I Tried 5 Popular Methods for Getting Ink Out of Clothes
As a writer, I regularly pound away at my keyboard to meet deadlines. But I love the feel of pen on paper, which is why I still favor a paper planner and a notebook for scribbling down notes, ideas, and fragments of my next novel. I’m somewhat aghast at the number of pens on my desk — everything from rollerballs to multicolor gels to ballpoints. I even have a couple of fountain pens, but they’re mainly for display ever since an unfortunate event involving a refill cartridge and a white shirt.
I’m getting the itch to try those fountain pens again, even though I’m just one pen refill away from another disaster. But I swear I’ll be better prepared this time. In fact, I decided to learn how to get ink out of clothes so I can at least be one step ahead of my future clumsy self. Here’s what I discovered after testing five different and popular methods I found online.
How I Tested the Methods
I used a single white cotton T-shirt as a canvas for the ink stain removal experiment. Using an ordinary ballpoint pen with blue ink, I wrote the name of each method on the shirt so there was no mistaking which removal method I’d be attempting on that section. I applied each method with a clean cloth or cotton ball, then I laundered the shirt in a regular wash cycle and air-dried.
Ratings: I awarded two scores for each method — one for the results, and one for ease of use. I used a scale of one to five, with five being the highest score and one being the lowest.
Method 1: Dish Soap and Water
Results: 3/5
Ease of Use: 4/5
Method: I always like going with the obvious choice first, so dish soap and water it was. I dampened the stained area with water, then I put a squirt of dish soap on a damp cloth. I rubbed the soap in the cloth with my finger to dissolve it a bit before applying it to the shirt.
How it went: I realized I was overly optimistic. The ink stayed put. I tried not to scrub and kept dabbing, but I really didn’t see it fade much. I hoped it would be enough of a pre-treatment so that it would disappear during the wash. The ink definitely faded after the shirt went through the laundry, but it by no means disappeared. Many cleaning methods do recommend repeating the process for better results, and this clearly is one of them.
Method 2: Isopropyl Alcohol
Results: 4/5
Ease of Use: 3/5
Method: Moisten a cotton pad or cloth with isopropyl alcohol. Dab the cleaner onto the stain.
How it went: Not bad at all. As the cotton absorbed the alcohol, I could see it start to fade — and the ink almost came out in the wash. It made me realize I should have been more patient and kept dabbing, because that may have helped the stain go away altogether.
Method 3: Acetone-Based Nail Polish Remover
Results: 4/5
Ease of Use: 3/5
Method: As with the isopropyl alcohol, you moisten a cotton pad or cloth with the polish remover and then dab at the stain. Similarly, you might be here for a while because you have to dab at the stain, not rub, which can lead to the ink bleeding. Just remember that you’re not removing nail polish — you’re trying to get ink off of a shirt.
How it went: Don’t be alarmed. The color might actually get brighter at first, but then it will start to fade as you dab, just as it did with the isopropyl alcohol. There’s only a faint trace of it after going through the wash, and I’ll blame that on me because I focused more on one part of the stain than others. Patience is once again key; keep dabbing until you’ve covered the entire stain before you throw the item in the laundry.
Method 4: Hair Spray
Rating: 0/5
Ease of Use: 5/5
Method: I was excited to try this method. I have vague memories of someone using this to help me with an ink mishap years ago. I like this one because you literally only have to spray the fabric until the hair spray covers the stain, and then blot the stain with a cloth.
How it went: Oh goodness, send help. The spray I used was “extra firm control,” and it must have mistaken the ink for hair because the stain stayed extra firm. No, it was even worse than that. The ink appeared to get brighter, but unlike the nail polish remover method, this didn’t eventually fade away. I crossed my fingers when the shirt went into the wash, but I wasn’t at all surprised to see the stain was still there, clear as day, once the laundry was done. What magic hair spray did I use years ago that removed the ink? Alas, this method did not work for me this time around.
Method 5: Vinegar and Cornstarch
Rating: 3/5
Ease of Use: 0/5
Method: I followed the two parts water to three parts cornstarch as suggested by the pros at Molly Maid, but it wasn’t enough to make a paste. I added a bit more cornstarch, and all of a sudden, I was mixing cement in my kitchen. I kept trying to make it work, but the cornstarch hardened even with the addition of more vinegar. Needless to say, I had some difficulty slathering this onto the shirt, but eventually I got a layer on. I was supposed to wait until it dried so I could brush it off, but it came off in chunks instead.
How it went: Vinegar and cornstarch beat out hair spray any day of the week, but the stain could certainly benefit from another round of this paste (which, no thank you). I’ll have to take my chances and use a different method or a stain remover instead of mixing cement again.
Conclusion
Wow, getting ink off your shirt is even less fun than watching it stain the shirt in the first place. Hair spray, you failed me. Dish soap, you were disappointing, too. And although I’d rather not talk about vinegar and cornstarch ever again, I’ll just chalk that last one up to user error.
While isopropyl alcohol and acetone-based nail polish remover did work to remove most of the ink, remember I used these harsh chemicals on sturdy white cotton, which is durable enough to handle both products. I would hate to try it on a delicate or color-rich garment. Of course, given the alternative of never wearing an ink-stained shirt again, I would take my chances with some light dabbing of alcohol or nail polish remover and then toss the garment directly in the wash. Or maybe it’s time for me to start writing with pencils again.
Further Reading
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
