white cloth and work it into the
stain, using the spoon as described in
"Tips".
7
Blot the area dry.
Blot the area with some kitchen towel to remove excess liquid before
applying the next solution.
8
Ventilate well before using ammonia. Before you mix your
ammonia solution, make sure that the room is well ventilated, so that you
don't breathe in too much ammonia. Add one teaspoonful of household
ammonia to one cup of warm water and stir. Don't forget the patch test.
If safe, soak the cloth in the solution, lay it over the stain and massage
the stain through the cloth using the spoon as before. Then gently blot the
area dry.
9
Mix the final rinse
solution. Neutralise the ammonia by using a vinegar solution. Add one part
white vinegar to 4 parts warm water. Pour the mixture into the spray
bottle.
10
Neutralise. After testing
the mix on a small hidden area of carpet, spray the vinegar and water
mixture over the stain. Carefully blot the area, removing excess liquid.
The stain should now be removed. If it isn't, repeat the rinse
process.
11. Dry.
To
ensure that the stain is completely lifted and any remaining dampness is
removed, stack a few pieces of kitchen towel over the stain. Cover with a
heavy weight, such as a book. If the weight is coloured or porous, put a
plastic bag between it and the kitchen towel. This will protect the weight
and prevent its dye from leaking into the
carpet.
12. Wait.
Leave the weight on the damp patch, ideally
overnight. The stain should now be completely gone, but if by any chance it
is still visible when you remove the weight, it's time to call in the
professionals.
Tips
Handy Hint: Use the back side of a spoon
pressed onto a cloth and use massage-like strokes to work solutions into
your carpet. This will help you to avoid damage to your carpet
fibers.
Ask children and others
to eat their chocolate over a plate; try to avoid the chocolate mess in the
first place. Always keep serviettes handy when eating
chocolate.
Warnings
Take care
with carpet cleaning products. There are many good carpet cleaning products
on the market but experts tend to be wary of using them. They're not
stain specific and may include ingredients which are not applicable to your
stain and could do more harm than
good.
Things You'll Need
some mild non-alkaline detergent with no
bleaches
some household ammonia
1 sponge
some
clear household vinegar
some warm water
1 blunt
knife
1 teaspoon
1 bowl
1 spray
bottle
1 pair of protective gloves
several white
clothes or white kitchen towel
a heavy weight, e.g. a
book
a clear or white plastic bag
some surgical
spirit
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