Chocolate milk is one of those things that looks much worse than it actually is when you spill it on carpet but don’t worry. We’ve got a simple step-by-step guide that uses common household cleaning products to quickly and efficiently get rid of chocolate milk on a carpet.
The method involves using a solution of dishwasher soap to a pre-dried stain to lift the chocolate milk out of the carpet and is really easy to follow.
But first, let’s see why chocolate milk is easy to remove from carpet and why you shouldn’t worry if you spill any.
Is Chocolate Milk Easy to Remove From Carpet?
Chocolate milk is easy to remove because it is a water-based stain.
This means that the stain can be tackled in a very similar way to regular milk with dishwashing solution, unlike oil-based stains that can prove a lot more difficult to remove.
Out of all the things you could spill on your carpet, ranging from Sudocrem to milk, chocolate milk is one of the easiest to remove. Let’s take a detailed look at the method you need to follow to remove a chocolate milk stain.
Step-By-Step Guide To Remove Chocolate Milk From Carpet
Before you follow the method you need to get together the following items:
- Washing-up Liquid – Washing up liquid works amazingly well to clean a lot of different stains on carpet and chocolate milk is no different.
- A tea towel or flannel – A tea towel or flannel are great to work the solution into the carpet to remove the chocolate milk.
- Lukewarm Water – You’ll want your water to be lukewarm to activate the washing up liquid.
- Vacuum – A vacuum is great if you want to clean up any remains from the stain, or even more so if you decide to tackle any odor left behind with baking soda (we’ll get on to this part later).
- Cup/Container – A cup or container will be used to hold the cleaning solution while you clean the stain up.
- Paper Towels – Paper towels are amazing at absorbing any excess liquid before you use the cleaning solution to get rid of the stain.
You can also use a spray bottle for the washing up liquid solution but this is not necessary for the method to work, it will just help to distribute the solution more evenly. Let’s see how these items come together to remove the chocolate milk.
Spot Test Before You Start
Before you apply any cleaning solution to your carpet make sure you spot test a small amount beforehand to prevent any damage to your carpet further down the line.
Simply apply a small amount of solution and leave it for around 30 minutes before cleaning it up. If there haven’t been any noticeable changes then you should be fine to use the solution to get rid of the chocolate milk stain.
Remove Excess Chocolate Milk
If the chocolate milk has not had time to soak into the carpet then there will be excess liquid on the surface that will first need to be removed.
This is done by blotting the spillage with paper towel, being careful not to soak up too much at one time as paper towel can hold a lot of liquid that can drip out easily. Once you’ve got rid of any chocolate milk that was pooled on the surface you are ready to tackle the actual stain.
Use Washing Up Liquid To Blot The Stain
The key to creating a washing up liquid solution is to use approximately 1 tablespoon of washing up liquid with 2 cups of lukewarm water mixed together in a cup or container.
After you’ve made the solution use a tea towel or dry cloth and dip it into the solution and wring out until damp. You can then gently blot the stain, working from the outer edges to the centre in a circular motion until the majority of the stain is gone.
Use A Clean Towel To Remove Anything Left Over
After you’ve tackled the stain rinse a fresh towel under lukewarm water and wring it out. Use this to gently remove any leftover residue by blotting the area in the same motion as before. Once this is done, the carpet should be back to looking brand new!
What If The Stain Is Still There?
If you’ve followed the above steps and the stain is still there, you need a more heavy-duty solution.
Don’t worry though, this can be quite common when the chocolate milk has had time to soak in and there is an easy way around it.
Make An Ammonia Solution
Ammonia is a much stronger cleaning agent than washing up liquid when it comes to tackling stains on a carpet. Make sure you purchase non-bleaching household ammonia, as this is the best type for stains.
Mix two tablespoons of ammonia with one cup of lukewarm water to create the required solution
Blot The Carpet As Before
Using the same technique as before with a towel or cloth blot the stain, this time you should see the stain lift no matter how bad it is.
Once you’ve done this its time to neutralize the ammonia, as you will no doubt have realised its strong scent.
Create The Neutralizing Agent
Mix one part undiluted white vinegar to two parts water to make the solution that we will use to get rid of the ammonia smell.
Use a tea towel or cloth to again blot the area with the vinegar solution. This will neutralize the ammonia and get rid of the strong smell.
Does Chocolate Milk Leave An Odor Behind?
If you’ve not managed to remove 100% of the chocolate milk then you may notice an odor will be left behind. Although deep cleaning is the best way to remove any odors completely, there is a home remedy that you can use that will do a good job of getting rid of the smell.
Simply sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda onto your carpet in the evening, and leave it throughout the night before vacuuming it up in the morning. This will hopefully get rid of any remaining smells after you’ve got rid of the chocolate milk stain.
Final Thoughts
If you have experienced any difficulties with the methods above to remove chocolate milk from your carpet then please let us know, we’re always open to learning new and efficient ways to clean within the household!