How to Remove Ball Point Pen Stains from Cotton

Co-authored by Rani Gorgis

Last Updated: September 23, 2022 References Approved

The pen you had in your pocket leaked, or you wiped your sleeve across a page of ink that was not dry yet. Now you have a stain on your favorite cotton shirt or pair of jeans! If you just toss the garment in the wash as usual, the stain will likely become permanent, but with a bit of patience and some common household items, you can remove most ink stains completely. This guide will teach you to identify the kind of stain you are dealing with, and provide methods for removing different kinds of ink.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Assessing the Stain

1
Determine what kind of ink you are dealing with. Not all pens that have a ball are actual "ballpoint" pens, and different pens use different kinds of ink that must be removed in different ways. Traditional ballpoint pens (like the ubiquitous Bic and Paper Mate) use a fast-drying, oil-based ink that requires a solvent to remove. Rollerball pens, on the other hand, (common manufacturers include Uni-Ball and Pilot), use water-based inks that are fairly easy to remove, while gel pens use a highly-pigmented type of ink that can be a bit more difficult.^{[1]
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- If you have the offending pen, go to the website of any online office supply store and search for the name/model of the pen. The product description will tell you if it is a ballpoint, rollerball, or gel pen.
- You can also check the pen manufacturer's website for more information, and product-specific ink-removal instructions.
2
Deal with a mystery stain. If you do not have the pen and don't know what kind it was, first try the method for removing ballpoint ink. If that doesn't work, move on to the method for rollerball ink, and finally, the method for gel ink. Rinse the garment thoroughly between each treatment, but do not put it in the dryer until the stain is gone!

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3
Read your fabric label. If your garment is machine-washable, as most cotton garments are, you should be safe treating your stain at home. If your garment is dry-clean or hand-wash only, you are better off taking it to your neighborhood dry-cleaner for assistance. The cost to have a shirt laundered is usually under $5, and you will save a lot of time and hassle.
- Be sure to tell the dry cleaner what kind of pen caused the stain, or better yet, put the pen in a plastic bag to prevent further staining, and bring it with you.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Removing a Ballpoint Pen Stain (Oil-Based Ink)

1
Find a suitable solvent around your home. The most fabric-friendly way to remove an oil-based ink stain is with Ethanol (Ethyl alcohol,) which is a common ingredient in many household products. ^{[2]
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Research source} Rubbing alcohol, hairspray (preferably aerosol, not alcohol-free), or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer are all great choices.
- Prepackaged hand-wipes and some brands of baby wipes will also do the trick in a pinch.
2
Place the stained garment on an absorbent surface. You can use a dry white (bleachable) towel, or several layers of paper towels or napkins. This will give the ink somewhere to go. Make sure that only one layer of fabric is resting on the towel, otherwise, you risk spreading the stain to another part of the garment, as well.
3
Apply your alcohol-based solvent of choice. If you are using rubbing alcohol, soak a cotton ball in it, and dab it liberally onto the stain. If you are using hand sanitizer, squirt some out and rub it into the stain using a cotton ball or your fingers. If you are using hairspray, spray it on until the fabric is saturated. .^{[3]
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- If you are using a wipe, blot the fabric firmly, trying to really squeeze the solvent into the stain. You can also leave the wipe on the fabric, and place something heavy on top of it (like a dinner plate weighted with a book, or can of food) for several minutes.
4
Wait 3-5 minutes. The solvent may need a few minutes to break down the oils in the ink, depending on how strong it is, and how long the stain has been there.
- Alcohol-based products can dry out quickly, so dab/spray more on as needed to keep the stained-area damp long enough for the ink to break down.
5
Blot the stain. Use a clean, dry cloth to blot the stain. You want to try to press the ink out of your garment, into the blotting cloth and the absorbent surface underneath. Most, if not all of the ink should come away readily at this point.
6
Repeat the treatment as needed. If you were able to remove most of the ink using your alcohol solvent, you are on the right track! If some ink remains, move the garment to a clean part of the towel, or put some new paper towels down under it. Apply a bit more solvent, wait, and then blot it once more.
7
Wash the stained area using detergent. If there is just a bit of ink remaining, or you think you got it all but want to make sure, apply a small amount of your normal laundry soap or to the affected area. Let it soak in for a few minutes. Then rub the fabric together to agitate it, and rinse it thoroughly under warm water.
- If the stain is completely gone, you can launder the shirt as usual.
- If the stain is not gone, repeat the above method, or try one of the methods for other types of ink.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Removing a Roller Ball Pen (Water-based Ink) Stain

1
Soak the stained garment in milk. Skim milk works best. There is no need to soak the entire garment, just the portion that is stained. Wait at least half an hour, and then scrub the stain gently with a toothbrush, cuticle brush or similar soft-bristled brush, and rinse thoroughly with warm water.^{[4]
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2
Treat any remaining ink stain with a powdered color-safe bleach. Mix the bleach powder with a small amount of water to form a thin paste. Rub this paste into the stained area, and let it sit for 1/2 to 1 hour. Then scrub the stain with a soft-bristled brush, and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
- Your stain should be entirely, or at least mostly gone at this point.
3
Repeat the previous two steps, if needed. If the stain is responding to the above methods but is not quite gone, then repeat the previous two steps. If it is not responding, rinse the garment thoroughly, and try either the method for removing gel ink stains, or the method for removing ballpoint ink stains.
4
Launder the garment using your normal detergent. Inspect it thoroughly before placing it in the dryer. If the stain is not 100% gone, continue treating it until it is. The heat of the dryer will set any remaining ink and make the stain permanent.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Removing a Gel Pen Stain (Highly-pigmented Ink)

1
Hand-wash with soap or regular detergent right away. Gel ink manufacturers all confess that removing gel ink can be difficult, if not impossible, due to the highly-pigmented nature of the ink. Your best bet is to get the stain out as quickly as possible using an all-purpose cleaner. Add a small amount of your normal detergent, stain removal gel, or even liquid hand soap directly to the stain, and rinse thoroughly with running water. Then try to blot out any remaining ink by pressing the fabric between two absorbent cloths, or stacks of napkins or paper towels.^{[5]
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2
Treat the stain with ammonia. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of household ammonia in warm water. Soak the garment in the ammonia solution for 1 hour. Rinse thoroughly, then hand-wash with your normal detergent, scrubbing the stain with a soft brush, if needed.^{[6]
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- If the stain is responding to this treatment, repeat as needed until the ink is gone, and launder as usual.
- If the ink is not coming out, continue on to the next step.
- NEVER mix ammonia with chlorine bleach.
3
Treat the stain with an alcohol and vinegar solution. Mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol with cup of vinegar. Place the garment on a clean dry towel, and apply the solution to the stained area with a rag or a spray bottle until the fabric is thoroughly saturated. Allow the solution to soak in for at least 5 minutes, then pour a small amount of table salt over the stained area. Wait 10 more minutes, and then scrub the stain with a soft brush, and rinse with hot water.
- If this method removed some, but not all of the ink, repeat until the stain is gone.
4
Experiment with other methods. Gel ink formulas differ, and while some simply can't be removed, others may respond to alternative treatment options. If the above methods didn't work, you can always try the methods for removing ballpoint or rollerball ink. Just make sure to rinse the garment very thoroughly between experiments to avoid mixing chemicals. You might get lucky, or you might have to learn to live with your newly-enhanced garment.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you get ink out of clothes that have been washed and dried?

Rani Gorgis
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.

Rani Gorgis

Laundry & Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

Using either your fingers or a small bristle brush, go over the stain in a circular motion with rubbing alcohol or a mix of baking soda and hot water. If that doesn't work, try using bleach with a mix of hot water.
Question

How do I remove zebra pen ink?

Community Answer

Get bleach or rubbing alcohol and grab a cotton ball. Place a towel underneath the first layer or front layer of the shirt and start to rub, then throw it in the washer and wash as normal.
Question

What is rubbing alcohol?

Community Answer

Rubbing alcohol is either isopropyl alcohol or denatured ethanol. "Denatured" means that the ethanol has been made unsafe to consume so that it doesn't fall under laws that govern alcoholic drinks.

Warnings

The heat from clothes dryer will usually set an ink stain permanently. Never dry a garment until the ink-stain is completely removed.

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Cleaning products can cause skin irritation. Wear gloves to protect your hands.

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Never mix ammonia with chlorine bleach. If you use ammonia to treat a stain, be sure to rinse the garment very thoroughly before laundering it with bleach.

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