How to Remove Ink Stains

Is your fabric bleach-safe?
Before you follow the steps for removing ink stains from fabric, first determine whether the item, if not white, is colorfast. Also, it’s important to know whether your fabric is bleach-safe.
Visit our How to Test Bleachability article to find out.
Is your fabric made any of these materials?
And, if the fabric is wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex — regardless of color — you should never use bleach. Different fabrics call for different methods of stain removal.
For standard washing machines, add ½ cup of Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach with CLOROMAX® directly into the washing machine.
FAQs
Q. How do you get dried ink out of clothes?
A. Follow the steps above for bleach-safe fabrics, or colored or white fabrics without spandex. However, large stains from a leaky pen will benefit from rinsing away the hand sanitizer and ink before treating with the appropriate bleach product.
Q. How do I get ink stains out of clothes that have been washed?
A. Follow the steps above for bleach-safe fabrics, or colored or white fabrics without spandex. However, you’ll probably need to repeat the treatment a few times. If the stains aren’t too heavy, you can still remove them even if they’ve been exposed to a hot dryer. Also, it’s important to note you should never use bleach on items that contain spandex, wool, silk, mohair or leather.
Q. Can vinegar remove ink stains?
A. No. Vinegar is mildly acidic, but it won’t break up pen ink the same way alcohol-based hand sanitizer or bleach.
Q. How do I remove blood stains from white sheets and clothes?
A. If it’s a recent stain that has dried, you should be able to remove it with Clorox® Urine Remover. Then, do a follow-up treatment with a steam cleaner using the upholstery attachment.
Q. Can you remove marker stains the same way you remove ink stains?
A. Removing marker stains is similar to removing ballpoint pen ink stains. For white, bleachable items, start by pretreating the stain with Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel.
Read all about removing marker stains here.
Isopropyl alcohol, especially formulated as a hand sanitizer, is very effective at breaking up ballpoint pen ink by penetrating the weave or knit of a textile. This works better than plain isopropyl alcohol to break up the ink stain.
Is your fabric bleach-safe?
Before you follow the steps for removing ink stains from fabric, first determine whether the item, if not white, is colorfast.
Is your fabric made any of these materials?
And, if the fabric is wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex — regardless of color — you should never use bleach. Different fabrics call for different methods of stain removal.
FAQs
Q. How do you get dried ink out of clothes?
A. Follow the steps above for bleach-safe fabrics, or colored or white fabrics with spandex. However, large stains from a leaky pen will benefit from rinsing away the hand sanitizer and ink before treating with the appropriate bleach product.
Q. How do I get ink stains out of clothes that have been washed?
A. Follow the steps above for bleach-safe fabrics, or colored or white fabrics with spandex. However, you’ll probably need to repeat the treatment a few times. If the stains aren’t too heavy, you can still remove them even if they’ve been exposed to a hot dryer. Also, it’s important to note you should never use bleach on items that contain spandex, wool, silk, mohair or leather.
Q. Can vinegar remove ink stains?
A. If it’s a recent stain that has dried, you should be able to remove it with Clorox® Urine Remover. Then, do a follow-up treatment with a steam cleaner using the upholstery attachment.
Q. How do I remove blood stains from white sheets and clothes?
A. No. Vinegar is mildly acidic, but it won’t break up pen ink the same way alcohol-based hand sanitizer or bleach.
Q. Can you remove marker stains the same way you remove ink stains?
A. Removing marker stains is similar to removing ballpoint pen ink stains. For white, bleachable items, start by pretreating the stain with Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel.
Read all about removing marker stains here.
Isopropyl alcohol, especially formulated as a hand sanitizer, is very effective at breaking up ballpoint pen ink by penetrating the weave or knit of a textile. This works better than plain isopropyl alcohol to break up the ink stain.
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Ask Dr. Laundry