Removing Ink Stains from Cotton

Those who are working with pens regularly, often get ink stains on their clothes due to leaky pens. Besides, ink spill may also occur on the tablecloth, carpet and other furnishings. Removing ink stains from any soft surface is a difficult task. Moreover, ink and cotton fabric is a dangerous combination and it can cause irreversible damage to your favorite clothing if it is not handled properly. One of the most important tips for removing ink stains from cotton is that you must take prompt action. Once the ink dries up, getting them out of clothes is going to be a very challenging task.

How to Remove Ink Stains From Cotton

There are commercial stain removers available in the market but the harsh chemicals present in them can cause harm to the cotton fabric. While dealing with ink stains, a few simple things that are easily found in our homes can be very helpful. They are as follows:

Laundry Detergent: Regular laundry detergent can remove non-permanent ink stains successfully provided you act when the ink is still wet. Pat the area with a wet paper towel first. This will help to get rid of a part of the stain. Next, pour some detergent on the area and blot it out with a rag a number of times. Then let the detergent sit on the garment for 15-20 minutes and wash off with warm water.

Hairspray: This works really well on ball-point ink pens. Apply hairspray generously on the stain. The chemical ingredients of this spray loosen up the bond between the fabric and the ink and thus stain removal becomes easier. After a minute or two, dab the area lightly with a cotton ball. Never rub the stained surface as the ink will then diffuse through the fabric to the surrounding area as well.

Rubbing Alcohol:You can also use rubbing alcohol for stain removal. Pour some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and put it over the stain. This way blot out the ink as much as possible. You may have to repeat it several times for removing ink stains from cotton completely. However, every time you must use a fresh and clean cotton ball.

Baking Soda: Take 3 tablespoons of baking soda and add some warm water into it to prepare a paste. Apply a layer of this paste on the stain with the help of a cotton ball and let it dry. During this time, cover the area with a few piece of clean cloth. When the mixture dries up completely, remove the cloth and you will find that the stain has blotted out on the cloths that you used as a cover.

White Vinegar: If the ingredients that we have discussed above do not work, then you need a stronger stain remover like white vinegar. Dilute white vinegar with water and soak the stained cloth into this mixture for some time. Take a soft bristled toothbrush and rub it gently over the stain when the fabric is wet. Once the stain is out, give a normal wash to the fabric.

Bleach: All of you will agree with me that removing ink stains from white fabric is the most difficult job because even a faded spot looks prominent on the white surface. In such cases, you have to use a small amount of bleach. Dilute it properly with some water and use it on the stain with clean cotton ball. As soon as you find the stain is gone, rinse off the cloth thoroughly to prevent any damaging effect of the bleach on the cotton fiber.

Nail Polish Remover: For stubborn permanent marker stain removal, acetone nail polish remover is the most effective solution. Take a small amount of the nail polish remover on a cotton ball and blot the ink stain with it. As the stain gets out of the cotton cloth, launder it properly so that no residue of the cleaning agent is left behind on the fabric.

Now that you know how to remove ink from clothes, remember that sometimes you may have to combine two or more of these methods for best results. Spread the cotton fabric on a hard and even surface like a table or an ironing board. If you are removing ink stains from a cotton shirt, then keep a folded towel just below the ink spot so that any wet ink does not get absorbed into the other side of the shirt. Test every stain remover product on some hidden corner of the fabric before you apply it on the actual stained area.