The Expert Way to Get Ink Stains Out of Clothes

To remove a larger, stronger ink stain or an ink stain on a delicate piece of clothing, you're going to want to start by running the item under cold water.

Try rubbing the fabric against itself to get some of the ink out. Then fill a bucket with hot water and mix in liquid laundry detergent and a splash of ammonia. Dip the clothing in the mixture and rub the stain with your hands and against the fabric, rubbing ink out.

Once you're done, let the item soak in the bucket for approximately an hour. You can vary the time depending on the size of the splotch. Check on it and stir and rub the stain as often as needed.

When the stain is faded or gone completely, rinse the clothing under cold water, rub in a little more liquid detergent, and throw it in the wash. After you let it air-dry, the stain should be gone.

If you happen to notice that your favorite pair of jeans — the one that fits perfectly in all the right places — has an ink stain, don't panic. In this situation, isopropyl alcohol and table salt will be your best friends.

First, you'll want to grab a paper towel to blot out any extra ink. For denim, make sure to dab at the stain, rather than rub, just to make sure you don't rub any of the ink deeper into the fabric.

Next, you'll want to grab the salt. Sprinkle it generously over the stained area, then dab at it with a wet paper towel. Sweep off the excess salt, and repeat the process until there is no more ink appearing on the blotted salt and paper towel.

Once you've finished the salting process, lay out extra paper towels underneath the fabric, and grab the isopropyl alcohol. Add a couple of drops to the stain, and grab a cotton swab or toothbrush and scrub it into the ink. Once the splotch is gone, run the denim under cold water, and throw your jeans in the wash on a cold cycle.

Once you've finished, let them air-dry, and the ink should be completely gone.

For the stains that may be at the bottom of your favorite leather purse or on those cute leather pants you like to wear on date night, there are a couple of solutions. The most important thing to know is timeliness is key; the quicker you notice the stain, the better, because letting ink settle into leather makes it much harder to get out.

The first option is to buy leather cleaner, which is specially formulated to remove ink stains from even the most delicate and worn-in leather pieces. The leather cleaner is also great for protecting your products and very easy to use.

The second option is simply soap and water, and this technique works better on the fresher stains. Grab a dry paper towel and blot at the stain to remove all the excess ink, then grab a new, damp paper towel, add a dollop of soap, and gently wipe at the ink until it's gone. Once you've finished, just let it air-dry.