Even in the digital age, most of us try to have an ink pen on hand just in case. Unfortunately, while pens and markers are undoubtedly convenient, they have a nasty habit of losing their caps and leaving ink stains on clothes. We don’t know where those pen caps ran off to, but we can help you learn how to get ink out of clothes!
Whether an ink pen leaked all over your new dress shirt or your child got permanent marker on their favorite jeans, don’t panic because you’re unsure how to remove ink from clothes. And don’t rush to the laundry room, either, because washing clothes before you’ve treated stubborn stains like grass or ink can make things worse.
How to Get Pen Ink Out of Clothes Safely
Your first order of business before you choose how to get ink out of clothes is to identify the kind of ink that caused the stain. Why does that matter? Because there are different kinds of ink, there are various methods for how to get pen ink out of clothes.
Water-based ink is found in washable markers, some roller-ball pens, and drawing pens. Being water-based, this type of ink is usually fairly easy to get out of fabric and clothes.
Oil-based ink is probably the most common type of ink and is usually found in traditional ballpoint pens. This ink dries fast and is intended to be pretty permanent, so removing one of these ink stains can be a challenge.
Alcohol-based ink is used in permanent markers; as the name implies, the ink is designed to be permanent. You can imagine how difficult getting permanent ink stains out of clothes can be!
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To protect the fabric, check the care label before you attempt to remove ink from clothes. And just like with grease and other stubborn stains, always use the mildest stain removal methods first, and don’t be afraid to turn to a dry cleaner if things start to get out of hand!
Lastly, no matter what kind of stain you’re trying to get rid of, always let stained clothing air dry. The last thing you want is to work hard on a stain only to find it permanently set by the heat from your clothes dryer. If the ink stain still needs work after the clothing dries, you can just treat the stain over and rewash the clothes.
Now, let’s learn how to remove ink from clothes!
How to Get Ink Out of a Shirt
Learning how to remove ink from clothes like a cotton or synthetic shirt isn’t as difficult as you might imagine, even if the shirt is white. As long as you know how to get ink out of clothing the right way, you should be able to save nearly any garment. But because different inks require different stain removal methods, it helps to know what kind of ink you’re dealing with before you dive in.
Removing Oil-Based Ink Stains
- Lay the shirt on a flat surface and use an old towel as backing to prevent the ink stain from spreading.
- Saturate the stained area with rubbing alcohol and let it sit for five minutes.
- Use a clean, dry microfiber cloth and begin blotting up the ink.
- Move to clean parts of your cloth as needed and keep the ink stain wet with rubbing alcohol.
- Rub a little clothes detergent into the wet stain and wash the shirt like you normally would.
Removing Water-Based Ink Stains
- Pour milk into a large casserole dish.
- Place the stained area of the shirt face-down into the milk and use a saucer to keep it submerged.
- Let the ink stain soak for about an hour.
- Grab an old toothbrush and lightly scrub the stain to further loosen the ink from the fibers.
- Rinse the shirt in your sink using warm water.
- Rub a few drops of dish detergent into the stain and wash your shirt as usual.
Removing Alcohol-Based Ink Stains
- For your first (and hopefully last) permanent marker removal attempt, use the steps for oil-based ink stains outlined above.
- If the first method doesn’t get the ink out of your shirt, grab some hairspray.
- Soak the entire area where the stain is, let the hairspray sink in, and saturate the area again.
- Fold a microfiber cloth twice and mash it down onto the stained area—but don’t rub!
- Use something heavy to keep the cloth pressed down firmly and give it five minutes.
- Rinse the shirt in warm water, rub some detergent into the stain, and wash the shirt in the washer.
Removing Ink Stains After a Shirt Has Been Dried
Like way too many other stains, you may not even notice an ink stain until your shirt has gone through the normal wash and dry cycles. At this point, that ink stain may look like it’s going to cling to that shirt forever, but we know differently. Yes, stains set by heat are difficult to remove, but it’s not impossible.
The mildest approach for set-in ink stain removal is to go all natural. Saturate the stained area with lemon juice and lay the shirt in the sun for a couple of hours. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to use more firepower. It’s not as eco-friendly, but your only hope may be to use color-safe bleach and wash the shirt on the hottest temperature setting.
How to Get Ink Out of Jeans
We do love our blue jeans, and most of us have a favorite pair that fit and look just right. But what happens when an ink pen stain gets on your beloved jeans? Do you just hope the color of the ink will match after a good wash? Or do you panic and start rubbing the stain with a cleaning cloth? Neither. Take the guesswork out of the equation and use these field-tested tips for how to get ink out of clothing safely.
If you’re wearing your jeans when the ink stain happens, grab some paper towels and start blotting. Resist the urge to rub or scrub; this will only embed the ink deeper into the fiber of your jeans. Gently blot the ink stain from the outside to prevent the stain from spreading. Sure, you’ll probably get some ink on your leg, but it’s all about damage control at this point. Once you’ve blotted up most of the ink, move on to the next steps for how to get ink stains out of jeans.
- Lay the jeans on a flat surface and use an old cloth as backing to prevent the ink stain from getting worse.
- Cover the stain with table salt and let it soak up the ink for about a minute.
- Brush off the salt and repeat until no more ink is absorbed into the salt.
- Soak some cotton balls with rubbing alcohol and dab the stain working from the outside in.
- Use dry cotton balls to blot up the remaining ink.
- Rinse the ink stain with cold water, rub some detergent into the stain, and wash your jeans using cold water.
- When they’re done washing, let the jeans air dry and make sure the stain is gone.
- If the stain is still visible, soak the stain with rubbing alcohol, let it sit five minutes, and wash the jeans again.
If you still have an ink stain on your jeans after trying the method above, there may still be a solution. Fill your bathtub with enough cold water to submerge the jeans. Mix in a cup of oxygenated bleach and let the jeans soak overnight. Then throw them in the washer and cross your fingers.
How to Get Ink Out of Clothes Made With Delicate Fabric
Learning how to get ink out of clothes made with cotton, cotton blends, and other durable fabrics is one thing. But when you need to know how to get ink out of silk, satin, or other delicates, you must proceed cautiously. Take your time and follow these tips to safely remove ink stains from clothes made with fine fabrics.
When you’re learning how to get ink stains out of clothing like delicates, always begin by testing an inconspicuous spot with your stain remover. If it’s safe to proceed, carry on. But if the fabric changes color, try a different cleaning product.
- Lay the ink-stained garment on a towel spread out on a flat surface to keep the stain from causing more damage.
- Spray hairspray onto the ink stain liberally and let the alcohol in the hairspray break down the stain for 10 minutes.
- Rinse the stain with cold water. If the stain is still visible, move on to the next step. If the stain is gone, wash the garment as you usually would.
- Mix three parts dish liquid and one part rubbing alcohol in a bowl and let the stained area soak for 20 minutes.
- Rinse the stained area with hot water this time, and check the status of your stain. Launder the fabric and repeat if necessary.
- If the stain remains, let the fabric dry and then soak the stain with equal parts white vinegar and water. Gently scrub the area using a nylon brush, then wash the garment.
Getting ink out of clothes made with delicate fabrics can be tedious, but it’s essential to work your way up to the more aggressive remedies. For silk, wool, and other fabrics that don’t respond to the ink stain removal techniques above, your dry cleaner may be able to save the day.
We hope our tips for how to get ink out of clothes can help you out the next time you have an ink stain emergency. For help with all kinds of stains on clothes, upholstery, carpet, and just about anything else in your home, check out our other stain removal guides. While you’ve got cleaning on your mind, why not get a free estimate today and find out how The Maids® can help you enjoy a cleaner home week after week?
