How to clean pen marks from your clothes

If you have small children at home, this is one of the unpleasant surprises they are sure to give you one day, since whenever they use pens it not only ends up on the paper, but also on their clothes and on other surfaces around the home such as tables, tablecloths and even on the walls. We are going to give you some tips to avoid them staining their clothes, or, if they already have, some others to clean them out as best as possible.

The challenge of getting rid of ink stains from white clothes

If you don’t want to spend your whole life scrubbing out stains, it is best to act as soon as they stain their clothes to make life easier:

• Alcohol: this can be the solution to many things, but also for cleaning ink stains on clothes. Apply a little alcohol to the stain and then iron it immediately afterwards, passing the iron over the stain several times. Then put it in the washing machine and it should come out.

• Nail varnish cleaner: acetone and nail varnish remover can also be a good solution to clean ink stains from clothes, providing that they are recent stains and either of these two products are applied indirectly, i.e. first on a clean cloth and then rubbing the stain with the cloth. The garment should then be washed in the washing machine on a cold water wash with a cupful of salt.

• Hairspray: this is a home remedy to get rid of ink stains from clothes, but for it to be effective we have to make sure the hairspray does not go right through the fabric. Place a paper towel under the stain, spray the hairspray on it and rub the stain with a cotton bud. The paper towel will absorb the stain and avoid it passing through to the other side of the garment. Wash the garment in the washing machine afterwards.

• Liquid detergent: when you know the stain is recent, the simplest trick is to apply liquid detergent directly over the stain using a clean cloth, and then wash it immediately afterwards in the washing machine.

• Stain remover: there are many different pre-wash stain remover sprays on the market. Apply it to the stain and allow it to work for a few seconds, then dry the product with a clean paper towel until the stain disappears.

• White wine vinegar: wet the stain with a mixture of vinegar and water and leave it for at least an hour. Wash the garment as normal afterwards.

• Cream of tartar and lemon juice: if you haven’t heard of cream of tartar, it is a type of salt known scientifically as potassium bitartrate. It is used to make creams and meringues, for example by mixing it with egg whites to make a foam and for the mix to rise quicker. Mix some cream of tartar and lemon juice to make a paste and then apply it directly over the stain. Allow it to work for about an hour and then wash the garment as usual in the washing machine.

• Toothpaste and baking soda: mix some toothpaste and baking soda together and then wipe the mixture onto the ink stain using a cloth. Wait a few seconds before rubbing it with a damp cloth in circles.

If the stain has been allowed to dry on the garment, here are some more tips to try and get rid of it:

• Soak a piece of cotton wool in alcohol and place it over the stain. Apply pressure until you see the stain start to dilute. It may take a while, so be patient. When the stain has faded, submerge it in a receptacle with milk at room temperature and let it soak overnight. Wash it with cold water in the morning and there will be no sign of the stain.

• Another option is to soak a piece of cotton wool in vinegar and press it onto the stain. Then submerge it in lukewarm milk for a few minutes and then wash it in cold water and neutral detergent.

How to clean pen marks from skin

• Washing ink marks from the skin of a child is much easier if it is water-based ink. In this case, it will wash off easily with warm water and some mild baby soap.

• If it is alcohol-based or permanent ink, the following can be used to get rid of the ink from a baby’s or child’s skin:

• Soap and slightly warm water: solid or liquid neutral or hypo-allergenic soap can be used so as not to damage the baby’s skin. If using a bar of soap, rub it over the stain, whereas with liquid soap, put some on a thick towel and rub it. 

• Hand cream: the oilier, the better. Apply the hand cream to the stain and wait for 5 to 10 minutes. Wash the area afterwards with a damp sponge. Repeat the process if necessary, but wait for about half an hour so as not to irritate the child's skin.

• Cleansing milk: pour some cleansing milk on a piece of cotton wool and gently try to clean off the mark from the baby's skin, particularly if the mark is on the baby's face. Wipe off the remains of the product using a clean cloth and then bathe the child.