A Guide to Removing Any Kind of Ink Stain

Learn to remove ink stains with common household items.

We've all been there—a leaky pen in your pocket, a printer cartridge replacement gone wrong. Ink stains happen, but treating them doesn’t have to be a pain! Bonus? You can easily keep it eco-friendly with this step-by-step guide.

What You’ll Need

Fun fact: you don’t need harsh chemicals to remove ink stains! You can get rid of most with easy, eco-friendly items from home—a clean cloth or a paper towel to blot the stain, rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or mild dish soap to treat it, and a soft toothbrush for light scrubbing.

Step 1: Identify the Stain Type

Act fast—but if you can, check the label on the pen or marker to find out whether it’s made with water or oil-based ink.

Blot up any extra ink to keep it from soaking deep into the fibers. The quicker you deal with a fresh stain, the easier it is to remove.

Water-Based Ink

• Washable Marker
• Printer Toner

Use: Alcohol or White Vinegar 

Oil-Based Ink

• Ballpoint Ink
• Permanent Marker

Use: Mild Dish Soap 

Step 2: Treat the Stain

Pretreating is an important step that helps loosen the ink from the fabric.

Take a small amount of your chosen pre-treatment (alcohol or white vinegar for water-based and mild dish soap for oil-based ink) and apply it directly to the ink stain. Gently work it into the fabric using your fingers or a soft-bristled toothbrush.

Let the pre-treatment sit for at least 15 minutes.

Step 3: Soak the Stain

For tough stains, mix one tablespoon of Blueland Oxi Booster with a quart of warm water. Soak the stained garment in this solution for at least 30 minutes—longer for particularly tough stains. After soaking, rinse the stained area with cool water to help remove any leftover cleaning agent. If the stain remains, repeat once more before moving on.

Step 4: Wash and Dry

Check the care label on your garment and wash according to the instructions given. If you can, opt for a cold water cycle since hot water is more likely to set stains. For more thorough stain-lifting, use Blueland Laundry Detergent tablets and add eco-friendly Oxi Laundry Booster to your wash cycle as well.

If you can, air dry your garment after washing it—high heat from a dryer is also more likely to set a stain. Once dry—check your garment. If all goes well, your ink stain should have disappeared!