6 Ways on How to Remove Ink Stains from Clothes

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Ink stains are a common occurrence for all of us, whether we’re left-handed or not.

They happen when you accidentally spill ink on your clothes and can be difficult to remove if they’ve been sitting for a while.

In this blog post, I’m going to share with you the 6 quick and easy ways how to get stains out from clothes!

Table of Contents

How Do Ink Stains Clothes?

Ink is typically composed of pigments, dyes, and oils. Which can discolor the clothing and seep into the fibers making it pretty difficult to remove.

Most especially when it is dried.

One common way that people deal with an ink stain on their garment is by bleaching out some or all colors in order to keep them from getting more stains from happening again.

However, this isn’t always effective since not all fabric can handle bleach. It may damage your clothes if used incorrectly.

But don’t worry, with these tips you can get that ink out of fabric.

What You Should Know About Removing Ink

Here are some tips for getting ink stains out of your clothes. These techniques work no matter what method you use:

Take care of the ink stain the moment you see it. The quicker you address the stain the lesser the work.
Avoid soaking the entire clothes or it will spread the stain to the rest of the your clothes. Keep the stain isolated.
Don’t scrub at first, just blot or dab the stain. You can scrub later once the stain is lifted.

Water-Based Ink vs Oil-Based Ink

It is somehow important if you know the type of ink before removing it to help the effectiveness.

Typically, water-based ink can be found in washable markers and rollerball pens. You can easily remove the stain by using water and detergents. But all our tips should work for water-based stains too – no matter what type of pen was used.

Oil-based ink is tough to remove, and it dries quickly. Usually, it can be found in ballpoint pens. The best approach to get the oil-based ink from your clothes is by using alcohol or glycerin-based product.

Reminders on How to Get Ink Out of Different Fabric

It’s not just the type of fabric that matters but also how you are going to clean them. For each material, there might be a different approach to cleaning and caring for it. So make sure to adjust your method accordingly.

The care label is your best friend, so always read it to check the water temperature before you wash. If it says dry cleaning, then it is best to bring it to the dry cleaners for the safety purposes of your fabric.
Always use a method that is safe for your garment.
You should test your selected solution in an inconspicuous area of the garment to make sure that it is not damaging it.

How to Get Ink Stains from Clothes

Everyone knows that ink stains on clothes or carpet stains can be a real pain to get out. So let’s get down to business and get the ink stain out from your clothes. Here are six ways you can try:

Using Stain Removers

Stain removers will be handy in times like this. So it is better to keep a stain remover in your cupboard.

Most of the stain remover will work on oil-based or water-based stains. But always read the manufacturer’s instructions before using it and adjust accordingly.

In general, you can follow these steps:

Place the stained fabric on top of a clean white towel.
Using a cold water, soak the stained area.
Then apply the stain remover to the stained area.
Gently rub it with a cloth or soft-bristled brush.
Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the instructions.
Finally, rinse the area. Check if the stain is already gone. If not, repeat the process until the stain is gone or try using a different stain remover.

Using Glycerin

For any oil-based ink stains, glycerin would be a good choice. Though it is only recommended for cotton and polyester item only.

But it does work with washable wool and silk as well.

Always dab or blot instead of rubbing until the stain is gone.

Steps:

Place the stained fabric on top of a clean white towel.
Using a cold water, soak the stained area.
Then apply the glycerin to the stained area and let it sit for 10 minutes.
You can also add mild laundry detergent to the stain if possible.
Start blotting the stained area until it bubbles up.
Use a lukewarm water to rinse off. But if the stain is on wool or silk, dab or blot with a wet cloth until the bubbles are gone.
If the stain is gone, wash it on washing machine as normal.

Using Rubbing Alcohol

Alcohol-based products are the most effective in terms of oil-based ink stains. But it also works for water-based stains too.

Though rubbing is quite harsh, it may damage synthetic or delicate materials such as rayon, wool, and silk. So, always try it first in an unnoticeable area.

Steps:

Put the stained garment on top of a clean white towel.
In a clean white cloth, pour a little bit of rubbing alcohol. Dab or Blot the stain until the ink starts to lift.
Add a little bit more rubbing alcohol when it gets try and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Then blot the stain again with a clean area of your cloth. Do the same process until the stain is gone.
After that, rinse the it with cold water.

Using Dish Soap/Laundry Detergent

You can also use dish soap to get rid of water-based ink stains! Dish soaps are safe on all fabrics but check with the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific laundry detergent brand.

If your dish soap or laundry detergent is alcohol-based, then it is good to use for both oil-based and water-based stains.

Reminder: Always test in an inconspicuous area first just to make sure it will not cause more damage.

Steps:

Lay the stained garment on top of a clean white towel.
Using a wet white cloth, blot the stain until it begins to transfer.
Then add a teaspoon of dish soap or laundry detergent to the stain. If the stain is bigger, just add more.
Just leave it about 5 minutes.
Once done, gently scrub the detergent in.
Use a lukewarm water to rinse it.
Do the same process until the stain is gone.

Using Vinegar and Cornstarch

Vinegar and cornstarch are gentle ingredients that can be used on all fabrics. It’s most effective with water-based stains, but you can try it out for oil-based ones too!

Steps:

Place the stained fabric on a clean white towel.
Using the distilled white vinegar, soak the ink stain.
Mix thoroughly 2 parts of vinegar and 3 parts of cornstarch to make a paste.
Put the paste onto the stain. Make sure you cover all the parts of the stain. Just let it sit until completely dry.
Use a lukewarm water to rinse.
Repeat the process until the stain is gone.

Using Hairspray

You would never think that hairspray will come in handy for stains, but it is. An alcohol-based hairspray works well for oil-based and water-based ink stains.

But before you apply it, always test it in an unnoticeable area.

Steps:

Put the stained garment on top of a clean white towel.
Using your hairspray, simply spray the stain with it.
Then use a clean white cloth to blot or dab the stain.
If needed, reapply the hairspray.
Repeat the process until the stain is gone.

How to Remove Pen Ink from Clothes After Drying

There are times that kids won’t tell that their shirt was stained by pen ink. And you probably notice it on laundry day.

If it is white, then you can simply bleach it. But not all fabric can handle bleach, and you possibly don’t have bleach in your house.

So here’s what you need to do:

The stain may already be dried so pre-treat the stain with a stain remover. It would be effective if the stain remover has surfactants which can break up the oil.
- Reminder: Always try it first in an inconspicuous area.
Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Using a lukewarm water, hand wash the fabric with laundry detergent.
Then soak a cloth or cotton ball in rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, hairspray or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Blot or dab the stained area until the stain is gone.
Use a cold water to rinse it.
Repeat the process until the stain is gone.

Conclusion

We hope this list of 6 ways to remove ink stains from clothes has been helpful. Do let us know which method worked best for you or if you have any other methods.

Just feel free to drop some comments below!