Tricks for getting the worst ice cream stains out

little boy eating a dripping ice cream cone

The hot heat of summer and cold, sweet ice cream cones go hand-in-hand! If you’ve ever treated the little ones in your life to ice cream on a sweltering day, you’ve certainly witnessed the mess that can happen in a moment of minutes. Gelato covered faces, sticky hands and when the soft serve melts faster than licks can keep up, a sticky mess is in the forecast.

While getting ice cream and other frozen dessert stains out of clothing may seem tricky, we’ve got some helpful tips on removing those spots before you can say ‘banana splits’!

How to Remove Ice Cream Stains 

Act Quickly
Whether you are home or at the parlour, the faster you start working on the stain, the better! Remove any excess from your clothing with a spoon. You can also use a damp paper towel, but remember: Blot, don’t rub! You do not want to work the stain into the fibres of the fabric any further.

Rinse It! 
Run clean, cold water through the back of the fabric, to push the stain out of the clothing fibres. Avoid using hot water as this can cause the stain to set.

Get Soapy
Use a clean cloth and a dish soap solution to wash out as much of the stain as possible. To make the solution, mix one tablespoon dish soap and 10 oz water in a spray bottle. If you don’t have your solution close at hand, regular hand or dish soap is the next best thing!

Pretreat 
Follow the directions on your preferred stain remover to pretreat the stain before washing. Remember to always test stain removal solutions on a small area of the clothing first to make sure it doesn’t discolour your favourite wardrobe pieces.

Wash

Wash the clothing using your got-to laundry detergent. Cold water will yield the best results.

Double Check
Has the stain been removed? If it has not, repeat the above steps until the stain is completely gone before adding to the dryer. If a stain is still present, drying the clothing will only further set the stain.

Treating Old Stains
If you come across an old stain, soak the clothing in cold water with the stain remover for a few hours. Then throw it in the wash and that Tiger Tail or Cherry Garcia should be gone!

If you want a little more time to enjoy summer with the family, consider hiring Windsor Home Cleaning to help address your house cleaning, so you can get back to having a ball in the sun! Learn more about our services or schedule an estimate today by calling 613-238-7761.