Easy methods to remove ink stains efficiently

Ink is almost everywhere you go. It’s present on bills, labels, and photocopy machines. We use it in our everyday lives. It is, therefore, no surprise that it could sometimes leave a stain or a trace on your carpet, flooring, clothes, and even on your brand new beige couch.

How can you remove ink stains from a fabric?

• Treating a stain on a fabric quickly is essential. If you have to wait, try and keep it moist. Else, it may become quite difficult for you to remove it once it dries.
• If the stain is particularly big, take a moist towelette or a paper towel and dab at the stain. Hold it over the stain, but don’t rub it in as the ink may go further into the fabric.
• While treating the stained fabric, put a moist towel underneath the fabric so that the ink doesn’t penetrate into the following layer.

What is the best solution to remove water-based inks?

• Water-based inks are easily removed by applying water on them; so there’s no need to panic. Place a towel underneath the fabric.
• You may also use a sponge or wet cloth and apply a little laundry detergent on the affected area. Read the instructions on the bottles before applying and test it out on another area. Dab gently and repeatedly without rubbing.
• If the stain persists and refuses to come out, let it soak in a bucket of water and detergent. This should help in removing the stain. After that, try blotting the stain again with a clean cloth and pop it in the washing machine, keeping in mind the temperature required for the fabric.

What should you do if the stain is from a permanent ink?

• Once you have placed a wet towel underneath the fabric, try to use a commercial stain remover or detergent to see if it has any effect.
• If this doesn’t work, alcohol is very good at working on the oils present in the ink and breaking it down. You may use an aerosol spray or even a hand sanitizer. Acetate, rayon, and triacetate don’t work well with alcohol. So remember not to use them for ink stain removal from fabrics.
• If alcohol doesn’t do the job, you may soak the stain in vinegar. Rub cornstarch over the vinegar and the stain and let it sit like that for half an hour. Dab the mixture with water and see if the stain is gone.

What should you do if delicate clothes that require dry cleaning get ink stains on them?

• Delicate fabrics and clothes shouldn’t be handled at home. It’s best to give them to the dry cleaner so that they may do a good job and ensure the stain is removed without damaging the fabric.
• Remember to keep the stain moist until you may take them to the dry cleaners. This will ensure the stain doesn’t set.
• Rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer is fine if the stain is from a ballpoint pen or if it is a permanent ink.

How do you remove ink stains from carpets?

• To remove ink stains on a carpet caused by a ballpoint pen, use a can of lacquer hairspray on the stain. You can then blot the stain using a clean white towel or cloth. Finish by hand brushing the area after it is dry and vacuuming.
• To remove ink stains that are caused by permanent ink, use rubbing alcohol to blot the stain. Then use a white towel to get rid of the stain. Gently scrub your carpet with a napkin and some warm water.
• To remove water-based ink stains, use a dishwashing liquid with some warm water and dab at the stain until it disappears.