How to Remove Ink Stains from Jeans

Everyone has their own favorite pair of jeans. And when the best pants get inked, you don’t have to throw them away. Ink stains on jeans can be easily removed so you can keep your favorite pants. It’s as simple as possible to get rid of the ink stain as soon as possible. On the other hand, long-standing ink stains can also be removed.

Table of Contents

Clean with Isopropyl alcohol or hairspray

Place a clean, white towel inside the pants, under the stain. Using a white towel will prevent the color from sticking to the fabric during the ink stain removal process. Besides, putting a towel in the pants will prevent the ink from spreading to other areas. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Pour a small amount of 90% Isopropyl alcohol or spray hairspray directly onto the ink stain. For small ink stains, you can use a cotton ball or cotton swab to dab the alcohol on. ^{[2] X Research Source} Carefully pour the alcohol slowly and only on the ink stain so that the ink does not spread too widely.

Absorb the ink stain with cotton wool or a cloth with good absorbency. Use a fresh cotton ball or clean cloth each time you dab the stain, as the ink will be sucked out of your pants after you pour alcohol or spray the hairspray. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Wash pants in cold water to remove alcohol or hairspray after the ink stains fade. Use cold water as hot water can cause residual ink to adhere and make it harder to remove.

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Put the jeans in the washing machine and wash in cold water. Check to make sure the ink stain is completely gone before drying as the heat from the dryer can cause the ink to adhere more tightly. If the ink is still sticky, you should clean it again with alcohol before washing again.

Remove ink stains with a stain remover

Test the stain remover in an inconspicuous spot, such as the inside of the waistband, to make sure the pants are not discolored. Before using a fabric stain remover, make sure it doesn’t cause your jeans to fade or change color. The inside of the waistband or the hem of the pants are good places where you can try a stain remover.

Apply the stain remover to the ink stain. Depending on the type of ink you will need to use a different stain remover for effective removal. One of the following stain removal products can help remove ink stains ^{[4] X Research Source} :

Apply a stick-on stain remover to the ink stain
Spray a pre-wash stain remover on the ink stain
Oxygen bleaching products

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Allow the enzyme in the stain remover product time to remove the ink stain. Read the instructions on the product label and wait the required amount of time before washing the jeans.

Remove ink stains with vinegar

Mix vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Make sure to use cold water, not hot water. High temperatures will make ink stains difficult to remove.

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Soak the stain in the vinegar mixture for at least 30 minutes to allow the vinegar to penetrate the stain. Soak the area on your pants that has ink stains in the vinegar mixture. The pants will soak up the vinegar water and cause the ink stain to spread. You should place a clean towel under the ink stain to absorb the ink that flows out. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Try soaking skinny jeans in a shower gel overnight to dissolve the ink stains!

Susan Stocker

Stain cleaning specialist

Susan Stocker operates and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the leading green cleaning company in Seattle. She is locally known for her model of outstanding customer service – winner of the Better Business Torch Award 2017 for Ethics & Integrity – and is a strong advocate of fair pay, employee benefits and corporate governance. green sanitation.

Susan Stocker
Stain cleaning specialist

Make a mixture of baking soda and water. Mix baking soda with water in a ratio of 3:1 to make a thick paste.

Use an old toothbrush to apply the mixture to the stain. Gently apply the mixture to the stain in a circular motion. Leave the baking soda mixture on the stain for about 30 minutes. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Gently scrub the stain with a toothbrush to allow the baking soda to penetrate the fabric and remove the stain. Dip the brush in a clean vinegar solution to rinse it out during the scrubbing process.

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Wash the pants in cold water and check if the ink stain is clean. If ink remains, you can use a stain remover (commercially available) to further remove it before putting the pants in the washing machine to clean.

Wash jeans after removing ink stains

Remove the ink stain as cleanly as possible with alcohol, stain remover, or vinegar. Follow the instructions in the article to remove the ink stain as clean as possible.

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Wash jeans separately in detergent and cold water. It is best to wash the pants separately after removing the ink stain so that the ink does not get on other clothes in the washing tub.

Advice

Test the stain remover in an inconspicuous spot on the jeans like the hem to make sure it doesn’t discolor or further stain the pants.
If the Isopropyl alcohol method doesn’t work the first time, you should try again turning the pants inside out to draw ink from the inside of the pants.
Do not soak jeans in hot water or dry jeans before removing ink stains. High temperatures will cause the ink to adhere and be difficult to remove.

Steps

Clean with Isopropyl alcohol or hairspray

Remove ink stains with a stain remover

Remove ink stains with vinegar

Wash jeans after removing ink stains

Advice

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