Hot chocolate stains?

[confusedofengland]

Help please! Whilst on holiday last week, DS managed to pour an entire cup of strong hot chocolate onto his lovely new Boden shorts Any tips for getting it out? I scrubbed them with hand soap on holiday (all I had) & have washed it in a very small load with lots of powder at 40, but no joy yet. The material is thick like denim. TIA

Cold water is usually the key for stains - hot water fixes them. Try soaking in a solution of biotex or vanish overnight then wash. You might need to repeat the process.

Thanks for that advice. I did soak them in cold water on holiday when it first happened, they were a lot worse then than they are now. Will have to borrow some Vanish from my mum as I don't have any, don't generally believe in using too many chemicals but I accept it might be necessary in this case

It's not chemicals you need: it's the enzymes in Vanish and Biotex which 'eat' the protein in the milk stain.

Ah, I see. Are there any more natural/household cupboard products that would contain these enzymes?

Hi - cleaning products that have 'bio' or 'biological' in their names, such as biological washing powder. Oxy action products contain enzymes - I think contact with air or water (both contain oxygen) activate them. The key with anything you use in water is not to have the water too hot or it will kill the enzymes, so 30 or 40 degrees max.

We have an elderly dog and the enzyme containing clean up products aimed at pet owners are brilliant.

The downside with enzymes in products is that some people have allergic reactions to them and/or find they irritate their skin.