We seem to get more calls for candy stains on upholstery this time of year. Although typically categorized as “sugar” stains, different candy stains require different methods for safe removal.
The Before-and-After pictures show a heavy, natural fiber, patterned fabric, which was the victim of a combination of grandchildren and milk chocolate. To add insult to injury, the chocolate was sat on before it was discovered. This left a stain with much of the contamination thoroughly worked into the fabric.
The issues, therefore, were (1) chocolate usually only comes out with water-based cleaners and spotters but the fabric is “dry clean only”, i.e. color bleeding potential; (2) milk chocolate contains oils, plant (cocoa) and protein (milk), each of which calls for the use of different spotting chemicals, and (3) much of the chocolate was worked deep into the fabric.
We first dry-cleaned all the chairs in order to help protect the fibers from damage or discoloration from the stain removal 
process and to assure the chairs looked uniform afterwards. We tested each spotting chemical to make sure they were safe for this particular fabric. We then removed the stains with special hand brushes taking care not to abrade the fabric. Our fine fabric, electric extraction machine allowed removal of the deep portion of the stain. A commercial grade, stain/UV fabric protectant was then applied.
The result is a set of dining room chairs, which look and feel like new and two happy and much relieved grandparents.