Easy Ink Stain Removal

I have two daughters, so stains are nothing new to me. I have learned how to treat a lot of different stains on clothing because I can't throw away clothes every time they get stained by my daughters. My one daughter loves to write and color. She also has the tendency - like most little kids do-- to get covered in what ever they are writing with. I try to keep ink pens away from her, but she seems to find them anyway. So I have come up with several solutions to treating Ink Stains.

There are a lot of old wives tales about how to treat stains. I am sure some of these work but there are some that can actually make the stain worse. Some of these take unnecessary risks on your garment. One way I have heard of treating ink stains is to spray the stain with hair spray, this is not a good idea. Hairspray can alter the color in some fabric, it can also leave a gummy residue that is hard to get rid of. Another thing I have heard is to put milk on ink stains, this also doesn't work. Milk doesn't remove the ink but it can also sometimes leave an additional protein stain.

So how do you get rid of a stain? One of the most effective things I have found for getting rid of stains of all kinds is SoilLove. It comes in a green bottle, and you can find it at almost any grocery store. Not only can you find it almost anywhere it is really cheap, it is one of the cheapest stain removers that I have found. SoilLove has worked for me on all kinds of different stains. This is my favorite stain remover and I make sure I always have some in my laundry room.

What if you don't have any SoilLove, and you have an ink stain you need to remove? Here is the best technique I have found. First of all remember to only use this on washable fabrics, if it is dry clean only you probably need to take it in to a dry cleaner its not worth risking your garment.

If it is water based ink :
Start by laying the stained garment on top of a clean white towel.
Apply water to the stain and blot with another clean cloth.
Try to remove as much of the stain as you can while you blot.
Apply you usual liquid laundry detergent to the stain, and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes.
Blot the stain a little more with a clean cloth.
Wash the garment in the warmest water that the fabric will allow.
Before drying check to see if the stain is gone.
If it is still there repeat the steps above until it is removed.

Permanent Ink or Ball point pen ink
The best way to remove permanent ink is bleach, if you can't bleach the fabric there are a few things you can try but remember this is one of the hardest stains to remove.
Lay the stained garment on top of a clean white towel.
Try blotting the stain with rubbing alcohol.
The Towel underneath will become stained and colored (so be sure to use a towel you don't care about)
As the towel gets colored be sure to move the garment to a new area on the towel
If this doesn't work try blotting the area with baking soda mixed with water.
Wash the garment in the warmest water that the fabric will allow.
Before drying check to see if the stain is gone.
If the stain is still there repeat the steps above until it is removed.

Before you put anything on any garment make sure you test it in a inconspicuous spot on the fabric. Good luck on removing your stains.