How to remove ink stains: ballpoint, gel, marker and dried ink

Step by step: how to remove ink stains

Safety first. Rubbing alcohol and acetone are flammable: work away from flames and let treated fabric air out before washing or drying. Never pour full-strength chlorine bleach on an ink stain, and never mix bleach with alcohol or acetone.

1. 1

   Figure out what kind of ink it is

   Ballpoint, gel, rollerball, washable marker and permanent marker all behave differently, so check the pen if you can. Then read the care label; dry clean only items should go to a cleaner with the stain pointed out.

2. 2

   Blot, do not rub

   Press a paper towel on fresh ink to lift what has not soaked in yet. Rubbing spreads ink sideways into clean fibers and makes the mark bigger.

3. 3

   Test your solvent on a hidden seam

   Dab rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer on an inside seam with a cotton swab and wait 1 to 3 minutes. Blot with a white paper towel; if no dye from the garment comes off, you can continue.

4. 4

   Dissolve the ink from the back

   Lay the stain face down on a folded paper towel. Dab alcohol or saturate the spot with hand sanitizer gel from the back, and move to a clean section of towel each time it picks up ink. Keep going until the towel stays clean, which can take several minutes.

5. 5

   Rinse with cold water

   Flush the area from the back with cold water to carry away the loosened ink and the solvent. Warm water at this stage can help the remaining dye bond to the fibers.

6. 6

   Pretreat with detergent

   Rub liquid laundry detergent or a stain remover into both sides of the spot with a soft toothbrush and leave it about 10 minutes. Do not let the product dry on the fabric.

7. 7

   Wash in the warmest water the label allows

   Wash without rinsing off the pretreatment. For bleach-safe white cotton or polyester, you can add chlorine bleach to the wash cycle as the bottle directs; for colors use a color-safe stain remover instead.

8. 8

   Air dry and repeat if needed

   Let the item air dry and look at it in good light. A heavy stain often needs the alcohol and detergent steps two or three times, and the dryer can make what is left permanent.

How do you remove each type of ink?

Match the solvent to the ink. Ballpoint ink is dye in an oily base, so alcohol dissolves it; water-based inks rinse out with water and detergent; permanent marker uses a resin that resists water and often will not come out completely.

OxiClean explains the difference: ballpoint ink is dyes in solvents and oil, water-based inks dissolve in water, and permanent ink contains a resin that is not water-soluble. Consumer Reports puts permanent ink in the hardest category of stains and suggests consulting a dry cleaner rather than expecting success at home.

To get printer ink out of clothes, first work out which printer it came from. Ink from an inkjet cartridge is usually water based, so flush it from the back with cold water before it dries, then pretreat with detergent and use alcohol on what is left. Laser toner is a fine dry powder, so do not wet it first: shake it off outdoors or vacuum it, rinse in cold water, and keep it away from warm water and the dryer until it is gone. If a cartridge maker gives cleanup steps, check your manual and follow those.

Rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, hairspray or acetone?

What takes ink out of clothes? Rubbing alcohol is the first choice for most inks, and a clear alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel works almost the same way. Hairspray only helps when it contains a lot of alcohol, and many newer formulas do not, so it is the least reliable option.

Clorox recommends saturating the stain with alcohol-based sanitizer gel, which clings and soaks in, then pretreating with a stain remover for 10 minutes before washing. It warns against putting undiluted bleach on ink; bleach belongs only in the wash water, on bleach-safe fabrics.

Acetone can break down stubborn marker, but the University of Georgia Extension warns not to use it on acetate, triacetate or modacrylic fabrics, which it dissolves. The same guide notes that laundering can set ink, so treat it before the item is washed. For red ink and stamp pad ink, UGA treats the stain like a dye, with a detergent soak before the alcohol.

How to get ink out of shirts, jeans, upholstery and leather

The method changes with the material: washable clothes can take solvents and a hot wash, while upholstery and leather need much less liquid.

• Shirt pockets and thin cotton: Tide suggests stretching the stained area over the mouth of a glass and dripping alcohol through it, so the ink drains into the glass instead of spreading.
• Jeans: dab a few drops of alcohol, work it with a soft toothbrush, rinse cold and wash. Test inside the hem, since alcohol can lift indigo.
• Fabric upholstery: to get pen out of a couch, blot alcohol on with a white cloth, never pour it, and work from the outside in. Blot with a cloth dampened in plain water afterward and let it air dry. Check the cleaning code first, since a couch coded S should not get water; see how to clean a couch.
• Leather: skip alcohol, which can strip the finish and dry the hide. Use a product made for ink on leather, or ask a leather professional.

What to do when a pen goes through the wash

Pull the stained items out before drying, treat each spot with alcohol and detergent, and wash them again. Ink that has not been through the dryer usually still responds.

Check the washer drum and dryer drum for streaks before the next load. With the dryer unplugged and cool, wipe ink marks with a cloth dampened in rubbing alcohol, then with soapy water, and leave the door open until the alcohol smell is gone. Tumble a load of old towels before you dry anything you care about.

Mistakes to avoid

• Scrubbing fresh ink, which spreads it into a larger stain.
• Putting the item in the dryer before the ink is fully gone.
• Pouring undiluted chlorine bleach on the stain, which can damage fibers and leave a pale spot.
• Using acetone on acetate or triacetate, which dissolves the fabric.
• Rubbing alcohol on leather furniture or shoes, which can strip the finish.
• Applying solvent from the front with no towel underneath, so the ink just moves around.