How to remove ink from clothes: 8 simple and effective ways

Almost everyone uses a ballpoint pen, even those who make almost all notes using a computer and from time to time certify some papers with their signature.

And since most people use a pen, sooner or later a stain from the pen may end up on their clothes. We will discuss how to remove pen ink from colored and white clothes at home in this article.

Anyone who has tried to remove a ballpoint pen from a white shirt knows that it is not such an easy task. Unlike many other stains that can be easily washed out in the washing machine using standard detergents, a gel pen stain cannot be removed by simply washing it. How to remove pen ink from clothes has also already been invented, but there are some nuances for different materials.

What you need to know before you start washing

The easiest and most effective way to get rid of an ink stain is to take the stained item to the dry cleaner. This will not be cheap, so this option is only justified in the case of clothes made from delicate and expensive materials.
Don't delay washing. The fresher the stain, the easier it is to get rid of it. If the ink has ingrained itself into the fabric, not only home methods, but also professional methods using chemical reagents may be powerless.
If possible, use store-bought cleaners that say on the label that they may remove ink. Such preparations have a specially selected chemical composition that is most effective against marks from a ballpoint pen.
Before applying the product to a stain, test it on an inconspicuous area of the garment - for example, around the seams or under the armpit on the inside of the garment. This will ensure that the color and structure of the fabric are not affected.
If the method you chose does not work, move on to the next one.

Means for removing stains from various fabrics

People have been thinking about how to remove pen ink from clothes since they began to use it. Therefore, we have both industrial and folk remedies at our service.

Let's start with industry-developed products, since they are still more reliable, especially if you follow everything written in the instructions.

The best way to remove ink from white clothing is to use a fabric ink remover shaped like a pen or marker. This special marker is sold in hardware stores. It removes small stains easily and neatly. After using it, all that remains is to wash the item.

How to remove ink with milk

What you will need

Milk.
Cotton pad.
Water at room temperature.
Small basin.
Washing powder.

What to do

Using a cotton pad, apply milk generously onto the ballpoint pen mark. Leave for 20-30 minutes. For greater effect, some housewives recommend soaking stains in milk for several hours, or even overnight.

If the ink has not completely disappeared, you can lightly rub the fabric. Then machine wash the clothes with the powder.

Getting rid of “blots” on jeans and trousers

When determining how to remove stains from trousers, it is important to know what material they are made of. If it is made of woolen fabric, then you can use mustard or sour milk.

Since artificial fibers are added in large quantities to many trouser fabrics, strong solvents such as acetone, white spirit, etc. should be used with caution.

Only after preliminary testing in an inconspicuous place can ink stains be removed.

Although denim is made from cotton fibers, stains are not easily removed from it. After all, having a specific weave and coloring, in some ways it can become discolored or develop unnecessary stains. When choosing how to wash handles from jeans, we take this into account.

Small stains can be washed off using laundry soap; first you need to rub them with soap for a while, and then wash them by hand.

During the washing process, jeans can be rubbed with a brush; this durable fabric will not suffer from this.

Remove large stains with salt. You can proceed as described above, or you can first moisten it with alcohol, sprinkle salt on top, let it sit until the stains fade, and then wash it off.

How to remove ink using citric acid

What you will need

Fresh lemon juice or food grade citric acid.
Water at room temperature.
Small basin.
Cotton pads.
Vinegar.

What to do

Rinse the area of clothing stained with a ballpoint pen in water. Then soak a cotton pad in lemon juice or citric acid solution (half a teaspoon of crystals in half a glass of warm water, stir thoroughly) and lightly apply to the damp cloth.

Shots: @NINEL - outerwear stores / YouTube

Rinse off the acid with water, wipe the treated area with vinegar and rinse thoroughly again.

How to remove gel pen from clothes?

You can remove a gel pen from clothes using some of the above mentioned products: stain remover, soap, a solution of peroxide and ammonia (for white), a solution of soda and ammonia. But there are some other recipes for cleaning gel lines yourself, without going to the dry cleaner.

Using dishwashing detergent

Bottles of this product are available in every home, so this is a quick way:

Pour 1 tbsp onto the stain or line. l. dishwashing detergent/gel.
Using a brush or sponge removes dirt more effectively.
It is allowed to hold the foam on the fabric for 20 minutes.
Rinse off the product/gel; if necessary, wash the product completely in a machine or by hand.

This option for dealing with ink is suitable for dark and colored items.

With salt

Every housewife has salt; it is also used in home dry cleaning. You can use it to wipe off streaks on leather items:

Cover the contaminated area with a thick layer of wet salt and leave for 2 days.
Shake off the salt.
Moisten a sponge/rag with turpentine and rub the skin with it until it shines.

They scrub any leather items - clothes, gloves, bags; do not wash things by hand or in a machine.

Using mustard powder

Dry mustard powder will do the job and remove gel pen from colored clothes. You need to do the following:

Mix water and mustard powder into a paste with the consistency of sour cream.
Apply this paste and leave for one day.
Scrape off the dried mustard.
Rinse clothes vigorously in a bowl of cold water or in a washing machine.

The method is simple, easy to use and inexpensive due to the low price of mustard.

Using turpentine

It can be used on white items to remove gel pen from clothes:

Moisten a cotton swab with turpentine and rub the lines on the fabric.
As the cotton gets dirty, change it.
Rinse the area to be scrubbed with water, then wash the product as usual (machine or hand).

The substance is also suitable for removing ballpoint pen stains.

How to remove ink using mustard powder

If you want to try this method, be aware that mustard may stain the fabric. Therefore, do not experiment with snow-white clothes or linen - it is better to choose another cleaning option for them.

What you will need

Mustard powder.
Water.
A small container, such as a deep plate.
Old toothbrush.

What to do

Stir mustard powder in a small amount of water until it becomes a paste.

Using a toothbrush, apply the mixture generously onto the ballpoint mark. Don't rub!

Shots: @All about washing machines and household appliances / YouTube

Leave the mustard for 15 minutes. Then scrub with a toothbrush for about a minute and rinse the cloth thoroughly. Even large stains disappear completely after this treatment.

Shots: @All about washing machines and household appliances / YouTube

Emergency help

Any stains are best removed if they are fresh. It is clear that at work you will not undress and wash the dirty area. But there are methods that, if you use them right away, will make it easier to remove the ink later.

You need to find any absorbent at hand:

Talc;
Baby powder;
Chalk;
Starch.

The chalk story is generally ideal for school. If you are a teacher, take note of this. And parents can also tell their children about this trick. You just need to rub the stroke with chalk (any other means from the list above), then blot it with a paper napkin.

This method will prevent the blot from eating deep into the fabric and, when you come home, you can easily get rid of it.

Inveterate dirtbags should use a special tool for removing such marks - a remover pen. This is a special marker that removes ink and marker stains.

How to remove ink with soda and vinegar

What you will need

Baking soda.
Vinegar.
Hot water.
Toothbrush.
Laundry soap.

What to do

Prepare a cleaning solution: add a couple of drops of vinegar and a teaspoon of soda to half a glass of water and mix. Apply the sizzling mixture to the stained area.

Shots: @All about washing machines and household appliances / YouTube

Leave for 15 minutes. Then scrub the stain thoroughly with a toothbrush and rinse the cloth in clean water.

If the mark from the fountain pen is still noticeable, wash it additionally with laundry soap.

Top 4 inexpensive special products

There are chemical products available that can replace professional stain removers.

Medical alcohol

Ethyl alcohol or ethanol is sold in pharmacies and costs from 15 to 45 rubles per 50 ml. To remove the stain you will need one teaspoon of alcohol. Ethanol is applied to the stain and left for 5 minutes , then the fabric is washed.

Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia

The ingredients are sold at the pharmacy. Hydrogen peroxide costs from 30 rubles per 100 ml, ammonia (or ammonia) - from 15 rubles.

To prepare the solution you need to prepare:

2 tbsp. spoons of hydrogen peroxide;
2 tbsp. spoons of ammonia;
12 tbsp. spoons of warm water.

Soak the stain in the mixture for a couple of hours, then rinse and wash in warm water as usual. You can add bleach.

Alcohol and soda

The cost of this product will not exceed 50 rubles: baking soda is sold in a grocery store (price about 30 rubles), alcohol - in a pharmacy.

A thick paste is created from two ingredients (for 1 spoon of alcohol you need to take 2 spoons of soda) . Place a paper towel folded in half under the stain. The paste is applied to the ink mark for 5 minutes, then soaked with a napkin and washed off with water.

Hydroperite, vinegar and potassium permanganate

There is an interesting recipe for making a cleanser from:

hydroperite,
vinegar,
potassium permanganate and water.

The cost will be about 120 rubles.
You need to prepare the mixture wearing gloves in a well-ventilated area. The mixture must be applied in two stages, as shown in the video below .
The result will be visible immediately, but after using the “chemical eraser”, clothes should be rinsed well with water. Video instructions for removing pen marks from fabric:

How to remove ink with glycerin

What you will need

Pharmacy glycerin.
Toothbrush.
Warm water.
Washing powder.
Small basin.

What to do

Using a toothbrush, apply glycerin to the ink stain. Once it's absorbed, place the fabric in the cleaning solution (a couple of liters of water per tablespoon of powder) and leave for 30 minutes. The stain will not disappear, but will become pale.

Then wash the clothes in the same detergent solution and rinse thoroughly in clean water.

Traditional ways to clean ink

You can wipe off ink from leatherette and other types of fabric using modern food products, which will not only carefully clean the paste from your laundry, but will also not spoil things, their color and quality. When using this or that recipe, you must strictly adhere to the “dosage” of this or that product.

Currently, the paste is washed off from laundry with the following products and means:

milk;
lemon juice;
peroxide;
alcohol-based liquids;
serum;
Polish for hair;
special pen that eliminates ink.

We apply any of the above-described compositions to clothes, wait 10-30 minutes (depending on the degree of contamination), after which we wash the items with powder or soap. It is advisable that washing be done using a washing machine.

The cleaned material will not deteriorate as a result of using the above products, which means you will be able to carefully and efficiently wash the ink, giving the item its former well-groomed appearance.

How to get rid of ink stains on white clothes

In order to remove ink stains from white clothes, you can use a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and water in equal proportions. Soak the stained area of fabric in the resulting solution for about half an hour. If the trace is old, then it is better to wait up to 3 hours.

After soaking, you need to wash the item using a bleaching agent for clothes at high temperature. This method is not suitable for white fabrics with patterns and synthetic materials.

It is much easier to tidy up natural materials than to clean up a synthetic ballpoint pen. Such fabric can be restored to its previous form using kefir by soaking the product in it for 4 hours. Then you need to wash the stain with laundry soap and wash the item in the usual way.

Different materials and clothing - recommendations

In order not to spoil your favorite thing, you need to follow these tips:

Any product that is intended to be used to remove a stain is first tested on a separate piece of fabric sold along with the item. If this piece is missing, test in an inconspicuous place, such as an inside pocket.
For faded clothing, do not use products that contain solvent.
The blot left on synthetic fabric can be exposed to liquid with acetone.
If your leather or faux leather jacket is dirty, try nail polish remover or alcohol-containing liquid.
Apply it to the dirty area from the edges to the center. Correct application will avoid streaks and stain spread.
Until the blots completely disappear from the fabric, the item cannot be washed in hot water. Due to the high temperature, the ink can penetrate deeply into the fibers and it will be impossible to remove the contamination.

Video

Which pen stains can be washed off?

It is easiest and quickest to remove traces of colored or black gel pen, as well as ink or paste when fresh. Since the substances have not yet had time to dry and be deeply absorbed into the threads, removing them is much easier and takes less time. But removing a stain from ballpoint pen paste, ink or gel over time is more difficult. But there is still a chance to deal with them using home methods. And if that doesn’t help, you’ll have to use dry cleaning services.

How to remove old stains

The first thought when you find an old ink stain on your clothes is to immediately run to the dry cleaner to remove the ink from the fabric. This is the best way out, but you can use existing tools:

After mixing ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, add warm water (6 parts). Soak the item for 2 hours, then wash it thoroughly with bleach powder.
If the fabric is colored, you need to find a more delicate method. Make a solution of 5 parts ammonia and turpentine and 2 parts glycerin. This solution is applied pointwise to the stain and left for 2 hours. Then the clothes are washed

If you are not satisfied with the result, you need to contact a dry cleaner.

Rules for removing ink stains

So, before moving on to specific tips for removing this type of stain, it is worth learning about some rules for handling ink stains. These tips will help speed up the cleaning process, carry it out most effectively and avoid damage to the product:

Like other complex stains, it is easier to remove ink from clothes right away than to throw things into a pile of dirty laundry and leave them until wash day.
You can drip paraffin onto the edges of the newly created pen stain. It will prevent the ink from bleeding. After removal, the paraffin is removed from the fabric with a hot iron through a napkin - the pieces will easily come off on their own.
Fold a paper napkin in several layers and apply it to the ink stain. It will be able to absorb excess paint.
Do not try to rub a damp cloth over a newly created stain. There is no point: you will only increase its area and rub it deeper into the fabric.
When moving on to removing ink, take into account the characteristics of the material. This will help remove dirt quickly without ruining the item.
Before using aggressive products (bleaches, for example), always read the instructions for use, especially recommendations on the amount and exposure time. Due to the fact that the rules are ignored, a lot of favorite things are spoiled with holes and stains.
If you are still in doubt, try a little of the active ingredient on the inside out, in an inconspicuous place.
When washing, do not use very hot water. High temperature promotes even deeper penetration of ink into the fibers of the fabric. It is better to soak in warm water.
Remember that with any of the methods, you need to change the tool (cotton wool, rag, sponge, etc.) to a clean one as often as possible. Otherwise, you are simply rubbing the dirt deeper.
When using any of the ink removal methods, be careful: place a light cloth under the area to be treated so as not to paint the table surface.