How to Remove Typewriter Ink from Paper

Removing ink can be a difficult task, and most people know of the common methods of removing and ink: correction tapes, white out fluids and erasable ink. What do you do, though, if the ink is permanent, as is typewriter ink, and traditional removal methods will not suffice? Luckily, with the purchase of the appropriate supplies, you can remove ink such as typewriter ink from paper.

Things You'll Need

Tbsp spirit of salts

5 tbsp water

Small bowl

Cotton ball

Paper

Step 1

Don a pair of gloves to protect your hands from the acid, and dilute 1 tbsp of spirit of salts in a small bowl (also known as hydrochloric acid) with 5 tbsp of water.

Step 2

Apply the mixture to the typewriter ink with a cotton ball by gently dabbing and rubbing it onto the paper.

Step 3

Allow the solution to sit on the paper approximately one minute before removing it by rubbing a dampened cotton ball over the paper; the typewriter ink should rub away as you remove the solution.

Tips

You can buy acids such as spirit of salts at most hardware stores.

Oxalic, citric and tartaric acids will remove and erase typewriter ink from paper as well.

Warnings

Do not expose your skin to the acids to avoid burns.

Beware of permanently damaging your paper when using acids to remove typewriter ink from it; practice on scrap pieces of paper before executing this process on an important document.