How to Get Pen Ink Out of Clothes

Pocket protectors can prevent ink pen stains.

One of the challenges of doing laundry is getting out stains. Some of the worst stains are from grass, blood, mustard and ink. Most stains will come out in the wash, but the washing process can set some of them, so it's important to determine proper treatment before washing. Ink stains are one of the stains that can be harder to remove after washing, so always treat it before laundering.

Things You'll Need

• Towels
• Rubbing alcohol
• Soap-free detergent

Instructions

1. Place a scrap towel under the ink-stained material. If you are working with a pair of pants or clothing with sleeves, put the towel up the leg or down the sleeve to protect the clean side from ink contamination.

2. Blot the ink stain with a damp towel to remove as much ink as possible. Press the towel straight down onto the stain, and lift it straight up. Do not wipe or rub the ink stain, or you can spread it.

3. Remove the towel, and refold it, hiding the leached ink inside the towel. Reinsert the towel under the stain or inside the garment. Soak a corner of a towel in rubbing alcohol, and dab the alcohol-soaked towel onto the ink stain. Do not rub.

4. Change the towel, and repeat until all the pen ink is gone.

5. Launder the item alone with soap-free detergent to remove the last traces of pen ink. Wash the towels with soap-free detergent, and then dry. Rewash with soap to set the remaining stains and to prevent the stains from leaching onto other items in future laundry loads.

Tips & Warnings

• If the ink stain is large, change the towels out to ensure it doesn't pass from the towel to a new area of your garment.

• Other kinds of ink may not be removable from your clothes, such as India ink or permanent ink.

References

• Nebraska Department of Education: Stain Removal Guide
• Ohio State University; Quick 'N Easy Stain Removal; Janis Stone