Tips For Removing Ballpoint Ink Stains

How To Remove Ballpoint Pen Ink Stains

It may be at work, when you have that meeting that means so much that your pen explodes in your pocket. Or, you may have even tossed your laundry into the washing machine only to take them out and have ballpoint ink all over everything.

There are many ways that an ink stain can happen and anyway that it does leave you frustrated and annoyed. Yet, you can successfully get some help for treating these types of stains successfully.

For this type of stain removal, ballpoint ink or even other types of ink spills, there are several solutions listed here for you.

Stop The Ink From Spreading

One thing that you will want to do as soon as possible when you find an ink spot is to stop it from spreading. If you have already tried to clean the stain up, you already know that the ink, when it becomes wet, will run.

This is a normal reaction with most types of ink and the damage that it does as it spreads is even harder to clean. To stop this stain from spreading, follow these tips.

• Mix 50% of ammonia with 50% of hydrogen peroxide. A small amount is all that is necessary.
• Spray or drop the area around the ink stain with a ring of this mixture.
• The mixture will react to the ink as it begins to spread, locking it into the confined area.
• The ink can not move outside of this ring then.
• Then, use a cleaning solvent that is safe for the piece of clothing that you are cleaning and dissolve the stain. Use small amounts at a time.
• Keep the hydrogen barrier around the ink stain so that it does not spread.

Check The Fabric Label

One thing to be very careful about when it comes to using ammonia is its reaction to natural fabrics. If the material that you are cleaning happens to be wool, cotton, or another natural fabric, avoid using ammonia. Instead, just use the hydrogen peroxide to create your barrier.

Treating Ink Stains Fast

Of course none of this matters if you are at work facing a meeting in just 30 minutes with an ink stain on your blouse or shirt. Yet, you can work with that ink stain right there at work to remove it so that you can easily remove the stain from your boss’s watchful eye.

If you have an adequately supplied first aid kit, you can raid that kit for its alcohol. Rubbing alcohol can be dabbed onto the area where the ink stain is. Then blot with a clean terry cloth. This will remove most of the stain within a matter of minutes. Of course, make sure you replenish the alcohol that you borrow as well.

If you do not have alcohol on hand, you can use some liquid hand washing detergent to help remove it. Simply blot the stain with a bit of the detergent. Do not rub it in, but massage it. Rinse thoroughly. Avoid drying these stains with the hand dryer though. If there is any lingering stain, the hand dryer will cause it to set. Instead, allow it to air dry.

There are more tips for ink stain removal from ballpoint pens below.

More Tips For Cleaning Ink Stains From Fabric

If you have ink end up on a dry clean only piece of fabric, you will want to take good care of it. As soon as possible, get it to the dry cleaner and make sure to mention the stain. You should only attempt to remove the stain if you know that the products you are using to do so are safe on that fabric. You can also find some help offered to you on the garment’s tag as to what type of cleaning products are safe to use. It is always safe to have a professional handle them though.

Another successful way of removing ballpoint ink is to use nail polish remover. Before doing this, test the nail polish remover on a hidden area of the material. Then place the stained area in between two pieces of white paper towels. One should be on each side of the fabric, near the stain. Block on the nail polish remover on each side of the stain, until nothing more is removed from it. You should rinse this cleaner thoroughly.

In most cases, small pen streaks from the ink of a ballpoint pen will come out with laundry pre treatment products. Follow the directions provided by these products. You will want to apply the stain treatment to the area and allow it to sit for several minutes. Wash as you normally would, follow the directions provided by the maker. Air dry it to insure that the stain has been fully removed, before you place in the dryer as it will set a stain.

Those that need stain removal for ballpoint ink are usually in need of a fast solution. We hope these cleaning tips have helped