How to remove ballpoint pen ink stains from clothes?

Introduction

You're sitting at your desk, minding your own business, when all of a sudden you notice ink on your shirt. Oh no! You check the pen—it's not yours! And it's not even dried yet. What do you do?

Well, there are two options: You can either try to remove the stain yourself or take it to the dry cleaner right away (preferably with some sort of stain remover in tow). Ballpoint pen ink stains are notoriously difficult to remove, but before we get into how best to tackle them with home remedies or professional help, let's talk about why they happen in the first place.

Clean the area with a damp cloth.

If you're dealing with a fresh stain, use cold water to clean it. Cold water helps to set the ink and prevent any further bleeding. If the stain is old, warm water will work better because it helps loosen up dried-in stains.

To remove ballpoint pen ink from clothing:

• Use a damp cloth or sponge to gently rub at the stained area of your clothing until all traces of ink are removed from your clothing (you may want to wear rubber gloves). The more pressure you apply when rubbing out the stain, the more likely it is that you'll end up damaging or ripping your garment so be careful!

If a small amount of ink is on the shirt, you can use an ammonia-based spotter to remove it.

If a small amount of ink is on the shirt, you can use an ammonia-based spotter to remove it.

Spray the stain with an ammonia-based spotter and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Use a clean cloth to dab the stain until it is gone, then rinse with cold water. Wash as soon as possible in warm water with detergent and hang dry or tumble dry low heat settings (no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit).

Do not rub the ink into the fabric when cleaning.

• Do not rub the ink into the fabric when cleaning. This can make it harder to remove and may even cause permanent damage to your clothes.
• Use a damp cloth to clean the area, then use a spotter with enzymes to remove ink stains. If you don't have any on hand, try mixing vinegar and water in equal parts until it forms a thick paste (about 1 tablespoon each). Apply this mixture directly onto your stain and let stand for 15 minutes before rinsing out with cold water.
• Wash clothes as soon as possible after staining occurs so that they don't set too long in one place--it makes them easier to clean later on! However if stains have already set in deeply enough where washing won't help much anymore then we recommend using bleach instead of detergent or soap because these products tend not work well against ballpoint pen ink anyway due mainly because they contain different types materials than regular clothing does which means there isn't really any reason why someone would need both types unless perhaps if there were two different kinds available but even then most people wouldn't bother buying both just because one costs slightly less than another unless perhaps if their budget was tight enough where saving money meant something important such as paying bills etcetera but usually most people wouldn't go through such lengths just because something like this isn't necessary since there's always other ways around spending more money unnecessarily."

To help prevent future stains, wash your clothes with a detergent that contains enzymes or bleach as soon as possible after staining occurs.

To help prevent future stains, wash your clothes with a detergent that contains enzymes or bleach as soon as possible after staining occurs. If you can't get to the washing machine right away, blot the area with a clean cloth until the ink has been absorbed by the cloth, and then place it in an airtight container such as a Ziploc bag until you can do so.

If your clothes are stained but not yet dry, try using warm water and dishwashing liquid on them; this should loosen up any remaining ink particles so they can be washed away later. If this doesn't work on its own, use one of these stain removers instead:

Ballpoint pen ink stains are best removed immediately with an enzyme-based product, such as Nature's Miracle or Odor Destroyers.

Ballpoint pen ink stains are best removed immediately with an enzyme-based product, such as Nature's Miracle or Odor Destroyers. If you can't get to the stain right away, dab some rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and apply it to the stain. You may want to use a damp cloth instead of using your hands directly on your clothes so that you don't smear any ink around on them. If this is necessary, however, be sure not to rub too hard; just dab gently until all of the ink has come out of your fabric!

It's always best to wash clothes as soon as possible after staining occurs--even if they're only slightly stained--so there isn't time for any additional damage from sunlight or other environmental factors (like humidity).

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas on how to remove ballpoint pen ink stains from your clothes. As with any stain, it's important to act quickly so that it doesn't set in and become harder to remove later on. If you ever find yourself faced with a similar situation, make sure that first thing is always clean up any excess ink before treating the stain itself!