Guide · Stain removal ·
How to Remove Ice Cream Stains
An ice cream stain is not a single stain but a mixture: milk and cream leave protein and fat, sugar leaves stickiness, and chocolate or fruit leave colour. This is why, with an ice cream stain, the protein and sugar are removed first with cold water, then the remaining fat and colour are pre-treated with a stain remover; hot water is not used until the stain is gone, as it can set milk protein in the fabric. This guide explains how to remove ice cream stains from clothes, carpets and sofas.
First steps
- Remove the excess: scrape off the ice cream with a spoon or the blunt side of a butter knife; do not spread the stain.
- Rinse with cold water: rinse the stain from the back of the fabric with cold water; milk and sugar dissolve in water and are flushed out of the fabric.
- Avoid hot water: do not use hot water, a tumble dryer or an iron until the stain is gone; heat can set milk protein and colour in the fabric.
How to remove ice cream stains from clothes?
- Rinse the stain from the back with cold water.
- For the remaining fat and colour, apply a stain remover such as İLK BOR Leke Sihirbazı or TETİK Kar Aspirin, whose label lists use on clothing, and leave it for the time on the label; test the product on a hidden spot first.
- Wash the laundry on the programme on the fabric label with detergent for coloureds or detergent for whites.
- Check the stain before drying; if a mark remains, repeat the pre-treatment.
How to remove chocolate ice cream stains?
With chocolate and cocoa ice cream, the colour and fat of the stain are more pronounced. Scrape off the excess, rinse the stain with cold water, pre-treat it with a stain remover and leave it for the time on the label, then wash the garment on the programme suited to its label. For chocolate itself, see how to remove chocolate stains, and for milky stains, how to remove milk stains.
Fruit ice cream stains
Black mulberry, sour cherry, strawberry and forest fruit ice creams can leave a dark, lasting colour. With these stains too, rinse with cold water first, then pre-treat with a stain remover, and do not use hot water until the stain is gone. For the detailed steps for fruit stains, see how to remove fruit stains.
Ice cream stains on white laundry
On white clothing, first follow the steps above and wash the garment with detergent for whites. For any remaining coloured or yellowish mark, bleach may be used only on white cotton and linen, if the fabric care label allows it, and at the amount on the product label (how to use bleach); do not use it on whites blended with polyester or elastane.
How to remove dried ice cream stains?
A dried ice cream stain leaves a stiff, sticky and slightly coloured ring on fabric. Soften the stain by soaking it in cold water for a while, then apply the stain remover, leave it for the time on the label and wash the garment again; repeat if necessary. On old stains that have already been washed hot or tumble dried, a faint mark may remain.
How to remove ice cream from carpet?
- Scrape off the ice cream with a spoon; do not press it into the carpet and spread it.
- Lift the stain by pressing with a clean cloth dampened with cold water; sugar and milk residue left in the carpet holds on to dirt.
- For any remaining mark, apply a small amount of a carpet-safe stain remover such as TETİK Binbir Stain Remover and lift it by pressing with a clean cloth; test in a hidden corner first.
- Rinse by pressing with a clean damp cloth and dry the carpet thoroughly (how to use carpet shampoo).
Ice cream on sofas and car seats
Scrape off ice cream that drips onto a fabric sofa or car seat straight away and work on it by pressing with a cloth dampened with cold water. For any remaining mark, apply TETİK Kar Aspirin, whose label lists sofa and upholstery and car interior use, to a clean cloth and press it onto the stain; do not overwet the upholstery and let it dry completely. For details, see how to clean a sofa and how to clean car seats.
What not to do with ice cream stains
- Rubbing the stain and pressing the ice cream into the fabric.
- Using hot water, the tumble dryer or the iron before the stain is out.
- Leaving sugar and milk residue in the carpet without rinsing.
- Using bleach on coloured and synthetic fabrics.
- Mixing stain remover with bleach or other cleaning products (can cleaning products be mixed).
For ice cream shops, patisseries and cafés
In ice cream shops, patisseries, cafés and cinemas, ice cream stains are common on staff clothing, aprons, tablecloths and seats; picking up spilled ice cream straight away and treating it with cold water helps prevent a lasting stain. TETİK Liquid Stain Remover and START Stain Remover are produced in 30 kg packs, TETİK Kar Aspirin in 750 g, 5 kg and 30 kg, and TETİK Carpet Shampoo in 1, 5, 20 and 30 kg. For a product list, see restaurant cleaning supplies; for bulk purchases, you can request a quote. For aprons, see how to wash an apron.
