The pen is mightier than the sword, but it can also leave mighty stains. And, because stains can come from water-based ink or oil-based ballpoint pen ink, ink stain removal can vary in terms of difficulty. Whether you're concerned with how to remove ink from clothes like jeans, shirts, or other cottons, you’ll just need a good solvent, like rubbing alcohol, hairspray, or hand sanitizer, as well as your trusted Tide detergent for pretreating and washing. Then, start with the following steps to help tackle stubborn ink stains.
How to Remove Pen Ink from Clothes: The Basics
Test for colorfastness
Apply a solvent like rubbing alcohol, hair spray, or hand sanitizer to an inconspicuous area of the garment with a cotton swab and let it sit for 1 to 3 minutes. Blot with a paper towel, and if no color comes off on the towel, continue to pretreat.
Remove Excess
Blot excess ink with a paper towel to remove ink from clothes. Place the paper towel underneath the stain, then pour your solvent directly onto the stain. Rinse off with cold water.
Pretreat
Apply Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid directly onto the stain. Use either a soft-bristled toothbrush or rub the fabric together gently to spread the detergent into the fibers of the garment, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Dose
Use the cap to ensure you use the right amount of detergent, and pour it into the detergent dispenser if you have an HE machine or directly into the drum before loading the clothes if you have a non-HE machine.
Load
Without rinsing off the detergent, place the garment into the washer with any other items. Leaving the detergent on the stain will give your wash that extra boost of cleaning power as you’re getting ink out of clothes.
Wash
Wash on the usual cycle on the hottest wash temperature indicated. Always check the instructions on the garment’s care label.
Unload
If the ink stain persists after washing, repeat the previous steps to get the ink out of clothes before tossing in the dryer because drying will set the stain.
Whether it’s ink stains on the breast pocket of your favorite button-down white Oxford shirt or a stain on business casual khakis from that pen you forgot to remove before the last wash, ink stains can be a challenge to remove. But don’t give up and toss that piece of clothing just yet! Follow these tips from Tide to salvage your ink-stained clothing.
As with any stained item of clothing, you should try to get the ink stain off your shirt while it is still wet. You should also always consult the shirt’s care label before beginning any stain treatment. Solvents like rubbing alcohol, hair spray, or even hand sanitizer often work well, but be sure to test with a cotton swab on an inconspicuous piece of the clothing to ensure colorfastness and that fabric won’t be damaged. Apply some Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid directly onto the stain, using a soft-bristled toothbrush to spread detergent into the fibers. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before machine washing as you normally would.
As with any stained item of clothing, you should try to get the ink stain off your jeans while it is still wet, consulting the care label before beginning any stain treatment. Remove any excess ink from the jeans using a clean white paper towel or cloth. Be careful not to rub the stain further into your jeans. Apply some rubbing alcohol to the stain (just a few drops), then gently scrub with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Rinse in cold water before washing as you normally would using your favorite Tide Detergent.
As with any stained item of clothing, you should try to get to the ink stain off your pants while it is still wet. You should also always consult the garment’s care label before beginning any stain treatment. Solvents like rubbing alcohol, hair spray, or even hand sanitizer often work well, but be sure to test with a cotton swab on an inconspicuous piece of the clothing to ensure colorfastness and that fabric won’t be damaged. Apply some Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid directly onto the stain, using a soft-bristled toothbrush to spread detergent into the fibers. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before machine washing as you normally would.
Try to get to the ink stain while it is still wet. You should also always consult the garment’s care label before beginning any stain treatment. Apply a bit of rubbing alcohol to a cotton swab, clean white cloth, or paper towel, then test dab it on an inconspicuous area of the garment to ensure it won’t be damaged or fade the color. Place the stained area face down over the mouth of a jar or glass and hold the fabric tight. Drip the rubbing alcohol through the stain, allowing it to pull ink off the threads and into the container. Rinse well, then air dry. Repeat if the stain persists, then launder as you normally would using your favorite Tide Detergent.
Try to treat the ink stain on your chenille while it is still wet. First soak the garment for half an hour in a solution of one-half teaspoon clear dish soap, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and a quart of warm water. Rinse the garment with clean water and allow it to air dry. If the stain persists, dab with rubbing alcohol (after testing an inconspicuous area first for colorfastness), then wash as you normally would using your favorite Tide Detergent.
To remove ink from corduroy clothing, first soak the item in a solution of one-half teaspoon clear dish soap, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and a quart of warm water, allowing it to sit for at least half an hour. Rinse the garment with clean water and let it air dry. If the stain persists, dab with rubbing alcohol (after testing an inconspicuous area first for colorfastness), then wash as you normally would using your favorite Tide detergent.
The sooner you can treat ink stains on cotton fabric, the better your results will be. Try to remove the stain before it dries, first testing your stain treatment on an inconspicuous area of the fabric for colorfastness. Begin by lightly spraying the cotton with hair spray to loosen the stain, then soak for half an hour in a solution of ½ a teaspoon of clear dish soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and a quart of warm water. Rinse with clean water and repeat the process if the stain persists. You can also press a soft, absorbent white cloth moistened with a bit of alcohol to further lift the stain. Allow the garment to air dry.
Begin by first testing your stain treatment on an inconspicuous area of the polyester or nylon fabric to ensure colorfastness. Stretch the stained area over the mouth of a jar or glass to keep it taut, then slowly drip rubbing alcohol through the stain. This should pull the ink from the individual threads, dripping it into your container. Rinse the garment in clean water and repeat the process if the stain persists before air drying.
Silk is a delicate, easily damaged material, so always consult the garment’s care label before beginning any stain treatment and take to a professional cleaner if necessary. You should also try to treat the stain as soon as possible for best results. Begin by blotting with cold water and a clean, white cloth or paper towel, which will often lift the stain. If the stain remains, spray with hair spray and continue blotting, finishing your treatment by blotting with warm water. You can also use a soft bristled toothbrush to gently scrub the stain with a one-to-one solution of water and white vinegar, being sure to test this on an inconspicuous area first to ensure colorfastness.
To remove ink from spandex or lycra, first test your treatment on an inconspicuous area to ensure no color damage occurs. Stretch the stained area over the mouth of a jar or glass, then slowly drip rubbing alcohol through the stain to remove it and collect residue in the container below. Repeat if necessary, then rinse in cold water before air drying.
Suede is easily damaged, so always test your stain removal first on an area that’s out of sight to ensure no damage occurs. Also consult the manufacturer’s care label before beginning any treatment. It is probably a good idea to consult a professional cleaning service as well, but if you happen to have consumer dry cleaning solvent, you can carefully dab a cloth moistened with this solution onto the stain to try and remove it. As with any ink stain, it’s a good idea to get to it as soon as possible, but don’t be in too much of a rush as you could permanently damage the suede if you’re not careful.
Velvet can also be a delicate fabric, so you should consult the garment’s care label before beginning any ink stain treatment. First soak the velvet garment for half an hour in a solution of one-half teaspoon clear dish soap and a tablespoon of white vinegar mixed in a quart of warm water. Rinse the garment with cool water and repeat the process if necessary. If the stain persists, you can also try dabbing the stain with a clean white cloth or paper towel moistened with rubbing alcohol, provided you first test on an inconspicuous area to ensure colorfastness. Air dry the garment once you’re satisfied with the results.
Ink stains on wool garments should be treated as quickly as possible, preferably before the stain dries. Begin by consulting the garment’s care label, then use a clean white cloth or paper towel soaked in cool water to see if you can lift the stain. If the ink stain persists, spray with hair spray and blot with a fresh white cloth to lift it. You can also use a soft bristled toothbrush dipped in a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar, gently scrubbing the area. Then dab with cold water and use a clean cloth to blot dry.
You may find that removing the ballpoint pen stain you got on your blouse can be more difficult than the stain on your pants made by a leaky fountain pen. One of the main stain-removal challenges comes from the fact that not all ink types and fabrics are the same, so some ink spots will be easier to remove than others.
Ballpoint ink: Thick and oily, these stains are a combination of dyes and grease.
Water-based ink: Perhaps the easiest to remove, stains from fountain pens and gel pens are thinner and non-greasy.
Permanent ink: These are the hardest ink stains to remove, and you often need a special, permanent ink remover to tackle.
Whichever type of ink stain you're faced with, you'll have a better chance of removing ink from clothes by following these important steps:
Act quickly and avoid transferring the ink to other items if the ink is still wet.
Fresh ink stains are easier to remove before they dry and set into the fabric.
Blot the excess of the stain gently, being careful not to rub it into the fibers.
Apply rubbing alcohol, hair spray, or hand sanitizer to dilute the stain, making it easier to remove during the wash. These solvents help tackle most types of ink stains but remember to test the stained garment for colorfastness first as they can also attack fabric dyes and cause further damage.
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