How can I remove pen stains from my shirt?
For regular ball point pen you can use aerosol hairspray. The solvent that keeps the hairspray thinned out enough to spray dissolves the ink. This will only work if you have not previously washed and dried the shirt. For permanent marker or very consent rated ink like is used in an old fashioned quill style pen, you can use a product called goof-off. You can buy it at any paint store or your home improvement store like Home Depot. With either method: Fold up several paper towels to make a thick pad under the stainn. Spray the hairspray, or Goof Off on the stai let it set just a few seconds, and then blot with another pad of paper towels. You may have to replace the paper towel pad as they start to soak up the stain. After the stain is removed pre treat the spot with detergent and wash in cold water. Check to make sure the stain is completely out before you put it in the drier. Repeat the process and wash again, once the shirt has been dried in the drier the stain set for good.
* For ballpoint pens, start with just ordinary hand soap softened with warm water and then pressed gently through the fabric. This will shift the stain before rinsing, although make sure the water is neither too hot nor cold, as either will set the stain. If the stain is very stubborn, you may have to resort to methylated spirit dabbed onto the stain, which is good at removing the ink but might also remove some of the colour of the fabric, leaving a “reverse stain”. This is especially true of synthetic fabrics, in which case it is best to use a very dilute solution of one part methylated spirit to two parts water. * For felt-tip pens, many stains can actually be easily removed following a soak in detergent and warm water solution and then a wash with biological powder. Like glues, many felt-tip pens created for the children’s market are washable – If the ink is not washable, however, you can try the methylated spirit treatment mentioned above. * For fountain pens, again, most modern br
