How to Remove Ink Stains from Wooden Furniture

Mix baking soda. Baking soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate) is great for cleaning because it becomes a mild abrasive when combined with water. Baking soda is safe to use on wood because it is gentle but effective. To make a paste, simply pour baking soda into half a cup of water, adding little by little until the mixture thickens like a paste. ^[3]

Spread baking soda on the ink stain. Use your hands to rub the mixture onto the ink stain, remembering to cover the entire stain. You don’t have to scrub: just let the baking soda do the work. If you scrub too hard, you can damage the wood surface. Rub with baking soda and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. ^[4]

Clean. Use a soft cloth moistened with water to wipe off the baking soda mixture. Wipe until the ink stain is completely gone. For larger stains, you may need to repeat the process several times. Once satisfied with the result, you will finish the job by using another soft cloth to dry the wood surface.

Test the mineral alcohol on the wood surface. Mineral tincture is also known as pine oil substitute. You can find mineral spirits at hardware stores. Put a little alcohol on a cotton ball and rub it on a hidden part of the furniture. If you see a bit of the finish flaking off with the cotton ball, don’t use this method. ^[5]

Apply mineral alcohol to a damp rag and gently rub over the ink stain. Next, you use a wet cloth to wipe off the mineral alcohol. If the stain remains, proceed to the next step.

Use superfine steel wool (no. 0000). Scrub the ink stain with steel wool dipped in mineral alcohol. Rub gently and in the direction of the wood grain. Try not to rub off the finish more than necessary. The less the finish is lost, the easier it is to refinish the piece of wood afterwards.

Clean the wooden surface. Use a new rag to wipe off mineral alcohol and wood dust after rubbing steel wool. Now the stain is completely gone. Refinish the wood surface if necessary. Otherwise, you can wax or polish as soon as possible to preserve the surface finish.

Prepare the wooden surface. Pour a little denatured alcohol onto a clean, soft rag and wipe the wood surface to remove dirt and impurities. If the wood has a surface finish, you will have to remove the finish. You can sand if you don’t mind the effort, or chemically strip the finish. ^[6]

• If chemicals are used to remove the finish, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area, as harsh chemicals such as methylene chloride found in the product can cause serious eye, lung, and skin damage.
• Lacquer paints and lacquers can only be removed with denatured alcohol.

Select the type of bleach to use. Common household bleach contains chlorine that works to remove dye stains and can remove stubborn ink stains. Another option is wood bleach that contains oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is very effective for iron-containing stains, including some inks. Another option is a 2-component wood bleach. The first component contains sodium hydroxide, and the second component contains hydrogen peroxide. The first component will expand the pores in the wood; the second component will react with the first component. You can find wood bleach at any hardware store. ^[7]

• As with other harsh chemicals, you need to work where there is good air circulation. Use gloves to protect your skin and wear a mask to protect your lungs.
• When using two-component bleach, you need to use a separate rag for each component to prevent the two chemicals from reacting.

Rub bleach. Use a clean rag to rub the bleach into the stain, avoiding the surrounding area. Let the bleach sit on the wooden surface for 10 minutes. Repeat again if necessary.