Learn how to remove ink stains from clothes without any special stain remover that works every time!
Growing up it seemed like my mom could remove just about any stubborn stains from clothes. Dirt, grease, you name it she got it out.
If my mom couldn't get it out then my grandma usually could. She somehow got out a ton of bubblegum from an outfit.
I usually could care less about how the stains were removed from my clothes. Except for when it came to removing ink stains. Removing ink stains from clothes always fascinated me.
I would grab a big old bottle of Rave and happily remove ink stains. Somehow it is so much fun watching the stain start to smear and then completely disappear when washed.
I just assumed that everyone knew the hairspray on a stain trick until my husband came home with an ink stain a couple of weeks ago.
He started to put some stain stick on it until I stopped him. He had no clue how to remove ink stains from clothes.
Since this stain was front and center on a white shirt I figured it would be an easy one to see the before and afters of.
Table of contents
Determine the Type of Ink
No all inks are created equally, so you will need to know what you are working with before choosing a stain removal method.
Here's a general guide that you can use.
Features: Flows smoothly like a fountain pen, rich ink saturation, may smudge easily.
Washable Markers
Ink Base: Water-Based
Features: Easy to clean, non-toxic, and non-permanent.
Felt-Tip Pen
Ink Base: Water-Based (general-purpose pens)
Features: Easy to clean, versatile for everyday use.
Ink Base: Alcohol-Based (e.g., Sharpies)
Features: Permanent, quick-drying, durable on various surfaces.
Ink Base: Oil-Based (specialty or industrial markers)
Features: Designed for marking non-porous surfaces.
Gel Ink Pens
Ink Base: Water-Based
Features: Smooth ink flow, vibrant colors, prone to smudging, not water-resistant.
Ballpoint Pens
Ink Base: Oil-Based
Features: Long-lasting, quick-drying, smudge-resistant, water-resistant.
Rollerball Pens
Ink Base: Water-Based
Features: Flows smoothly like a fountain pen, rich ink saturation, may smudge easily.
How Does Hairspray Work for Ink Stain Removal?
Most aerosol hairsprays contain isopropyl alcohol, which is responsible for dissolving the ink, loosening it from the fabrics.
You can see below the ink stain on my husband's shirt.
Materials You Will Need
- Aerosol Hairspray (just any cheap aerosol will do) - If you don't feel comfortable using hairspray on your clothes you can get this cleaner that can remove ink stains.
- Laundry brush (I love this one, or a toothbrush will do!)
How to Remove Ink Stains From Clothes
If you haven't seen this cool trick for how to remove ink stains from clothes it's pretty neat and super easy to do!
You can either read or watch the new video below!
Place a paper towel behind the stained area. This will keep the ink from soaking through to the other side when you spray it.
Spray a generous amount of hair spray on the stain. You may see the ink start to bleed and spread, that's ok, it just means it is working.
Once you have saturated the stain with the hairspray let it sit for about a minute.
After a minute, spray the ink stain again with a little more hairspray.
Use a paper towel or cotton ball to gently blot at the stain to remove some of the ink making sure you don't let the stain go through to the other side of the clothing item.
Or if you have a soft toothbrush or laundry brush you can scrub it with that.
Rinse the area where the stain was with warm water.
Run the clothes through the wash like you normally would on a regular wash cycle. Since hot water will help to remove the stain I recommend using the hottest water you can for the clothes. Look at the tags and use the hottest water it recommends.
When you remove the clothes from the washing machine, the ink stain should be gone. If it isn't you may need to let the clothes air dry and then repeat all of the above steps to get all of the ink stains out of the garment.
This is the best way I have found and usually had ballpoint pen ink come out the first time. of hairspray. Usually, the cheaper the hairspray is the more alcohol it contains.
Does This Method Work With Fountain Pens and Water-Based Ink Stains?
Water-based inks are already designed to dissolve in water, so alcohol (the active ingredient in hairspray) isn’t as critical. This includes gel pens, fountain pens, and rollerball pens.
To remove this ink type, it's best to mix a few drops of dish soap in warm water and blot the stain gently with a clean cloth soaked in the solution. Remove to keep the paper towel behind it, so excess ink doesn't leak through.
If the pen ink stain is still there, then you can try the hairspray method, rubbing alcohol, or mix equal parts of white vinegar and water together.
Helpful Tips
Always test in an inconspicuous area of the stained clothing first.
Fresh ink stains are the easiest to remove.
Be sure to check the labels on delicate fabrics to determine the hottest water setting you can use.
I like to use some type of white cloth to see the ink transferring.
Tired of laundry stains?
Get the free laundry stain removal printable!
Removing Permanent Ink Stains
If you are dealing with permanent ink it may be a little more difficult to remove the stains. I recommend starting out with the hairspray method above.
If that doesn't help to budge the permanent marker stain then you will want to try straight rubbing alcohol on the stain. Rubbing alcohol can fade colors so take a drop or two and test it in an area of the clothes that you won't see.
I recommend using an inside seam to test it. Let the rubbing alcohol sit for about 2-3 minutes and then rinse the rubbing alcohol out. If it doesn't fade then you can try it on the stain.
Use a paper towel to apply a little bit of rubbing alcohol to the stain. Again, like with the ballpoint pen stain, it may spread so have another paper towel behind the stain to absorb the ink.
Dab at the stain with the paper towel and rubbing alcohol. You may need to change the paper towels a few times to keep the ink from really spreading. When you have cleaned off most of the ink wash the clothing in the washing machine on the hottest water possible for the garment.
Once the machine is done running then remove the clothes and allow them to air dry. If the stain is still there you can repeat the steps above again to try to remove the rest of the stains.
As a last resort if you are desperate to remove either ballpoint pen stains or permanent ink stains from your clothes or home you can try this product on amazon. I personally haven't tried it so I recommend it only as a last-ditch effort to save your things from ink stains. Multiple people have recommended it to me if you can't use the above tips.
Don't let ink stains ruin your favorite clothes. With these easy tips on how to remove ink stains from clothes, you can save your favorite clothes from the rag bin and wear them once again. You won't believe how easy (and kind of fun too!) it is.
Connie says
I didn't know about hair spray for ink stains. Usually when getting ink stains they're ballpoint pin. A stain I'd like to know how to remove are those yellow spots, which I'm sure are spills while eating. I never know what causes those. They just show up on wash day. It could be grease, tomato stain, or a tea, coffee, or soft drink spill. So what do you do if you don't know what actually caused the stain? The last one I got, I used everything in my arsenal, and finally Clorox took it out. It was greatly diluted by the time I used Clorox, and I did heavily dilute the Clorox in water, but I must have worked on that shirt all afternoon. It would be nice to know if there's a better method that works quickly.
Judy says
Video didn't work for me. I tried several times.
Julie says
Thank you for letting me know. I will take a look at that.
Linda Wiebe Myles says
Great tip! Thanks!
Julie says
You are welcome!
Jan says
Thank you for your tips! I,too, love hair spray for times like this but did not know of the Amazon product!
I wish your son the Best for college
Julie says
Thank you!