Whether it's the sing-song sound of the ice cream van, a fresh scoop of Cornish vanilla or a choc ice in the garden, ice cream is an integral part of summer. But we're all prone to getting a little overexcited — especially children, who might struggle to eat this treat without making a mess!
If you have ended up with ice cream where it shouldn't be, we've put together this guide to help you remove the stain without a fuss.
General directions
Ice cream is a combination stain, which means that it has more than one component. Most flavours contain grease, protein and pigment but fortunately, ice cream is usually fairly easy to remove.
Gently scrape off as much ice cream as possible with a blunt knife, then blot with white paper towels. Follow the directions below for specific fabrics.
On washable fabrics
Rub a small amount of liquid detergent into the affected area and leave to soak for a few minutes.
Don't use a high wash temperature or you may set the protein part of the stain into the fabric. For cotton, machine-wash at 40°C with biological detergent. For machine washable silk and wool, machine-wash at 30°C using a detergent suitable for delicates on the delicates cycle.
On carpet and upholstery
Spot-treat the affected area with a proprietary cleaner such as Dr Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover following the manufacturer’s instructions (always test first for colour fastness in an inconspicuous area). Rinse with cool water but try not to over wet the area, and blot to dry.
GHI Tip: Some ice creams such as chocolate or raspberry are more highly coloured and if the method above doesn’t work you may have to treat the stain as per the individual flavour e.g. chocolate or raspberry.
Must-have stain removers
Bicarbonate Of Soda
Astonish Oxy Active Non Bio Fabric Stain Remover
Dr. Beckmann Cosmetics & Nature Make-Up, Grass & Mud Stain Remover
No Nonsense White Spirit
