Things You'll Need
Paper towels
Spoon
Water
Detergent
Stain removal products
For nearly 2,000 years, people have enjoyed chocolate as a snack food, according to the Field Museum. As long as people have been enjoying chocolate, they have accidentally stained their clothing with it. Linen, a fiber made from the flax plant, and rayon, a synthetic fiber made from natural grasses, require delicate care when accidentally marred with chocolate. Stain removal can be a frustrating and arduous task, but with patience, you can remove even the most stubborn chocolate stains from linen and rayon garments.
Step 1
Blot away as much chocolate as you can as soon as it lands on your linen or rayon clothing with a cloth towel or paper towel.
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Step 2
Allow the chocolate to solidify.
Step 3
Scrape as much chocolate off as you can. Use your fingernail or a spoon.
Step 4
Turn the linen or rayon clothing item inside out. Rinse the chocolate-covered spot on the garment from the inside out using cold water.
Step 5
Turn the garment right-side out again. Rub a grape-sized amount of liquid, non-bleach laundry detergent on the stain. Allow the detergent to sit for five minutes. This gives the detergent time to bind with the chocolate particulates, allowing for easier removal.
Step 6
Soak the chocolate-stained part of the linen or rayon garment in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 7
Rub the stain between your fingertips every five minutes while it is soaking in cold water. This helps loosen the chocolate particulates.
Step 8
Rinse the garment under cool, running water for a minute.
Step 9
Apply more laundry detergent. Allow the garment to sit for another five minutes. Soak the garment again, and continue the cycle of stain removal tactics until the chocolate is removed from the linen or rayon garment.
Step 10
Use a stain-removal laundry product if the stain is stubborn and will not come out when cleaning manually.
Step 11
Launder your garment according to the manufacturer's instructions after removing the stain. Check the linen or rayon garment after washing and before drying to ensure the stain is no longer visible. If a stain remains, repeat the stain removal process before placing the garment in the dryer. The heat from a dryer can bake the stain into the fibers.
Tip
Bleach linen garments naturally using the sun. Lay your freshly washed linen garment outside in a sunny area. Place a towel or sheet under the garment to prevent dirt and grass from further staining the item.
Warning
Do not use chlorine bleach on linen or rayon fibers. Both types of fibers are cellulose-based. The chlorine in the bleach weakens and damages the fibers, which can in turn cause them to wear out quickly or develop holes.
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