Ink stains can be the mostly troublesome off all stains to remove. One reason is that there are so many types of ink, each with a different formulation.
Inks are comprised of dyes, pigments, lubricants, solvents and other additives. The solvent suspends the pigments allowing the ink to flow onto paper. The solvents used in ink can be water (fountain pen ink) or oil (ball point ink).
The difficulty in removing ink stains is that if the carrier is oil a solvent is necessary for the first part of the stain removal process. Alcohol or Goo Gone type product can be used.
The procedure outlined is for washable garments only and you should test an area that is not obvious in case this procedure causes any damage. Do not try this on a garment labeled dry clean only. Consult the best dry cleaner in your area if you have an ink stain or you can ship your garment to Jeeves in New York City. (https://www NULL.jeevesofbelgravia NULL.com/newyork)
When the solvent is applied to the ink stain, the dye and pigments will spread. To mitigate the spread, place a clean terry cloth wash cloth (which may be ruined in the stain removal process) under the stain. Apply a small amount of alcohol or Goo Gone to the ink. Use a second wash cloth and tamp and blot the ink stained area, do not rub.
The ink will transfer into the two terry cloth towels. Repeat this process using clean parts of the wash cloths until the ink stops transferring into the towels.
Make a solution of 1/4 cup white household vinegar and a few drop of Dawn dishwashing detergent. Apply this solution to the ink stained area and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Wash the garment using warm water. Once the wash cycle is completed, check the stained area, if the ink remains repeat the process (do not use heat to dry your garment between treatment). If a small amount of the dye from the ink remains, apply hydrogen peroxide to the ink, allow to sit for 90 minutes and wash again.
Once all trances of the ink have been removed, you may use the clothes dryer to dry your garment.
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