How to get a pen ink stain out of clothes

To get a ballpoint pen ink stain out of clothes, act before you wash. Lay the stain face down on a clean white cloth or paper towel, then dab the back of the fabric with rubbing alcohol (or hand sanitiser) so the ink lifts out into the cloth underneath. Keep moving to a clean spot of the cloth, rinse in cool water, rub in a little liquid detergent, and wash as usual. Check the stain before drying, because heat can set any ink that is left.

Work out what kind of ink it is

Different inks come out in different ways.

• Ballpoint pen is oil-based. It does not rinse out with plain water, but rubbing alcohol breaks it down well. This is the most common pen stain on school uniforms and office shirts.
• Gel pen and rollerball ink is water-based. Start with cool water and liquid detergent, and use alcohol only if a mark remains.
• Permanent marker is the hardest. Alcohol can fade it, but it often will not come out fully.

If you are not sure, start with the gentlest method, cool water and detergent, and move up to alcohol only if needed.

Before you start

• Do not rub the stain. Rubbing spreads ink into a bigger mark.
• Do not put it in the dryer or iron it. Heat sets ink for good.
• Test first. Dab a little alcohol on a hidden spot, like the inside of a hem, to make sure the colour does not lift. Skip alcohol on silk, wool, and acetate.

How to remove a ballpoint pen stain, step by step

1. Put a clean white cloth or a few paper towels under the stain, with the stained side facing down.
2. Dab rubbing alcohol on the back of the fabric with a cotton ball or an old toothbrush. You are pushing the ink out into the cloth below, not deeper into the shirt. Hand sanitiser with alcohol works if you have no rubbing alcohol.
3. Move the cloth underneath as it picks up ink, so the ink does not transfer back.
4. Repeat until no more ink comes off. This can take a few rounds for a big mark.
5. Rinse with cool water, then rub a drop of liquid detergent into the spot with your fingers and leave it for about 10 minutes.
6. Wash as usual in cool or warm water, as the care label allows.
7. Check the spot before drying. If you can still see ink, repeat the steps. Only air-dry or iron once it is fully gone.

Ink on a white school shirt

White shirts show every mark, and pen ink on the pocket is a classic. Follow the steps above, then wash the shirt with other whites only. If a faint grey or yellow shadow is left after the ink is gone, our guide on how to remove yellow stains from a white shirt can help brighten it. To keep it white over time, read how to wash a white shirt so colours don’t run onto it.

What if the ink has already been washed and dried?

Set-in ink is harder, but still worth one try. Repeat the alcohol method a few times, then soak the area in cool water with liquid detergent for an hour before washing again. Some of the mark may stay. If it has not faded after two tries, stop: more scrubbing wears thin fabric.

The same “blot, treat, then wash” idea works for other stains too. See how to get lipstick off a white shirt and how to get a curry stain out of clothes.

When to leave it to a professional

Take it to a laundry or dry cleaner if the ink is on silk, wool, a suit, or anything labelled “dry clean only”, if it is a large leak from a pen in the washing machine, or if the piece is too precious to risk. Our post on what dry cleaning does explains how solvents handle oil-based stains without water.

FAQ

Does hairspray remove pen ink?

Older hairsprays worked because they had a lot of alcohol. Many today have less alcohol and more oils that can leave a new mark, so rubbing alcohol or hand sanitiser is the better choice.

Can I use bleach on a pen stain?

Not as a first step. Bleach does not dissolve ink and can yellow or weaken fabric. Remove the ink first, and only use a colour-safe or oxygen bleach on whites if a faint shadow remains.

Will hot water get ink out?

No. Hot water and dryer heat can set ink. Use cool water until the stain is gone.

Stubborn ink at our Cheras shop

If the ink will not budge, or the piece is too precious to try at home, Superman Laundry in Taman Cheras (Cheras Yulek) can take a look. We offer stain removal and dry cleaning, and results depend on the fabric and how set the stain is. See our prices page for current rates. Your items are never mixed with other customers’ laundry, because one machine serves one customer at a time. You can drop off at the shop, or use pickup and delivery (minimum order RM80, fee quoted by distance). We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm. Most jobs are ready within about 3 working days, and express is available. WhatsApp 013-833 5526 to ask about a stain first.