How To Get Ink Stains Out Of Clothes

Use these methods to get ink stains out of clothing and fabrics, even if the stain is old or has been through the dryer.

The best method to get ink stains out of clothes depends on the type of ink you’re dealing with. Some inks are water-based. It’s easy to get those stains out. Others are oil-based and may take a bit more effort. So, start by identifying the type that caused the stain. Then follow the steps below to get the stain out of your clothes.

What Kind of Ink Stained Your Clothes?

If you aren’t sure what type of ink your pen uses, find it on the list below.

Water-based Inks:

• Rollerball pens
• Gel pens
• Fountain pens
• Drawing (dip) pens
• Kids’ washable markers

Oil-based Inks:

• Ballpoint pens
• Permanent markers (Sharpies)
• Dry-erase markers
• Highlighter pens
• Felt-tip pens

If you still have the pen that caused the problem, it’s easy to figure out what type of ink you’re dealing with. But what if it’s an old stain, maybe one that’s been through the dryer a few times? If it’s lasted through the wash, it’s probably an oil-based ink stain.

Steps to Get Ink Stains out of Your Clothes

Time Required: About 25 minutes

Follow these steps to remove ink stains from clothing and fabrics, even old stains that have been through the dryer.

 Equipment

• Paper towels
• Plastic cling film
• Shallow bowl (for large stains)

 Materials

• Liquid laundry detergent
• Color-safe bleach – (Oxyclean is one)
• White vinegar – for water-based stains
• Rubbing alcohol – for oil-based stains

Instructions

Use the information above to identify the type of ink, then follow the appropriate method below to get rid of the stain. Keep in mind that the older an ink stain is, the longer you may need to let the stain-remover work.

Removing Fresh Water-Based Ink Stains

1. Use a clean paper towel to blot the ink. Dab but don’t rub – you don’t want to spread the ink. Rotate the towel as needed, so you’re always dabbing the stain with a clean spot.
2. Hold the fabric under cold running water with the ink facing down. Doing it this way lets the water pull away more of the stain as it falls into your sink.
3. Finally, launder the clothing or wash it by hand. Use the hottest water permitted on the item’s care label. After washing, let it air dry, then check to make sure the stain is completely gone.

Removing Old Water-Based Ink Stains

1. Spread a sheet of plastic cling film on your counter and top it with a stack of paper towels. Place your clothing stain-side up on the paper towels.
2. Dab a small amount of liquid laundry detergent on both sides of the stain with a paper towel. Let that sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Combine 2 tablespoons each warm water and white vinegar. Saturate a folded paper towel with this mixture and place it on the stain. (If it’s a large stain, put a shallow bowl on top of the towel and position the clothing so the stain is in the bowl, then pour the mixture on the stain.)
4. Spread a sheet of plastic cling film over the stain (or bowl) to prevent evaporation, and let it soak overnight.
5. Finally, rinse the item under running water. Use the hottest temperature permitted on the item’s care label. Check to make sure the stain is completely gone, then immediately launder or hand-wash the entire item.

Removing Oil-Based Ink Stains

If the stain is fresh, blot it with a paper towel to remove as much ink as possible from both sides of the fabric. Dab, but don’t rub it — you don’t want to spread the stain. You may need to refold or change towels often, so you’re always working with a clean spot rather than transferring the ink back onto the stained item. Once you’ve blotted as much ink as possible, follow the steps below.

1. Put a piece of cling film on your counter and top it with a stack of paper towels. Place the item inky-side up on the paper towels.
2. Fold a paper towel several times, then dampen it with rubbing alcohol. Use this to dab the stain. Refold the towel as needed, so you’re always working with a clean spot. The ink may bleed through the back of the thing you’re cleaning. If this happens, discard the old, stained paper towels and put new ones down on top of the cling wrap. Repeat this process until the ink is gone.
3. Once you’ve got the ink stain out of your clothing, dab a small amount of liquid laundry detergent on the spot. Let this sit 5 to 10 minutes, and then rinse the fabric under running water. Use the hottest temperature permitted by the item’s care label.
4. Finally, let the item air dry and check to make sure the ink stain is completely gone. If so, immediately launder it. If there’s any ink remaining, repeat the steps above or try one of the ink-removal methods below.

Other Ways to Get Ink out of Clothing

If you don’t have the equipment or supplies needed to use the methods above to remove ink stains, don’t give up hope. Here are a few alternative laundry hacks to get ink out of clothes. Remember, no matter the method you use, launder the item once you can’t see the stain. Then check again before you put it in the dryer to make sure the stain hasn’t reappeared.

Wet Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets contain oily surfactants to help them stop static cling. Those oily substances can also help dissolve oil-based ink stains. So, if you have dryer sheets on hand, try getting one wet with warm water, then use it to blot the ink stain. Be sure you don’t rub, so you aren’t spreading the stain, and switch to a new dryer sheet as needed until the stain is gone. (Here are more uses for used dryer sheets, too.)

Hand Sanitizer

Out of rubbing alcohol? You can use hand sanitizer to get rid of oil-based ink stains on fabrics. Be sure the one you’re using is free of dyes, fragrances, and moisturizers — all can cause new stains on your clothes. (Also see, Surprising Uses for Hand Sanitizer.)

Milk

Grandma’s secret to getting ink out of clothes: an overnight milk soak. This method works best with water-based inks. It’s as easy as filling a shallow bowl with enough milk to cover the fabric’s stained part. Some people add an equal part of white vinegar to the milk or use buttermilk if you have any in the fridge.

Nail Polish Remover

You can often get permanent marker stains out of clothes with nail polish remover. This method can also damage clothing too. So, be sure to do a spot test with a small amount of nail polish remover on a cotton swab in a hidden spot. (The inside of the bottom seam is one such place.) If the item is color-fast, use nail polish remover instead of rubbing alcohol in the method above.

Vegetable Glycerin

Chemically, glycerin is a type of alcohol, and that makes it an excellent stain remover. To get out ink stains with it, mix a tablespoon each of glycerin and powdered oxygenated bleach. Stir in a few drops of liquid dish detergent, and dab this onto both sides of the ink stain. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse the item using the hottest temperature permitted by the care label. Air dry and check to make sure stain is gone, then launder as usual.

Why Not Just Use Hairspray?

It used to be that a generous spritz of hairspray could remove ink stains from clothing. That’s because older hairspray formulas contained a lot of alcohol. These days, we know that dries out hair, so modern formulas use a much lower amount. So, if you tried hairspray and it didn’t work, use one of the methods above to get ink stains out of your clothing. They work!

Now read these:

• How To Clean Messes In The Dryer
• How To Remove Stains From Clothing
• How To Remove Hairspray From Walls
• Uses for Used Dryer Sheets