This post is a little different to the norm in that it is not about a specific ink type or cartridge but about what to do if you get printer ink on your clothes.

You know that when you are refilling a toner or ink jet cartridge then chances are it’s going to be a messy job, and you are bound to get toner or ink on your hands, clothes and probably on the desk as well. Cleaning an ink stain can be a bit of a challenge if the ink gets a chance to set.  So we thought it might be a good idea to give you a few tips for removing printer ink stains from skin and clothing.

If you have an ink spill the first thing you’ll want to do is wash your hands. You don’t want to inadvertently touch other things or wipe your hands on your clothes. Try using just regular soap and water at first to get the majority of the wet ink off your hands. Once the bulk is removed you can use a more abrasive cleaner, like what mechanics use, to scrub off the rest of the stain.

The next thing you need to do is get that ink off your clothing. If the ink is still wet try to blot as much of it up as you can with a paper towel. This will keep the stain from wicking further into the fabric and making an even larger stain.

Once the paper towel can’t lift any more ink it’s time to try cleaning the garment.  Pour some isopropyl alcohol onto the ink spot and then dab at it with a fresh paper towel. This should lift away most of the stain.

If there is still some discoloration then you can try moving up to nail polish remover, acetone. Be careful though as acetone can damage synthetic fabrics like nylon.

Your final option is to use a commercial stain remover such as Shout and then launder the clothes if they’re machine washable. For dry clean only items simply take the piece in to the dry cleaners and tell them exactly what type of stain it is. They should be able to help you out.

Related posts:

  1. Tips and Hints for Refilling Ink Jet Cartridges
  2. Hints and Tips for Installing an Ink Cartridge
  3. A Guide to Buying Printer Paper
  4. Tips and Hints for Making Your HP Toner Cartridge Last Longer

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Filed under: Helpful Info • How To

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