How to Make Blue Ink

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Things You'll Need

  • Liquid bluing

  • Denatured alcohol

  • Iodine

  • Corn Syrup

  • Salt

  • Small jar with lid

Making blue ink requires some special chemical ingredients.

Making ink can be an educational science activity for children. They will have fun mixing the ingredients together and seeing the results, then trying out the ink they have created. Most inks were originally made from natural pigments in living materials such as plants, nuts and berries. To create blue ink, it is necessary to use some other chemical ingredients.

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Step 1

Pour 4 tbsp. of liquid bluing into a baby food jar or small bottle that can be tightly sealed.

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Step 2

Mix in 2 tbsp. denatured alcohol and three drops of iodine. Denatured alcohol is a common solvent that can be purchased at a hardware store. The iodine and alcohol will prevent your ink from becoming moldy.

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Step 3

Add 1 tsp. of corn syrup. Test the ink after this, and see if the texture seems right. If it is too thick, add another 1/2 tsp. of corn syrup. Mix well.

Step 4

Add 1/4 tsp. salt to help preserve the ink. Mix well. Store in a sealed bottle. Refrigerating your ink will help it to last longer when not in use.

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