An accident or a low-quality ballpoint or gel pen can cause damage to a beautiful and expensive item. You shouldn't get upset and throw away damaged clothes. There are enough products to wash pen ink off clothes, using which you can quickly solve the problem. It is important to react to ink stains as quickly as possible, because old stains are much more difficult to remove.
Selecting a method based on the type of fabric
There are many ways to remove pen ink from clothing. When choosing the most suitable for a particular type of clothing, it is important to remember a few general rules:
- Do not rub fresh ink onto fabric;
- Before removing the ink, outline the stain with a paraffin candle. This will help limit the spread of ink stains on clothing;
- fresh ink on clothing must be blotted with a napkin;
- When using aggressive chemicals (acetone, ammonia), remember to use personal protective equipment.
Cotton and linen
A rather unpleasant situation is a stain on a white linen shirt from a gel or ballpoint pen. There are quite a few proven ways to wash a pen off clothes. Stain removers, which are widely available in household departments, ammonia solution or hydrogen peroxide will come to the rescue.
Removing stains is easy:
- soak the item in warm water with added ammonia (10 ml per half liter of water). After two to three hours, wash the item as usual;
- hydrogen peroxide (5 ml) is dissolved in a glass of water. After generously soaking cotton pads in the resulting solution, apply them to the stain on the clothing. After waiting twenty to thirty minutes, wash the item.
Velvet
It has been proven in practice that the best method for washing a ballpoint pen out of velvet clothing is to use milk. Soak the item damaged by ink in milk heated to room temperature and leave it in this state for four to five hours. Then wash the clothing on a delicate cycle, using special detergents for delicate fabrics. This method is most effective for fresh stains.
Silk, wool, delicate fabrics
How to wash ink from silk or woolen clothes is a rather complicated question. The thing is that natural delicate fabrics cannot be treated with aggressive chemicals. Kefir, sour milk or whey can solve the problem of ink stains. Seeping through the fibers of the fabric, they do not allow the ink to be absorbed.
To remove a stain from delicate fabrics, slightly warm up the fermented milk product and soak the damaged item in it for four hours. Then wash the clothes in the usual way using special, gentle detergents.
Another proven method of how to wash a pen out of woolen clothes is to use dry mustard. The powder is mixed with water to the state of a thick gruel. The resulting mixture is carefully applied to the stain and left until completely dry. The mustard crust is easily cleaned off along with the ink particles. Then the item is washed in the usual way.
It is especially worth noting the method of removing ink from white, silk fabrics. It would seem that such things, hopelessly spoiled by ink, should be thrown away. Do not rush to get rid of a beautiful thing. A mixture of lemon juice and salt will help solve the problem. Before testing the method of how to wash a gel pen from white silk clothing, use it on an inconspicuous area of the product.
Jeans
Knowing how to remove ink stains from denim will help you save your favorite item. The sooner you start treating the stain on your jeans, the more likely it is that the ink will be removed.
The most effective methods for removing ink are:
- alcohol and hairspray. Before treating a stain on jeans, put an additional layer of fabric underneath. This will prevent the stain from transferring to adjacent areas. Thoroughly soak the stain with alcohol (90%) or spray with hairspray. Apply the alcohol with gentle movements, otherwise there is a risk of making the stain even bigger. Next, blot the ink with a piece of highly absorbent fabric or a cotton swab. Blot until the ink disappears. The final step is to wash the jeans in cool water;
- stain removers - special stain remover pencils, sprays and oxygen-based bleaches will help remove ink stains. After the stain has been treated with a stain remover, leave the item alone for a few hours (the exact time is indicated on the label), and then wash it thoroughly in the washing machine;
- vinegar and soda - dilute vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio. The water should be slightly warm, never hot. Blot the ink stain on the jeans and leave to soak for at least half an hour. Next, combine three parts of soda with one part of water and rub the resulting gruel thoroughly into the ink. The final stage is washing.
A few secrets on how to wash jeans after removing a stain:
- the item treated with a stain remover is washed in a washing machine at a temperature of 30 C;
- After washing, jeans are rinsed several times;
- jeans are washed separately from other items;
- Never wash (or even soak) jeans in hot water.
Leather
There are several effective ways to remove a pen stain from leather clothing:
- Ink that has not yet dried can be quickly and easily removed using laundry soap. It is grated on a coarse grater and filled with warm water until a mushy mass is formed. The dirty part is rubbed with a soap solution, after which it is wiped with a dry, clean cloth;
- salt sprinkled over the stain, previously treated with a soap solution, will help speed up the process of removing stains from leather goods;
- lemon juice works well to remove ink stains from leather. A dry cloth is generously moistened with lemon juice, and then the damaged area of the product is thoroughly wiped;
- ammonia and glycerin. The ink is treated with a solution of ammonia (diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio), after which the skin must be wiped with glycerin.
How to remove old stains
The chances of quickly removing an ink stain from clothing are highest if you start solving the problem right away. Dry cleaners can help remove old ink from clothing. At home, you can try to clean ink from clothes using several proven methods:
- A mixture of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide (mixed in equal proportions) will help remove an old ink stain from white fabric. The mixture is additionally diluted with water (in a ratio of 1:6). The resulting composition is carefully applied to the stain and left for three hours. Afterwards, the item is washed using bleaching powder;
- A mixture of glycerin, turpentine and ammonia (2:2:5 ratio) will help remove ink stains from colored items. Important: apply the resulting mixture only to the contaminated area. After two hours, wash the items as usual;
- Synthetic and silk fabrics can be easily cleaned from ink using kefir. Just soak the item in kefir for four hours, then wash and rinse it thoroughly;
- Removing old ink stains from clothing will be faster and more effective if you apply a thick layer of shaving cream to the ink. Once the fabric has absorbed the cream, wash the items as usual.
When removing ink stains from clothing, it is important to pay attention to the back of the garment, as the ink may transfer and ruin other areas of the garment.
Before removing the ink, test the product you are using on a small area of the fabric from the reverse side. This will reduce the risk of permanent damage to the product.
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