Avoid and dealing with ink spillage

While it is recommended that you use protective gloves when refilling ink cartridges it is not essential. The reason for this is quite simple, so long as you don't get ink in your eyes, nose or mouth it will not do you much harm. If you get ink on your hands it can be washes off easily enough.

Getting ink onto carpets or fabrics is a different matter entirely. It is difficult if not impossible to get off and you can say goodby to clothes that have had ink spilt on them. Avoid therefore at all costs refilling ink cartridges with good clothes on. It goes without saying then that you keep ink cartridges away from carpets and fabric based furniture.

If you are unlucky enough to spill ink on carpet you should try to remove it immediately by using alcohol. You can use a solution that is 70% - 90% isopropyl alcohol.

Apply rubbing alcohol to a white cotton cloth and dab the stain carefully, so you don't spread the ink. Don't ever pour rubbing alcohol on your carpet! Vaccuum it out after a few minutes using a shop-vac or blot it up carefully, using a clean cloth. Do not rub the stain as this will rub theink further into the carpet and spread it also.

Continue this process until the ink has been removed or until there is no more ink transferring onto the cloth. If this does not remove the ink you should consider a commerical cleaning solvent, although it is unlikely you'll get much more of the stain.

When you use a solvent other than water to remove ink cartridge stains from carpet rinse well with water and then dry the area off as quickly as possible as there may still be some ink in the fibers.

Quick drying prevents stains from wicking to the surface of the carpet and becoming visible again. Paper towels work well to get the last of the water out, and a fan left blowing on the area will complete the process.