How do I get hot chocolate out of snow boots?
January 19, 2012 9:31 AM   Subscribe

I dropped hot chocolate down my winter boots. How can I clean them?

Today at my desk, I knocked a big container of hot chocolate over. Among the other damage, it streamed off my desk and into my winter boots, which were under my desk not being worn. (I commute in boots and change into nice shoes at the office.)

The boots are these Totes "Paula" winter boots. The inside furry lining as well as the outside of the boots are doused, including the inner lining of the zipper.

What can I do, today, to minimize the damage to my boots? I could just let them air dry but they're going to get sticky (actually, they're already sticky, it's only been ten minutes), and I'm especially worried about the lining, which is faux fur. I can take them in to get cleaned at a shoe repair place if necessary but I still have to wear them home from work today and through tomorrow's expected 6 inches of snow, since I don't have any other boots.
posted by juniperesque to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (4 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I'd use a towel well dampened with cold water to get out as much hot chocoate as possible, rinsing the towel regularly as you go, then a dry towel to blot as much moisture as possible post cleaning, then put the boots near something warm like a heating vent. I'd take them to a dry cleaner for a more thorough cleaning job later.

Also, sorry. At least it isn't a more horrid substance.
posted by bearwife at 10:07 AM on January 19, 2012


As far as wearing them home from work and in tomorrow's snow, if they're still sticky/wet/unpleasant, just use a plastic grocery bag to wrap your feet before you put the boots on. Saran wrap is another alternative. Your feet will get all the protection of the boots without getting your socks and pants chocolatey.
posted by danceswithlight at 10:35 AM on January 19, 2012


this may seem weird, but does your washing machine have a rinse cycle? i would pop them in there for 10 or so minutes. if you are worried about ruining the washer, maybe go to a laundromat.

if you are worried about the lining coming out, make sure to do it on cold, that way the glue would be less likely to come off.

however, i've never seen your boots first hand and can't say how well they would hold up in the washer, but i have a feeling they'd probably be okay, but proceed with caution.
posted by fuzzysoft at 11:09 AM on January 19, 2012


For the faux fur, try cornmeal (as recommended by A Clean Person). You may have to apply more effort that the shake it all up method described in that article but I suspect it would work.
posted by kyla at 11:20 AM on January 19, 2012


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