Removing Ink Stains

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Ink Stain Removal

How To Remove Ink Stains Completely and Quickly

If you’ve ever had an ink pen leak onto your clothes or perhaps gotten an ink stain from failing to remove the ink pen from your pocket before washing your clothes, you know how extremely irritating and frustrating this can be. So much so that you may be tempted to simply throw the item away without a second glance. But what if it is brand new, or is your favorite shirt, or what if you don’t have the money to simply replace it? Well, have no fears, we are here to help you remove those icky ink stains once and for all. We’ve talked to various cleaning specialists and developed some great ink stain removal tips to help you rid your clothes of ink once and for all.

Solvent Cleaners

. Carefully apply Isopropyl rubbing alcohol, Acetone, or Spirits of Turpentine to a clean white terrycloth washcloth to the affected area which will lift the stain or at least make it lighter. You can then wash the item normally. If the stain is not completely removed, you should repeat or use another removal method.

Dishwashing Liquid

Dry the ink stained area and then take 2 parts of liquid dishwashing detergent and mix it with one part alcohol. Soak the stain for about 15 minutes then rinse the stain in hot water. Afterwards you should quickly wash the ink stained material. If the stain is not completely removed, you should repeat these instructions or use another removal method.

Detergent, Lemon Juice and Ammonia

. Another method that has been highly effective in removing ink stains is the use of detergent, lemon juice and water. To use this method, apply some neutral laundry detergent to the back of the stain ridden item. Then, place the item under the running cold water once again. Rinse it thoroughly. If any stains remain, you can retreat it with equal amount of ammonia, lemon juice and cold water. Once you see little or no remnants of the stain, you should then wash the item normally.

Alcohol, Vinegar and Salt

. Take a bowl and mix up equal parts of Isopropyl alcohol with household (not fruit) vinegar. Then place this mix directly on the ink stained area. Repeat and then place some table salt on the stain and rinse it under hot tap water and then rinse it thoroughly. Afterwards you should wash the item as you normally would and like magic the stain should be completely gone.

Baking Soda

. Another method for removing ink stains is to take equal parts of baking soda and water and put it in a separate container. You will then take the mixture and pour it directly into the ink stain. Next, you will rinse the ink stained item thoroughly and then wash the item like you normally would. This should get rid of the stain.

Biz Soap Removal

. Take a huge bowl of water and place it in a pan. You should then heat the water until boiling. Then, carefully add 1 cup of Biz laundry additive to the water while being careful not to burn yourself. (The water is very hot) You should then stir up the mixture until the Biz is completely dissolved. Once the Biz is dissolved, you should take the mixture off the hot oven. Then, take your ink stained clothes and put them into the pot for about an hour. Next, you should let the clothes completely cool. Once they are completely cool, you should take the items out of the pot and then wash them in the washing machine as usual. This method will completely remove the ink stains.

Hair Spray Method

. Another method is to take an absorbent paper towel or rag and place it directly under the stain. Saturate the stain with an alcohol-based hair spray, blot the stain with a rag or paper towel and repeat until you no longer see the stain. Wash the item as usual.

Commercial ink stain removal products

. If all else fails, you can try a commercial ink stain removal product like Motsenbocker’s Lift Off. It is a biodegradable and water based product that removes most stains, including ink. It can be used on fabrics, clothes, vinyl, plastic, countertops, upholstery and more.

All Purpose Cleaner

. Another method is to take an absorbent paper towel or rag and place it directly under the stain. Saturate the stain with all purpose cleaner, like 409 Spray, and then blot it dry with a rag or towel. You should then repeat this until you no longer see the stain. Wash the item as usual.

Fingernail Polish Remover

For this method, you take a white cloth and blot the area dry. You then move the stained area to the clean dry section of the towel once the stain is removed. You then rinse the item thoroughly and wash it like you normally would. If this doesn’t work, you can try acetone but with this method you’ll need to test the area first for colorfastness.

Hair Shampoo

Another method that can be utilized to remove ink stains is a heavy duty shampoo. TO use this method, you should take a clean cloth or paper towel and place it directly on the ink stain. Saturate the area with hair shampoo. Let it set for about 10-15 minutes and then blot it until the stain gets lighter and lighter. You should then get a clean cloth or paper towel and a bowl of water to continue spotting the area. Once the area is clean, wash the item as usual.

In conclusion, you should not fret when you get an ink stain on one of your favorite items. Now, you can safely remove ink stains if you use solvent type cleaners, lemon removal mixture, salt removal mixture, biz removal mixture, hair spray, commercial ink stain products, or all purpose cleaner. Although these methods require some effort on your part, it’s worth it in the end because these methods work. As a bonus, you’ll not only remove that icky stain but you’ll save yourself a tremendous amount of money by not having to replace the ink stained item.