At work, in the learning process and in everyday life, we often use ballpoint and gel pens. Unfortunately, all pens have one drawback. Traces of them often remain on clothing, bags and furniture. In this regard, many are interested in the question of how to clean various items from pen marks.
Getting rid of ink left on leather or leatherette items is especially difficult. This is due to the structure of such products. Well, if the stain is old, then ordinary soap and water will not remove the pollution.
However, solving such a problem is not difficult. In this article, we will talk about the most effective ways and means by which you can very quickly and with minimal effort wash ink from dermantine products.
Special Cleaning Products
There are several special cleaning products that can completely clean ink traces from dermantine:
- Soap. If the ink stain is completely fresh, it can be removed with a regular soap and brush. To do this, a special brush for clothes or an old toothbrush is quite suitable. Soak it in water and apply soap on the bristles. Gently rub with a brush and soap on the surface of the product. When the pollution disappears, the soap needs to be washed off.
- Faux leather stain removers. It is better to use this particular product, because its composition is developed taking into account all the features of natural and artificial skin. We take the solution and process the pollution, as it is written in the instructions from the manufacturer. Sometimes you need to wait a while for the tool to act. Wipe up any stain remover with a damp cloth.
- Alcohol. To remove ink from a pen on a coat or bag, ordinary alcohol or a solution containing alcohol in its basis — vodka, medical or ethyl alcohol, cologne — is well suited. Take a cloth or cotton, moisten it with alcohol. Then treat the area where there is contamination. You can also wipe the stained area with a special damp cloth for office equipment. Ink dissolves in alcohol, so the stain should disappear.
- Washing solutions for dishes. The chemical composition of these products is used when cleaning products from natural and synthetic leather. In this case, you will not do any harm to the material. Dampen a cloth or sponge, apply the product and wipe the surface of the product. Then take a damp cloth and wipe off any remaining solution. If contamination remains, repeat the procedure.
- Ammonia. Also very effective. We take a glass of water and add 1 teaspoon of ammonia there, mix and wipe the pollution with the resulting solution. The surface of the product is treated again with plain water, wiped dry and rubbed with glycerin.
- Car Wash. Those who have a car can take advantage of this. Apply it on a dirty surface and rub it with a cloth. Then be sure to treat with soapy water and wipe dry. If the trace does not disappear, repeat this procedure.
- Melamine sponge. Made from melamine resin, which has good cleansing properties. Soak a sponge in a soapy solution. In a circular motion, without pressing, treat the synthetic skin, and remove the resulting foam with a dry cloth.
Solutions prepared at home
These are solutions prepared at home using the components that are available in every family. The use of such funds will be the best and safest option.
- Salt. This method is perfect when you need to remove the trace of a pen from clothes or a sofa. Add a little edible salt to a regular soap solution. The resulting mixture must be applied to the stained place, rub the trace of the pen and leave it in this form for two hours. When the stain disappears, remove the remaining salt with a damp cloth and wipe dry.
- Soda. Saves ink contamination. Dilute 1 teaspoon of soda in half a glass of warm water. Dampen a cloth or sponge with this solution and rub the surface. Rinse off the remaining soda with water and wipe dry.
- Lemon and citric acid. Moisten a cloth with lemon juice and wipe the contaminated area. This process must be repeated until the traces of contamination have completely disappeared. Citric acid is also used for these purposes. The scheme is the same. Apply a little citric acid to a cotton pad or rag and wipe off any dirt. The remains of citric acid should be washed off with a prepared soapy solution and wiped dry. If a trace remains, apply acid a second time and repeat all steps again.
- Vinegar. Instead of lemon juice, you can use vinegar. The method of its application is the same as in the previous case. After removing contamination, the remaining vinegar must be washed off with water.
- Lemon juice with milk. Take a little lemon juice and milk and mix them in equal proportions. Apply the resulting mixture to the stain from the handle using an ordinary cloth or cotton pad, leave for 30-40 minutes. Wipe off the rest of the mixture with a clean sponge or cloth.
Precautionary measures
- In order to keep the item in good condition and not to spoil it, it is advisable to conduct an experiment in a hidden area of the product before removing traces from the handle.
- To avoid the use of chemical solvents, it is best to start the cleaning process immediately after ink gets on the surface of the material.
- Use chemical solvents of only high quality and from reputable manufacturers.
- Do not hold chemicals for too long so that they do not soak into the fabric.
- After removing chemical contamination, wipe the surface of the material with soap and water and wipe dry. Treat your skin with glycerin to prevent negative effects and restore softness.
- Using some means, it is necessary to use additional means of protection. So, when using a melamine sponge, it must be borne in mind that melamine is a very toxic substance. To avoid its harmful effects, a protective mask should be used.
- When choosing a method of removing ink from a faux leather pen, you must consider the color of the surface.
What should not be used when washing ink with dermantine
- In rare and most complex cases, the surface of artificial leather is cleaned with aggressive agents such as kerosene, gasoline and acetone. Since these solvents can damage the surface of the material and even lead to damage to things, they should be used only if other methods have not yielded results.
- Sometimes, sulfur is used to clean products made of hard leatherette, which is usually used for sewing furniture. However, on soft material, it often leaves scuffs. Therefore, you can not use sulfur to clean clothes and bags.
- The nail polish remover will also help remove traces of the pen. But at the same time as the ink, the top coat of paint may be removed. Therefore, you should not use this tool to clean objects with a dark surface.
There are many ways to remove ink from dermantine products. Which one to choose is up to you. It all depends on the thing, the complexity of the situation and the availability of the necessary funds.
However, if the ink is deeply absorbed and the above methods do not work, the product should be dry cleaned. Professionals work there, and there are also specific tools for removing contaminants of various nature.
