What Removes Ballpoint Pen Ink From Fabric?
Many of us will have arrived home from school, college or work and taken off our jackets, only to find a dreaded blue or black stain seeping from the pocket of a favorite shirt. Some ballpoint pen ink stains will prove almost impossible to remove, but smaller marks and blotches can be treated with widely available household items. Cleaning processes can be used on items of clothing, furniture, bedding and any other fabrics. Does this Spark an idea?
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Minimizing the Spread of Ink
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One of the most common mistakes that people tend make when dealing with ballpoint pen ink stains is adding a cleaning solvent straight away. Unfortunately, this can actually promote the spread of ink and make the stain worse. The stain should initially be dabbed with paper towel so most of the ink can be absorbed and restricted to a local area. From there, a barrier should be created to prevent the ink spreading further. Water should be used to surround the stain on natural fibers, but a 50/50 mix of peroxide and ammonia will work better on synthetic fabrics. A hidden area of fabric should always be dabbed first to check for bleaching.
Removing Ink from Clothing
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Once a barrier has been created and the spread of ink has ceased, dab gently at the stain with a small piece of damp sponge to withdraw as much ink as possible. Take a can of hair spray and apply a copious amount to both sides of the stain before sandwiching the affected area between two clean pieces of paper towel. Continue blotting from the rear of the stained area, adding more hair spray as required. Once the quantity of ink has been minimized, a pre-wash stain remover should be applied and the item of clothing can be laundered.
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Removing Ink from Fabrics
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Denatured alcohol should be liberally applied to the stained area until it runs through the fabric. Apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly to the surface of the stain and rub into the fabric thoroughly. The stain should then be dabbed with a piece of sponge lightly soaked in a non-flammable dry cleaning solution. Once the stain is removed, the area should be washed with copious amounts of clean water and left to dry.
Alternative Method for Machine-Washable Items
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Hold fabrics under a cold running tap until no further ink seeps out. Squeeze the juice from fresh lemons and stir it into washing detergent until a creamy paste is formed. Apply the paste to the stained area and leave to penetrate for 30 minutes. The item can be subsequently washed and dried on a normal cycle before being left to dry.
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References
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