Around the House
How Do I Clean Ink From My Clothes (and skin!)
The Problem:
Ink happens! Whether it is a rogue line from a ballpoint pen or an artistic child who sees her clothing as a blank canvas to express her inner Picasso, an unwanted ink spot can seem like a permanent disaster. The good news is that ink is not as permanent as you might think.
Isopropyl rubbing alcohol has the solvent power to safely dissolve the ink from your clothing, and gently lift it away from your skin. A quick trip to your medicine cabinet is all it takes to find the cleaner that will solve this spot problem.
Here are the easy to follow steps to erase the ink from your favorite outfit.
Supplies:
The Solution:
Step 1 Soak a section of towel with isopropyl alcohol. You can pour some alcohol into a bowl to dip your towel into it. Or, you can use the tried and true “cover the top of the bottle with the cloth, then tilt the bottle upside down” routine. Either way, you just want to moisten a corner of the towel.
Step 2 Blot the ink with the alcohol soaked towel. To blot, press the towel against the clothing. Ideally, place your other hand behind the spot to apply pressure. The idea is to help the alcohol penetrate through the material.
Step 3 Gently agitate the ink spot. You can use your hand, or the tips of your fingers, to work the alcohol into the fabric. Avoid “rubbing” the spot, as being too aggressive may cause damage to the clothing.
Step 4 Blot a second time, this time using a sliding motion with the cloth across the material. The difference between sliding and rubbing is that rubbing suggests a fast back-and-forth motion. Sliding is a purposeful motion in one direction.
Step 5 Evaluate and repeat. Has the ink come out? If not, repeat the above procedures. When it is time to repeat, use a clean section of the towel.
Pro Tips:
Ink happens! Whether it is a rogue line from a ballpoint pen or an artistic child who sees her clothing as a blank canvas to express her inner Picasso, an unwanted ink spot can seem like a permanent disaster. The good news is that ink is not as permanent as you might think.
Isopropyl rubbing alcohol has the solvent power to safely dissolve the ink from your clothing, and gently lift it away from your skin. A quick trip to your medicine cabinet is all it takes to find the cleaner that will solve this spot problem.
Here are the easy to follow steps to erase the ink from your favorite outfit.
Supplies:
- 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, any brand will do the trick.
- White towels (microfiber is preferred, but terry cloth will work fine)
The Solution:
Step 1 Soak a section of towel with isopropyl alcohol. You can pour some alcohol into a bowl to dip your towel into it. Or, you can use the tried and true “cover the top of the bottle with the cloth, then tilt the bottle upside down” routine. Either way, you just want to moisten a corner of the towel.
Step 2 Blot the ink with the alcohol soaked towel. To blot, press the towel against the clothing. Ideally, place your other hand behind the spot to apply pressure. The idea is to help the alcohol penetrate through the material.
Step 3 Gently agitate the ink spot. You can use your hand, or the tips of your fingers, to work the alcohol into the fabric. Avoid “rubbing” the spot, as being too aggressive may cause damage to the clothing.
Step 4 Blot a second time, this time using a sliding motion with the cloth across the material. The difference between sliding and rubbing is that rubbing suggests a fast back-and-forth motion. Sliding is a purposeful motion in one direction.
Step 5 Evaluate and repeat. Has the ink come out? If not, repeat the above procedures. When it is time to repeat, use a clean section of the towel.
Pro Tips:
- White towels are preferred to towels with prints for removing ink for the simple reason that you do not want any of the color from the towel to transfer to your clothing, while trying to remove the ink. Since the rubbing alcohol is going to dissolve the ink, it may do the same for the pigments used to dye the towel.
- Do not apply the alcohol directly to the ink spot, especially if there is a lot of ink. You may inadvertently spread the spot. It will be much easier to clean the spot if it is contained in a small area.