How to remove ballpoint pen ink stains at home

Ink stains can appear anywhere: on furniture, on paper, on the skin of your hands and more.

They dry quickly and become firmly embedded in the surface, making them difficult to deal with.

Read the article on how to wipe ballpoint paste and gel pen ink from various surfaces (plastic, rubber, paper, wallpaper, hand skin, etc.).

Types of contaminated material

You cannot use the first option you like. First, you should check what material the clothing is made of. And you need to choose a method only taking into account the type of fabric. This will help you avoid useless actions that do not produce results, and keep your clothes intact and beautiful. Methods by tissue are divided into several types:

Cotton, linen, synthetics. Unpretentious materials; removing hand marks from a blouse or other clothing containing such fabrics is quite simple. It is allowed to use almost any methods, except very “aggressive” ones. It is optimal to use alcohol, ammonia, milk, lemon juice or turpentine.
Read also: How to remove stubborn stains from clothes - chemical and folk remedies for different types of stains
Wool, silk and other delicate fabrics. Clothing made from such materials is quite susceptible to certain substances. Therefore, you only need to remove stains from pants, blouses and other wardrobe items made from delicate fabrics with soda or mustard.
Leather. Those who have to clean leather items from the paste have the greatest freedom of choice. Solutions with salt, eraser, tape, glycerin, cosmetic creams, alcohol and ammonia mixtures, and hairspray are suitable for them. If you need to remove traces from a jacket, then it is advisable to first check the effect of the substance in an inconspicuous place, so as not to completely ruin its appearance.
Leatherette. Artificial leather is more sensitive. You should work with it only using soap solutions, salt, and citric acid. Strongly ingrained stains can be removed from artificial leather using alcohol.
Denim. Jeans, jackets and shirts made of such material can be cleaned with soap diluted in water, vinegar, alcohol, or a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

Speaking of color, it is not recommended to remove stains from white fabric using products that can stain or cause yellowing. You should not use alcohol mixtures on bright clothes, as they may leave a pale stain.

Several effective ways to remove ink stains - video:

Homemade Recipes to Remove Ballpoint Pen Stains

Every housewife should have folk remedies in her arsenal to remove dirt left by ballpoint pens. There are actually a lot of them. Here are some of them:

Lemon juice - you can use it in any quantity, no matter how small or large. In fact, this is a universal remedy that can cope with various types of stains on clothing and textile materials. For example, it perfectly neutralizes stains from rust, alcohol or pens. To enhance the effectiveness of the juice, you need to sprinkle salt on the cloth and rub it inside;
A solution (alcohol + glycerin) also helps remove dirt from handles. These components must be mixed in equal proportions. Next, you need to moisten the area with the stain with this product. The next step is to wet another clean rag and rub it on the stain. After the contamination has disappeared, the item should be washed or cleaned with powder;
Solution (water + hydrogen peroxide) – contaminated clothing will need to be completely soaked in the prepared mixture for several hours. At the end, rinse the products with plenty of cold water.

Important! One of the most effective methods for removing pen stains is using ordinary acetone. Every girl can find it in her makeup bag. A clean piece of cloth should be moistened with the mixture and wipe off the dirt. However, this option is not suitable for all types of fabrics.

Scotch tape, eraser

One of the simplest and most effective methods for removing ink stains is to use tape and an eraser. They work great with paste left on the skin.

How to use:

Firmly stick a strip of tape to the problem area and then tear it off.
Go over this area with an eraser in the same way as when erasing a pencil.

If this method is not enough, it will simplify the task for the following means.

Masking errors with office supplies

To remove unnecessary inscriptions, mask clerical errors, blots and errors, a special stationery proofreader is suitable. This white liquid with a thick consistency is designed specifically for covering ink streaks. There are many forms of such devices: with a brush, an applicator, in the form of a pencil with a metal tip, and other options. It is enough to apply a little paste to the stains and wait until the composition dries completely.

The proofreader is indispensable for office workers and other people who deal with various documents. It is important to remember that some types of official documentation (for example, sick leave, work book) should never be corrected with white paste. Such records will be considered invalid in any case, no matter what you try to erase the ballpoint pen with.

If unwanted lines from a pen appear on a piece of paper or other surface, do not panic. It is important to choose an effective product or prepare it from available ingredients and follow all the rules of use. If the manipulations were carried out correctly, not a trace of the pen will remain, and the structure of the paper will not be damaged.

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Soap

An ink stain usually comes off easily with a soap solution. During the cleaning process, be careful not to damage the top layers of fabric.

Application:

Grind laundry soap and dissolve in water. The mixture should be cloudy and slightly thick.
Apply it with a sponge to the desired places. Use light movements to wipe off all traces of the pen.
Wash using a machine.

If you don’t have laundry soap, then regular baby soap or dishwashing soap can be a good substitute.

We restore toys

We wash soft toys using recipes for cleaning fabrics, but rubber (or silicone) dolls, as well as silicone cases, are much more difficult to clean.

Cleaning toys

To remove ink from them, first of all you should try:

“Whiteness” and stain removers;
hydrogen peroxide;
ammonia.

If the stain is fresh, the products will help, but old stains are almost impossible to remove. Housewives on the forums recommend placing painted rubber dolls on the windowsill (on the sunny side), facing the window. Within a year, the spots will disappear on their own.

Salt

In this method you will need a ready-made soap solution. It will act as an amplifier of the effect. Salt will easily corrode old stains, relieving the owner of the problem.

What to do:

Wet the ink marks with soapy water.
Sprinkle them with salt and wait about two hours.
Wipe the area to be treated with a dry cloth and rinse.

You can also sprinkle the item with salt for a few days without using soap. Then you just need to collect all the grains and wipe with a cotton swab soaked in glycerin or turpentine.

Means for removing ink from different types of fabric

Before we begin cleaning, we determine the type of product. For white cotton and linen items, you can use both hydrogen peroxide and chlorine-based bleaches (Belizna, Domestos). Colored blouses or underwear can be cleaned using food mustard or mustard powder slurry.

Ink marks on a wool sweater can be treated with purified turpentine. To clean, you need to carefully wipe the contaminated areas with a cotton swab, then wash with shampoo or a special solution for washing wool. Items made of natural or artificial silk are afraid of aggressive substances; for cleansing, it is permissible to take sour milk. For synthetics, contact with intense solvents (acetone) is contraindicated.

Lemon juice

As a rule, freshly squeezed citrus juice is used to clean white items. However, this should be done carefully so as not to leave new stains on them.

How to clean an item:

Squeeze the juice from one lemon, mix with salt to obtain a thick paste.
Apply to ink strips for half an hour.
Wash clothes.

The exposure time depends on how old the stain is. It may deviate from the specified value within 15 minutes.

Soda

This method of getting rid of ink from clothes made from delicate materials can be used for absolutely any item. You will need to make a special paste.

How to proceed:

Mix baking soda with water to form a thick paste.
Spread it on the marks left by the pen. Wait 10 minutes.
Rinse all areas with warm water.

This is a safe method that will not harm any type of material.

Interior

Experienced Cleaners confidently recommend Magic melamine sponges. According to reviews, this miracle product removes any stains from furniture, allowing you to achieve pristine cleanliness for hard surfaces. Try!

Dolls

What girl can resist if her favorite doll is going to the ball? Of course, new bright makeup will decorate the beauty even more! But after the ball, everyday life begins, when far from flawless makeup refuses to wash off the doll’s face. Let's help our daughter's favorite wash clean.

Liquid for removing eyelash extensions. Dampen a cotton swab and wipe off the ink.
Domestos + table vinegar 70%. You will need 1 teaspoon of each component. Soak a cotton pad in the solution and gently wipe off the paste. If the stain is old, you need to make a “compress” by applying a moistened cotton pad and wrapping it with polyethylene on top. The doll is placed in a warm place and left for 1-24 hours.
"Ugresol" (pharmacy remedy for acne). It is used by collectors of doll antiques. The product is very effective. But, girls, what is included in this medicine, since it even copes with old ink? I don’t understand... Post in the comments!
Medical alcohol. Gently wipe off the ink.

Act with pinpoint precision! These products easily wash off factory doll makeup and paint.

Fridge

Cleaning children's art from the refrigerator (Of course, children's art! How else will the paste get on the refrigerator??) using household products will help:

Acetone, nail polish remover. Soak a cotton swab in the liquid and carefully, moving strictly along the mark of the pen, clean off the paste. Acetone can damage the paint, removing the gloss or even getting to the metal. Be careful.
Hair fixation spray. Spray any brand of varnish onto the stain. We want a small puddle to form. After a few seconds, wipe off any remaining ink with a rag. They even say that a cheaper product cleans paste better.
French perfume. The recipe came across on the forum. The girl claims that only this product was able to clean her favorite refrigerator. Shall we believe it?

There are recipes for different colored inks!

Plastic: table, window sill and more

The recipe will save any plastic product: phone case, plastic window sill, furniture parts, and other things. So…

School eraser. Helps get rid of fresh dirt.
Baking soda. Wet the sponge with water. Dip it in soda so that some sticks. Apply to the stain and leave for a few minutes. Use a clean sponge to wipe off the remaining soggy paste. I think you can easily use dish detergent instead of baking soda.
Match. Dip the head of a match in water and rub the stain like a pencil. When the ink disappears, wipe the surface with a damp cloth.
Alcohol + vegetable oil. Mix the ingredients and wipe the stain. After 15 minutes, remove any remaining product with a soapy rag. Then wipe the surface clean.
Gel for moisturizing fingers. This tool is used by office workers to work with a large number of papers when counting money. Sold in stationery stores. Apply a little gel to a napkin (wet or dry), gently and quickly wipe off the dirt. The gel dissolves pen and stamp ink from both hard surfaces and the skin of the hands.

Mustard

Another way to remove stubborn ballpoint pen ink stains from “delicate” clothes. The use of mustard gives an amazing effect without causing any harm.

How to use:

Sprinkle a sufficient amount of dry mustard powder on the marked areas.
After waiting a day, wash these areas in warm water.

If it was not possible to wash a delicate item, then you should resort to other methods. But do not forget about the dangers and risks.

Priority actions

If an ink stain is detected, the item must be washed immediately. A fresh stain can be dealt with using soap or washing powder. The main thing is not to use hot water.

If there are no suitable conditions for instant washing, use improvised means, including:

Wet alcohol wipe . Use it to blot the ink several times without rubbing the stain.
Dry paper napkin . With its help, you can remove excess ink and prevent it from spreading onto clean areas.
Salt. Sprinkle it on the stain for a few minutes, then shake it off with a napkin. This method will help if the handle is leaking a lot. Instead of salt, you can use starch or crushed chalk.
Nail polish remover or alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Apply a small amount of the product onto a napkin and wipe the contaminated area with it.

You need to act quickly. The longer the ink is on the surface, the deeper it will be absorbed into it.

Milk

Regular milk does the job perfectly. It easily removes ink marks from your favorite clothes, making them beautiful again.

How to clean:

Heat the milk and put the item in it.
Remove after 30 minutes, peel and wash.

The use of yogurt will be no less effective. If there is one, then you need to apply it to all the necessary points for 15 minutes, then simply wash the clothes.

Removing fresh stains

It is easier to remove ink from clothes when it is fresh and has not yet had time to penetrate deep into the fibers of the fabric.

Fresh stains should be treated as soon as possible

If the paste that has leaked from the pen spreads across the fabric right before your eyes, then blot it with a paper napkin (towel, toilet paper) and sprinkle the stain with some powdered adsorbent that you have on hand. Use salt, soda, starch, talc, baby powder, crushed chalk for white and light-colored items; ground coffee, dry mustard - for dark ones. They will absorb liquid ink remaining on the surface and prevent it from bleeding. After 5-10 minutes, shake off the powder with a dry cloth or paper towel.

Then it is recommended to treat the dried ink with:

stain remover suitable for this type of fabric. It is applied to the stains for 10-15 minutes, then the item is soaked in cold water for 20-30 minutes, after which the stained areas are washed under running water with laundry soap or washing powder;
ammonia or ethyl alcohol . Moisten the edge of a sponge or cotton swab with alcohol and hold it on the stained area for 1-2 minutes. There is no need to rub the stain - extra effort will only lead to its smearing on the fabric. If the ink does not lighten immediately after the alcohol treatment, take a clean swab and hold it for a while longer. Then wash off any remaining dirt with soap and running water;
milk (whey) or lemon . These edible stain removers are especially effective at removing ink from ballpoint pens and traces of gel pastes on white clothes made from natural fabrics. Pour some heated (warm) milk or whey onto the stained areas and leave for 30-40 minutes, or squeeze lemon juice on them and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Lightened stains will be much easier to scrub off with soap and cool water;
glycerol _ Moisten the stain that appears with slightly warmed glycerin and wait until it softens and “floats.” After this, in order to get rid of greasy traces of glycerin and prevent stains on the fabric, it is better to soak the item for 10-15 minutes in cool water with the addition of a few drops of ammonia.

You should wash and soak soiled items only in warm (cool) water with laundry soap or hand washing powder. Hot water helps stains set

To prevent ink blots from spreading during solvent treatment, some recommend isolating the stains with melted wax or paraffin, dripping it along the contour directly from a burning candle. It is also recommended to place a layer of paper towels or starch under the fabric to be cleaned, which will absorb dissolved contaminants.

Alcohols and acids should not be left on fabric for a long time. They are quite aggressive and can ruin the item by changing its color or “bleeding through” the fiber. It is better to find out the risks of their use in advance by testing on an inconspicuous area of clothing.

Stain removers

Special means show high effectiveness of their use. Any of them should be used according to instructions.

How to use stain remover:

Pour the product onto the problem area. Wait the required time.
Machine wash with conditioner.

Also, such substances can be added to the wash along with the powder.

Hydrogen peroxide with ammonia

A mixture of two popular products easily copes with most stains. The pen was no exception. This method is most effective when removing stains from thick cotton shirts.

How to proceed:

Mix peroxide and ammonia in a teaspoon, dilute in a glass of water.
Pour onto the streaked areas. Let it soak in for a few minutes.
Wash the item.

It is recommended to additionally wash any remaining traces with soapy water.

Removing paste from wallpaper

Almost every child uses the wall as an easel.

Wallpaper instead of an easel

Carry out the first treatment carefully, apply a solution of the ingredients listed above to the stain, leave the product to soak in for 10–15 minutes, and then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush.

In the future, it is recommended to purchase a melamine sponge. It works similar to an eraser and is designed to remove all types of stains from hard surfaces. Cut the melamine sponge into 4 parts so that it lasts as long as possible, rub the dirty area. A sponge is the safest method of cleaning wallpaper; most importantly, do not delay the treatment. The fresher the stain, the easier it is to remove.

How to remove pen stains from wallpaper with “Whiteness”, watch the video:

Vinegar

Using vinegar is an effective way to restore any item to its original appearance. But it is not suitable for delicate fabrics, as it can damage them.

How to reduce ink:

Heat the acid to 60°C.
Treat all traces with it for 15 minutes.
Wash clothes.

In the same way, a mixture of acetone and alcohol is used, the proportions of which must be equal.

Why does a gel pen leave marks?

School and office supplies for writing appeared relatively recently. A gel pen follows the characteristic structure of a ballpoint pen, but at the same time has fundamental differences.

The writing unit is equipped with a ball, which is hidden in a cone. The flow of ink begins automatically after the ball begins to rotate. A thin layer of dye envelops the ball and flows out, leaving marks on paper and other things.

Gel-based ink has a very dense, opaque structure. The dye contains copper phthalocyanine and iron oxides. The water-based gel also includes biopolymers (xanthan gum and gum tragacanth) and thickeners.

The coloring composition of the ink may contain large particles of mother-of-pearl, glitter and metallic dyes.

Among pens with gel filler, there are anti-fraud inks. Neither bleaches nor solvents take them.

There is also waterproof ink that can be washed off with water only before it dries. Next, you will have to use only chemical stain removal methods.

Glycerin with alcohol

A popular option for cleaning clothes from “drawings” is with a ballpoint pen. It can also be dangerous for delicate items, but it allows you to remove ink extremely effectively and quickly.

How to apply:

Mix both components in equal quantities.
Treat all blue stripes, scrubbing them vigorously.

All that remains is to wash the item in the usual way. It is recommended to add conditioner to avoid the presence of unpleasant odors.

How to remove pen stains from leather

Leather products are cleaned with salt, which is sprinkled on the stain and left for several days, and then thoroughly wiped with turpentine. Hand cream applied to the ink can also help, which after 2-3 minutes is wiped off with a cotton swab and washed with warm soapy water. If you have doubts about the possibility of removing a stain, then it is better to use dry cleaning services, but if there is none, then these methods will help you not to get confused and quickly restore the stained item or furniture. To avoid problems with clothing damage in the future, choose good ballpoint pens.

Ammonia

You will need a small bottle of ammonia. It will help you quickly get rid of pen marks from fabric.

What do you need:

Dilute ammonia (tbsp) in water (200 ml), heat.
Moisten any clean rag with the solution and apply it to the desired point.
Iron the areas.
Run a classic wash.

This substance is suitable for white things, and shows the greatest effectiveness when working with cotton or linen.

How to remove gel ink?

The gel from the pen tends to penetrate deeply into any porous surface, so the sooner the first steps to remove it are taken, the better.

There are only five basic rules:

To prevent a fresh stain from spreading over the surface, it is outlined with a paraffin candle. You should not go beyond these boundaries. Once the treatment is complete, the paraffin can be removed with an iron.
The cleaner should be applied along the edge of the stain, rubbing it towards the center.
Gel pens can be alcohol- and water-soluble. If it cannot be removed with water, use alcohol-based formulations.
Washing should be done in cool water.
If possible, it is better to turn the item inside out.

Methods for removing traces of gel pen from various surfaces are described here.

Unusual means

If the listed options are not suitable or do not show results, then at home you can use several more unusual methods:

Turpentine - blot a cotton swab and wipe the ink strips with it;
Cosmetic cream - apply the substance to the marks of the pen, wipe with a soft sponge;
Hairspray - spray on problem areas, wipe with a dry cloth, then repeat;
Gasoline or kerosene - wipe the areas that require it with a dampened rag, rinse off the residue with hydrochloric acid;
Match head - crumble a few pieces, apply to ink, rub them with light movements;
Paraffin - rub on ink, on clothes, wait a couple of minutes, remove the substance.

Such products may damage the fabric. Extreme caution should be exercised when using them.

Removing ballpoint pen stains - video:

Features of cleaning jeans

If ink paste appears on your jeans, this does not mean that you will have to part with them. Cleaning can be done in several ways:

Using alcohol. It is necessary to place a clean white napkin or towel under the stain on the wrong side of the product. Then you should apply a small amount of 90% alcohol directly to the stain (it is better to use a cotton swab or disk) and blot it with a clean napkin. When blotting the mark, each time you need to do it with an unused area of the material, so as not to create a new stain. At the end of the procedure, after the dirt has disappeared, you should rinse your jeans in cold water to remove any remaining alcohol. After which it is necessary to wash the product in cold water to prevent the ink from sticking to the fabric if it has not completely come off.
Stain remover. Before cleaning, you need to check the reaction of the denim fabric - apply a little solution to an inconspicuous area. If the material has not discolored or become whiter, you can safely apply the stain remover to the stain. The length of time the product should remain on the ink depends on the specific manufacturer. The instructions for use must indicate all the features of using the stain remover. Then the jeans need to be washed completely.

Features of cleaning denim:

We recommend:

How to remove water-based paint from a ceiling

Before washing, remove as much ink as possible.
After removing the ink paste, wash the jeans with detergent powder or gel, and then in cold water.
It is not recommended to wash denim with other wardrobe items to avoid contamination.
After washing, make sure that the mark has disappeared. If dirt particles remain, you should repeat all manipulations with folk or professional remedies and try to wipe the handle completely.
Dry jeans and wash at high temperatures only after the ink paste has been completely removed.