How to Remove Ink From Clothes

Ink stains can be very difficult to remove from clothing. To make matters worse, they're one of the easiest kinds of stains to get on clothing. Whether it's from a pen that accidentally found its way into the washing machine or an overzealous little one who discovered pens can be just as much fun as crayons, ink is easier to remove than you might think. It just takes a little patience and time, and clothes can be salvaged from ink stains.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper towels
• Hairspray
• Soft, clean cloth
• Oxy Clean
• Nail polish remover with acetone
• Ammonia
• Milk

1. Place paper towels under the stained area of the fabric and spray the stain with hairspray. Blot the area with a clean cloth to push the stain onto the paper towel underneath. Keep spraying hairspray and blotting until the ink is gone, then launder as usual.

2. Mix Oxy Clean and water into a paste and rub it into the stained area. Allow the paste to sit on the stain overnight and wash the clothes in the morning with detergent and a scoop of Oxy Clean.

3. Dab the stain with nail polish remover with acetone and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before laundering as usual.

4. Mix a weak solution of 1 part ammonia and 2 parts water. Dab a clean cloth soaked in the solution onto the stain and allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes before laundering.

5. Soak the ink-stained area of the fabric in a bowl of milk. Replace the milk when it becomes too inky, and soak it again until no more ink comes out. Launder as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Washing and drying without pretreating will only set the stain in and make it permanent.