How to Get Ink Out of Clothes With Hairspray

An ink stain is one of the most stubborn stains to remove. A leaky pen left in a shirt pocket is one of the biggest culprits. Sometimes a pen can slip from sweaty fingers after a long writing session and soil a piece of clothing. If you've tried to get ink out of clothes by throwing the clothes in the washing machine, no doubt you've been disappointed when the shirt came back with the stain still intact. The key to removing ink stains is a hair care product you'd probably never think to use: hairspray!

Things You'll Need

• Alcohol-based hairspray
• Paper towel

Instructions

1. Allow the ink stain to air dry before you attempt to remove it with hairspray.

2. Place a paper towel underneath the stain. It will saturate the ink while also protecting the other side of the shirt from getting hairspray on it. Spray a generous amount of hairspray onto the stain until it's completely covered.

3. Take a clean piece of paper towel and dab onto the ink stain until the ink is gone. It may take a few minutes of blotting until the ink stain is completely removed.

4. Wash the article of clothing as you normally would based on washing instructions.

Tips & Warnings

• If the stain is still there after you use the hairspray and run it through the washing machine, repeat the process until the stain is gone for good. Cheap hairspray works best for ink removal.

• Keep the hairspray and shirt away from candles or other sources of heat. The alcohol in the hairspray is highly flammable. Don't put the clothes in the dryer until the ink stain is completely gone. Otherwise, let it air dry and then apply the hairspray again.

References

• Ink Stain Removal