Ink Stain Removal Tips

STAIN REMOVAL TIPS

Your Guide to the Most Common Types of Stains and What You Can Do for Removing Stains

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What kind of material: cotton, polyester, silk, wool...?
What kind of ink: permanent market, fountain pen, gel tip, ballpoint, felt tip...?

Read the fabric care tags and hang tag or other material for the item to see, basically, if it is washable or not. That will determine if, in addition to using commercial stain removal products, you can bleach the item as a final step in trying to remove a stain.

Washable Ink Stain Removal,
Including Felt-Tip Water-Color Pen Ink Stains

If the fabric is washable and the stain is fresh, the item can be laundered using detergent. Do not use "natural" soap or detergents containing natural soap. Use hot water if that is safe for the fabric.

If the stain is old, bleaching can be attempted. Check the item's care tag to see if the item is bleachable, and what type of bleaching can be done.

Do not use milk to try to remove a washable ink stain. Milk does not remove stains, and leaves a protein stain of its own.

India Ink, Permanent Markers and Permanent Ink
Felt-Tip Pen Stain Removal

These stains may be difficult to impossible to remove. A few highlighter (marker) stains may be removed or lightened by rubbing immediately with isopropyl alcohol and flushing with hot water.

The first step in this type of ink stain removal is to pretreat the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, then rinse thoroughly.

Next, soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach.

Be sure the bleach is fresh.
To determine if a fabric can be bleached safely or not, see about using bleaches for stain removal.

If the stain persists, and the garment is white or colorfast, soak it in a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water.

If the stain cannot be removed by bleaching within about 15 minutes, it cannot be removed at all, and further bleaching will only weaken the fabric.

Caution: Bleaches can alter the color of a fabric as well as the stain, so bleach the whole garment. Don't try to bleach just the stain. Also note that any damage caused by bleaching colored fabrics is irreversible.

Ballpoint Ink and Printer Ink Stain Removal

Ballpoint ink stains usually require a two-step process to remove the stains. The first step is to remove the oily or waxy part of the stain. The next step is to try and remove the ink dye portion of the stain.

First, spray or sponge with a drycleaning solvent containing perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene. Some commercial brands containing them that you can look for in a supermarket or drugstore are "Shout Aerosol", "Spray’n Wash", and "K2R Spot Lifter". Or you could try rubbing with a "stain stick". Read the label for the latest information as to types of fabrics and stains the products can be used on, and how to use them.

Next, rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent and scrub in hot water.

Finally, attempt to remove the dye portion of the stain by bleaching (if safe for the fabric). Try an all-fabric bleach which is less damaging to colors and fabrics. Use liquid chlorine bleaches for tough dye stains on fabrics that are colorfast to bleach.

Disclaimer

Note that many stains cannot be removed. Some stain removal chemicals, agents, or even commercial stain removal products can damage or discolor fabrics, making the result even worse.

If you have any doubt as to the safety of your fabric or the fabric color, test the chemical(s) or product(s) you want to use to remove stains on an inconspicuous location on the garment.

If in doubt, consult a professional cleaning service.

No liability is assumed -- use this advice at your own risk.