Say, a pen you keep in your pocket leaks, or you accidentally rub your sleeve against a page with ink that hasn't dried. As a result, your favorite cotton shirt or jeans will be stained with pen ink. If you just wash your clothes in the washing machine as usual, the stain will likely stick and become permanent. However, with a little patience and a few simple ingredients available at home, you can get rid of those ink stains. This article will tell you how to identify the type of ink soiled on your clothes, as well as provide cleaning methods, depending on the different ink types.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Recognizing the Type of Ink Staining Clothes
Step 1. Find out what kind of ink is staining your clothes
Actually, not all pens equipped with balls are ballpoint pens. In addition, different types of pens use different types of ink so the stain needs to be cleaned in different ways. Standard pens (such as pens with the Bic and Paper Mate brands) use oil-based inks that dry easily, so to remove the stain, you need a solvent (solvent). Unlike ballpoint pens, rollerball pens (eg pens manufactured by manufacturers such as Uni-Ball and Pilot) use water-based inks that tend to be easy to remove. Meanwhile, gel pens use ink with a high pigment so that it is more difficult to remove.
- If you have a suitable pen, visit an office supply store's website and look up the name or model of the pen. The product description displayed on the web page can tell you what type of pen it is, whether it is a ball pen, rollerball pen, or gel pen.
- You can also visit the pen manufacturer's website for more information and instructions on how to remove stains for specialty pen products/
Step 2. Keep your clothes clean even if the type of ink on the clothes is unknown
If you don't have a pen and don't know what type it is, first try cleaning your clothes using the ballpoint pen stain removal method. If that doesn't work, try the rollerball pen ink stain removal method, and then (if it still doesn't work), the gel ink node removal method. Each time you finish cleaning clothes using one method, rinse the clothes thoroughly before you follow the other method. However, remember not to dry it immediately before the stain is completely gone.
Step 3. Read the labels on your clothes
If your clothes are machine washable (as is the case with most cotton clothes), you can clean and remove ink stains yourself at home. However, if your clothes are only dry-cleaning (or hand-washed, not machine-washed), it's a good idea to take your clothes dry-cleaned at the laundry. Usually, the cost of washing a t-shirt does not exceed 50 thousand rupiah. In addition, of course, you don't have to bother cleaning clothes and can save time.
Make sure you tell the laundromat what kind of ink got your clothes on. It's even better if you take the appropriate pens to the laundry. In order not to soil other clothes, carry the pen in a plastic bag
Method 2 of 4: Removing Ballpoint Ink Stains (Oil Based Ink)
Step 1. Find a suitable solvent for removing ink stains from your home
The safest way to remove oil-based ink stains from cotton clothes is to use ethanol. Ethanol is a common ingredient in many household products. Products such as alcohol (for treating or cleaning wounds), hair spray (especially aerosol sprays, not alcohol-free ones), or alcohol-based hand sanitizer gels can be good choices.
You can also use wet wipes (such as baby wipes) to remove ink stains from clothes
Step 2. Place the stained garment on a flat surface that can absorb the liquid
Use a dry towel (make sure it can be bleached), or several layers of paper towels or napkins. This way, when the clothes are cleaned the ink that sticks can be absorbed into the towel or paper towel. Make sure that only one layer of clothing is placed on top of the towel to prevent the ink from spreading to the rest of the garment.
Step 3. Apply an alcohol-based solvent to the stained area of the garment
If you're using alcohol, soak a cotton swab in the alcohol first, then dab it on the stained area. If you are using a hand gel, pour a small amount of the gel on the stained area and rub with a cotton swab or your finger. For hairspray, spray the product on the clothes until the product is absorbed into the fabric.
If you are using a wet tissue, gently press the wet tissue on the stained area. Try to press firmly enough so that the alcohol or liquid absorbed by the tissue can be absorbed by the stained area. You can also place wet wipes on top of a cloth and then place something heavy on top (eg a plate with a book on it, or a food can). After that, let it sit for a few minutes
Step 4. Wait for 3-5 minutes
The solvent may take a few minutes for the oil in the ink to dissolve, depending on how strongly the ink has stuck and how long the stain has been on the fabric.
Alcohol-based products dry out easily. Therefore, reapply or re-spray the product as necessary to keep the stained area moist or wet with the solvent (at least until the stuck ink is removed)
Step 5. Remove the ink stains that are stuck to the clothes
Use a clean, dry cloth to remove the stain. Try pressing the stained area to allow the ink to soak into the washcloth and absorbent layer (such as a towel) under the clothes. Usually, at this stage not all of the ink stains can be removed.
Step 6. Repeat the cleaning process if necessary
If you can remove nearly all of the ink stains using an alcohol-based solvent, you've used the right method! If the stain remains, transfer the garment to a clean section of the towel, or provide a few new paper towels to place under your clothes. After that, apply or re-spray the solvent product on the stained area, wait, and lift the stain again.
Step 7. Wash the stained area with detergent
If there's still a small amount of stain remaining, or the entire stain appears to have been lifted but you want to make sure that the stain is completely removed, apply a small amount of detergent (powder or liquid) to the affected area. Allow the detergent to soak in the clothes for a few minutes, then rub the clothes to remove the stains. After that, rinse the clothes thoroughly with warm water.
- Once the ink stain is completely gone, you can wash your clothes as usual.
- If the ink smudges are still not gone, repeat the steps described previously, or try another method to remove smudges from a different type of ink.
Method 3 of 4: Removing Rollerball Pen Ink Stains (Water Based Ink)
Step 1. Soak the stained garment in milk
For best results, use skim milk. Actually, you don't have to soak the whole garment in milk; Only soak the stained area. Wait for about half an hour, then carefully brush the stained area with a toothbrush, cuticle brush or other soft-bristled brush. After that, rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Step 2. Clean the remaining stains using bleach powder (use bleach that is safe for colored clothes)
Mix the bleach powder with a little water to form a paste. After that, apply the paste on the affected area and leave it on for half to an hour. After that, scrub the stained area using a soft-bristled brush, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
At this stage, all of the lingering stain will be gone (or at least, most of it will be removed)
Step 3. Repeat the previous two steps if necessary
If the steps described previously succeeded in removing the stain, but the stain has not completely disappeared, repeat the two steps previously described. If the stain persists, rinse the garment thoroughly, then use the gel or ballpoint pen stain removal method.
Step 4. Wash your clothes using regular detergent
Before putting clothes in the dryer, check your clothes again carefully. If the stain is not completely gone, repeat cleaning until the stain is completely gone. The heat generated by the dryer makes the remaining ink stains stick stronger and become permanent.
Method 4 of 4: Removing Gel Pen Ink Stains (High Pigmented Ink)
Step 1. Immediately wash (manually/by hand) the stained clothes with soap or ordinary detergent
Companies that produce gel inks say that the high pigment in the ink can make it difficult to clean clothes when they get stained with ink (or in fact, the ink can't be removed at all). The best thing you can do is to remove the ink stains from your clothes as soon as possible using an all-purpose cleaning product. Apply a small amount of regular detergent, stain remover gel, or even hand soap to the stained area, then rinse thoroughly under running water. After that, try to remove any remaining stains by pressing down on the cloth with two washcloths, or several layers of napkins or paper towels.
Step 2. Clean the stain with ammonia
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of ammonia in warm water. Then, soak the stained garment in the solution for 1 hour. After that, rinse thoroughly, and wash your clothes manually (by hand) using regular detergent. Scrub the stains on the clothes using a soft brush if necessary.
- If this method works to lift or remove the stain on the clothes, repeat the cleaning as necessary until the ink stain is completely gone. After that, wash your clothes as usual.
- If the ink stain cannot be removed, follow the next step.
- NEVER mix ammonia with a chlorine bleach solution.
Step 3. Clean the stain using a solution of alcohol and vinegar
Mix 1 bottle cap of alcohol with 1 bottle cap of vinegar. Place the stained garment on a surface lined with a clean dry towel. Then, wet the stained area with the mixture using a washcloth or spray bottle until the mixture is absorbed by the cloth. Leave it for about 5 minutes, then dab a little table salt over the stained area. Leave it for another 10 minutes, then brush the stained area using a soft brush. Rinse clothes with hot water.
If this method removes the stain (though not all of it), repeat the cleaning process until all the stain has been removed
Step 4. Try other methods
Gel ink products have different formulas. While some gel ink products are difficult to remove when soiled, there are some products that can be cleaned using alternative cleaning options. If the methods described previously didn't work, you can try the cleaning method for ball-point ink stains or rollerball pen ink stains. Make sure you rinse the clothes thoroughly every time you finish cleaning clothes using certain methods to avoid mixing chemicals that might cause a dangerous reaction. The method you use may work to remove the stain, or else you'll have to 'accept' and wear clothes with the 'additional' stain.
Tips
- The chances of the stain picking up are greater if you clean it immediately.
- If possible, test one of the stain removal methods on an inconspicuous area before cleaning the stained area. The methods described in this article are safe for clothes that can be washed in a washing machine. However, for shirts made of delicate fabrics or those with certain embellishments, these methods may damage your clothes.
- If the stained item is a white item that you normally wash with bleach, first remove as much of the stain as possible using one of the methods described earlier. After that, wash the clothes using chlorine bleach to remove any remaining stains.
Warning
- Cleaning products can cause skin irritation. Therefore, wear gloves to protect your hands.
- Never mix ammonia with chlorine bleach. If you use ammonia to remove stains from clothes, make sure you rinse them thoroughly before washing them with bleach.
- The heat generated by the dryer can make the ink stains stick more firmly to the clothes. Therefore, never dry clothes until all the ink stains are completely gone.
