Spilling milk on the carpet is an annoying accident, given milk's tendency to spoil and smell if it's not quickly and fully cleaned up. When it's spilled chocolate milk, you face the added challenge of getting out a brown stain. Depending on the color of the carpet, a spilled chocolate milk stain might remain very noticeable. Fortunately, with quick attention, a chocolate milk spill is fairly easy to remove, and even set-in stains can usually be lifted with the right carpet stain remover.
How to Clean Up Spilled Chocolate Milk While It’s Wet
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Things You'll Need
Paper towels
White cloths
Clear dish soap
Baking soda, cornstarch or salt
Clean dish brush or old toothbrush
Vacuum cleaner
Step 1
If the spilled chocolate milk stain is still wet, blot up as much of the liquid as you can with paper towels. Press firmly but try not to rub the chocolate milk into the carpet. Work from the outside of the stain into the middle to avoid spreading it.
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Step 2
Wet a white cloth with plain cold or warm water so that it is saturated but not dripping and blot the chocolate milk spill. Blot with a clean part of the cloth every time you press the stain and you should see less and less color transfer every time. Stop when the chocolate color stops transferring to the white cloth.
Step 3
Prepare a bowl of warm water with a dash of clear dish soap, using approximately 1 tablespoon of soap with 2 cups of water.
Step 4
Soak and wring out a white cloth with the soapy water and blot the stain in the same way as you did with the plain water. Again, try not to soak the carpet and use a blotting motion rather than a scrubbing motion. Stop when you feel that you've lifted as much of the stain as possible.
Step 5
Repeat the blotting step with plain water again, which should remove any traces of soap from the carpet.
Step 6
Press the damp area of the carpet firmly with a clean, dry towel. Step on the towel to apply more pressure and dry up as much water as possible.
Step 7
Sprinkle the treated area of the carpet with a thick layer of baking soda, cornstarch or salt and let it sit overnight. This step helps to remove any odors remaining from traces of the spilled chocolate milk.
Step 8
In the morning, use a clean dish brush or old toothbrush to loosen the dried powder from the carpet fibers and then thoroughly vacuum it all up.
Step 9
If traces of the spilled chocolate milk stain remain, continue with a more aggressive carpet stain remover for tougher stains.
How to Clean Up Tougher Chocolate Milk Stains
Things You'll Need
Protective gloves
Ammonia
White cloths
White vinegar
Baking soda, salt or cornstarch (optional)
Commercial carpet stain remover (optional)
Step 1
Wearing protective gloves, prepare a solution of 2 tablespoons of nonbleaching ammonia mixed into 1 cup of warm water.
Step 2
Soak a white cloth with the solution so that it's damp but not dripping and use it to blot the stain. Turn the cloth around so you're repeatedly pressing a new part of the cloth into the stain.
Step 3
Prepare a solution of one part white vinegar to two parts warm water. Either spray it onto the treated area of the carpet or blot the area with a new white cloth soaked in the solution. This step neutralizes the ammonia treatment.
Step 4
Rinse the area with plain water using a clean white cloth to blot the carpet.
Step 5
Dry the wet spot on the carpet with a towel, pressing with your hands or foot to get out as much water as possible.
Step 6
Optionally, use the baking soda, salt or cornstarch treatment. You can also use a commercial carpet stain remover to treat the stain following the manufacturer's directions.