How to Get Ink Out of Fabric & Clothes: Step by Step

Have you ever wondered how to get ink out of fabric, clothes, or upholstery once you have found it on your items?

Here in this content, I’m going to show you how to remove fresh and old dried ink and fabric markers stains from fabric and some other materials.

So, you must read this full article, if you get ink stains on your clothes & fabric. Hope this content will help you a lot in removing ink out of fabrics (Clothing and garments) & upholstery.

Some Tips to Get Better Results:

A. Don’t Just Leave, Act Fast:

As quickly as possible deal with your ink stains. Don’t just leave to dry the ink stains on your fabric.

Because if you work out fast, it will be easier to remove. But if you give up and make it dry, it will be quite hard to remove.

B. Don’t Rub Ink-Stained Area: 

Once you’ve got an ink stain on your fabric don’t rub the stain. If you rub, this can cause the ink stain to spread on your cloth/fabric.

C. Avoid Heat, Don’t Heat The Stain: 

Don’t put your fabric in the dryer if the stain hasn’t been completely removed. Heat can set an ink stain, and making it harder to remove.

Learn More About How to Get Ink Out of Fabric and Clothes

1. Get Fresh Ink Stains Out of Fabric and Clothes

If we deal with new ink stains, the dye’s oil hasn’t had the chance to bond with our fabrics “So” when the ink stain spot hasn’t chemically bonded on our fabrics, it much easier to remove the ink stains from our fabrics/clothes.

So, Always try to remove ink stain when it’s fresh rather than make the stains dried.

Things What You Needed:

• Rubbing Alcohol.
• Paper towels.
• Small bowl
• An Old Towel.
• Liquid laundry detergent.
• Cloth Washing Machine.

Step-1: At First, Blot Up as Much Ink as Possible: 

For doing this, take your paper towel and press it against the stain. You must lift the cloth, rotate it then use a clean area and blot it again. 

Continue this process until you don’t get any more ink on your paper towel.

Important note: Make sure you don’t rub or wipe the ink stain while you doing this process. Otherwise, you may cause the stain to spread on your fabric.

Step-2: Use Your Old Towel: 

Now put your old towel under the stained area. Open the rubbing alcohol bottle and put your alcohol in a small bowl.

Step-3: Dab The Ink-stained Area with Rubbing Alcohol:

You have to dab the stained area with rubbing alcohol. So, take your clean white cloth and dip it into rubbing alcohol and then dab the ink stain affected area.

Continue this until you see that the stain has been removed completely.

Step-4: Wash Your Fabric/Clothes: 

Once you’ve done the dabbing, read your fabric or clothing washing tag and then wash it properly as the washing tag said.

Make sure there’s no ink stain left on your clothes or fabric before you put them on the dryer.

Note: If you see the stain remains on your clothes, you can try the method once again!

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2. Get Dried Ink Out of Fabric or Clothes:

I’m going to show you 2 different ways to remove dried ink from fabric, the first one is for delicate fabrics, like silk or wool. And the second one you can use for any other type of materials.

Method 1: It’s for Delicate Fabric:

In this method, I’m going to show you how to remove ink stains from delicate fabrics such as silk, wool with glycerin, and detergent.

Things That You Need:

1. Glycerin.
2. Cotton swap.
3. Laundry detergent (“For Delicate”)
4. One Small bowl.
5. Old towel.
6. One Spoon

1. Step Number 1: 

At first, place your old towel directly underneath the ink stain. And take your cotton swap, and open the glycerin bottle.

You have to dab glycerin on the ink stain with a cotton swab. Do you know glycerin is a moisturizer and that will loosen the ink stain?.

So, dip your cotton swab into the glycerin bottle, and then gently blot the ink affected area until it’s completely saturated.

If you see your swab becomes covered in ink, replace the swab with a fresh one, and continue.

Note: For those clothes or fabrics that are “labeled as dry clean only” you must stop after this step.

Once you’ve applied the glycerin and you’re done with it, just dab on some clean, and cold water to rinse it. And then take your clothing or fabric to the dry cleaner.

2. Step Number 2: 

Now mix one part of laundry detergent with one part of water in your small bowl. It dilutes the detergent and makes it thins, so the ink stain can soak up easily.

Take your spoon and stir the detergent and water together with your spoon until they’re thoroughly combined.

3. Step Number 3: 

Apply your detergent and water mixture with swap on the stain, dip the swab into the mixture then dab the ink stain area just like what you did with glycerin.

You must continue this blotting with the mixture until you completely covered the ink stain area.

4. Step Number 4: 

Once you’ve finished applying the mixture, let your clothing/fabric sit for 10-12 minutes. If you do this, it allows mixture and glycerin to work on the ink stain. 

You must put your fabric/clothing somewhere where it won’t be disturbed, may you can put it on top of your washing machine. Don’t forget to check the time.

5. Step Number 5: 

Wash your clothes/fabric. At first, check the cleaning tag to find out if there’re any special directions for how to wash. 

If you’re working on delicate such as rayon skirt or silk blouse, maybe you need to let them air dry or wash them with your hand.

If you see still there’s some ink stain, repeat the same process until you’ve done the job.

Read more…How to make cloth napkins from fabric

Method 2: Using Stain Remover and Rubbing Alcohol:

In this ink stains removal method, We’re going to use a stain remover, rubbing alcohol, and laundry detergent.

Things You Needed:

1. Stain Remover.
2. Rubbing Alcohol.
3. Laundry Detergent.
4. White clean and dry cloth.
5. Water.

Step One: 

Pre-treat the stained area with a stain remover, apply the stain remover liquid to the back and front of the stain by using your finger to gently rub it into the fabric. 

You must make sure the entire spot is perfectly saturated. Make sure you don’t rub the fabric together in an attempt to saturate the ink stain. Because rub can cause the ink to spread.

Step Two: 

Let the fabric sit for 15-17 minutes. When you’ve finished applying stain remover on your fabric wait for 15-17 minutes. You can use your phone to track the time.

Step Three: 

Wash your fabric/clothing according to the washing tag. To find out the cleaning tag, you can look inside on your clothing. 

You can use laundry detergent as you use regularly to remove the stain treatment.

Most of the delicate fabric may require you to hand wash. Don’t wash your fabric if there’s still stain remains.

Step Four: 

Apply the rubbing alcohol. Open your rubbing alcohol bottle and put the rubbing alcohol in a small bowl. After that, take your clean and white cloth.

Put an old clean towel under the stained area. Dip the cloth into rubbing alcohol and dab it on the ink stain.

You must wring out the excess alcohol so that your fabric/cloth is damp but not dripping wet.

Rubbing alcohol should dissolve the ink stain from your fabric as you do so. So, continue blotting it until the ink stain is completely removed.

During this time, don’t scrub the ink stain. If you scrub the stain spread further on your fabric.

And don’t use rubbing alcohol on your delicate fabrics like wool or silk.

Step Five: 

Just rinse the spot with cold water. When all of the visible ink is gone out, run the area under cold water in the sink.

It will remove the rubbing alcohol and lingering ink particles before you put your cloth in the washing for the wash.

Don’t use warm water, because cold water is more effective at removing ink stain rather than warm water.

Step Six: 

Wash your fabric/clothing again, check the cleaning tag and follow the direction. Wash your item as normal, but paying attention to any special care instructions so that you don’t damage your fabric. 

You can dry it well this time. But before you dry your clothing/fabric recheck again to make sure that the ink stain is completely removed. If it hasn’t, repeat the process again.

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3. How to Get Ink Stains Out of Polyester Fabric with Rubbing Alcohol:

Your polyester fabrics have been stained with ink? Don’t be worry! You can remove them at home. Always try to deal fast with an ink stain.

If you do so, it will be easier to remove. Here I’m going to show you how to remove ink from your polyester fabric. So if you’re looking for this, read the full method.

Things You Needed:

1. Paper towels or clean white cloth.
2. Rubbing Alcohol.
3. Cold Water.
4. liquid Laundry Detergent.
5. Washing Machine.

Step Number 1: 

At first blot the ink away: If you start cleaning an ink stain when it happens, you may be able to blot it out easily.

Take your paper towel and then blot the ink stain area, continue this and as much as you can remove the ink before it’s dry.

When you blot the stained area, move the paper towel to a clean spot each time to avoid smearing the ink.

Step Number 2: 

Carefully read the care label: Before you use any cleaning product on your fabric, please be carefully check the label inside your fabric, to make sure there aren’t specific instructions for cleaning.

If your fabric requires hand wash, wash your fabric by hand.

Step Number 3: 

Apply rubbing alcohol on the ink stain: Once you’ve done the blotting, take your rubbing alcohol bottle and open it because now you have to use it.

Before you put rubbing alcohol on the stain place an old towel under the stained area. 

Apply a little amount of rubbing alcohol on the ink stain area directly. And then, gently blot it with your paper towel, repeat the process until the ink completely comes out from your fabric.

Step Number 4: 

Use cold water to rinse the stain: Once you’ve used the rubbing alcohol on your fabric “after that” rinse your fabric in cold water.

If you found there’s still some ink, again apply the rubbing alcohol.

Step Number 5:

Wash your fabric as usual: Before you wash your fabric check the cleaning tag once again.

If your fabric machine washable, then throw your fabric in the washing machine and launder as usual. But if your fabric, not machine washable so hand wash it.

Step Number 6: 

Re-check your fabric to make sure there’s no ink stain: Hope there’s no ink stain remains.

But before you dry your fabric, once again check your fabric to make sure there’s no ink stain left.

Step Number 7: 

Just let your fabric air-dry: Air dry is the safest way to dry fabric or clothing to prevent any stain from setting. So, put your fabric/clothing for air dry.

Last Words:

Hope now you know about how to remove ink out of fabric & you can remove ink from your different types of fabric at home. 

Always make sure you read your fabric cleaning code to avoid any damage. Try to deal with ink stain as quickly as possible.