How to Remove Ink Stamps From Papers
Book nooks. You find them hanging out at the local library or frequenting most yard and garage sales seeking bargains on books. You might just be a book aficionado yourself but, every so often, your joy turns to despair thanks to identifying ink stamps on old auctioned-off library books. Unsightly as they are, these ink stamps can be a real killjoy when trying to remove them since most papers are easily damaged. Never to fear, let modern chemistry help you here.
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Things You'll Need
- 100-percent pure oxalic acid
- 100-percent pure cyanide of potassium
- Paper towels
- Bowl of clean water
- Two empty glass cups
- Camel's hair brush
Instructions
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Mix a solution of oxalic acid, using a proportion of two parts water to one part of the acid, in one of the empty glass cups.
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Mix a solution of cyanide of potassium, using a proportion of two parts water to one part of the chemical, in the second empty glass.
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3
Place a folded piece of paper towel under the page, covering the area you will be dampening, to prevent fluids from being absorbed in the following pages.
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Dip the camel's hair brush into the cyanide of potassium solution and dab the brush on the side of the cup to release any drops of water, making the brush only slightly damp with the solution. "Paint" the ink until the entire area is dampened and then do the same with the oxalic acid.
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Coat the ink with each solution several times. When the ink has disappeared, place a new piece of folded paper towel under the page and "wash" the area---using the brush---with pure water several times to stop the action of the chemicals, thus preventing long-term damage to the paper fibers.
According to M. Piesse, contributing writer to the Scientific American Journal, an alternate washing of ink on "patent" check paper with oxalic acid and cyanide of potassium will erase inks. Check paper is the same as any other type of paper with the exception that it contains a patented fiber which heightens the permeability of inks. Should the technique work on patented check papers, it certainly works on papers with lower fibrous content.
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Sandwich the page by placing a hard, flat object under the page and lay a piece of paper towel, folded in half, on top of the damp area. Set a flat, weighted object on top of the folded paper towel so that the water is absorbed from the paper. This step is important in preventing wrinkling of the paper. After about 1 hour, remove the paper towel and allow the paper to dry thoroughly.
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Tips & Warnings
All chemical reagents create microscopic changes to the paper fibers. When the proper chemicals are used, the changes aren't noticeable to the human eye. These changes may, however, be detected through a powerful magnifying glass or a microscope. Never attempt to remove ink from legal documents. Cyanide of potassium may emit cyanide gasses when hydrated. Never work with this chemical without adequate ventilation. Oxalic acid poses irritant risks to skin and mucous membranes. Never permit prolonged exposure of skin to this chemical and wear eye protection during use. Experiment with any ink removal technique on an inconspicuously small surface first before using on the remainder of the area.
