When you get a tattoo, the last thing on your mind is how to get those inky marks off your clothing once they’re healed. However, that moment comes all too soon for many of us. Even the most careful and selective of us will find ourselves with a permanent piece of body art on our clothes from time to time. Luckily, removing tattoo ink from clothing isn’t as difficult as you might think. Read on to discover how to get tattoo ink out of clothes so that you can wear that cherished garment again without fear of being caught by your friends or significant other ever again!
How To Get Tattoo Ink Out Of Clothes
1. Wash the Tattooed Area
Before you begin, wash the tattoo with gentle soap and warm water. This will remove any excess blood, ink, or fluids. Then pat dry with a clean towel.
2. Dab on Toothpaste
Toothpaste is an excellent home remedy for removing ink from clothing. Simply rub the toothpaste into the area of the garment that has been affected by the tattoo. Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing out with warm water and patting dry again. You may notice that some of the ink comes off with just one application; if not, try repeating this process until you have removed as much of it as possible. If you find that your garment has been stained by your tattoo, don’t worry! There are plenty of other ways to remove black ink from fabric in this article here: How to Remove Black Ink From Clothing.
3. Try Rubbing Alcohol or Hand Sanitizer for Inks That Don’t Come Off Easily
If your tattoo isn’t coming off easily, try rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer on it instead of toothpaste (the rubbing alcohol may work better). These products contain ingredients that will break down and dissolve inks more quickly than toothpaste will on its own. However, they should be used carefully as they can also damage certain types of fabrics if left on too long. After applying one of these products to your garment and letting it sit for a few minutes, use a clean, damp washcloth to scrub off the ink.
4. Use a Hair Dryer to Heat Things Up
If your ink still won’t come off after using alcohol or hand sanitizer, try using a hair dryer set on low heat to help loosen it up. Hold the dryer about three inches above the fabric and work in small circles until you’ve removed as much of the tattoo as possible. Be careful not to leave the dryer in one place too long or it could burn your garment! If you find that this doesn’t work, try repeating step 3 with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer instead of toothpaste.
5. Use Goo Gone to Remove Permanent Markers from Clothes
Goo Gone is an excellent product for removing permanent markers from clothing without damaging the fabric itself (much like rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer). However, if you don’t have any on hand you can also try WD-40 or nail polish remover instead! Spray some of these products onto your garment and rub them into the affected area with your fingers until they are gone. If you find that they aren’t working alone, try repeating step 3 with toothpaste instead of rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer and follow that up by spraying on more Goo Gone and rubbing again with your fingers until all signs of ink disappear!
Make Sure The Ink Is Dry Before Washing.
Wash the garment as soon as possible.
If you can, wash your clothing immediately after getting a tattoo or as soon as you notice the ink on it. The longer ink sits on clothing, the harder it is to remove.
Use a non-bleach detergent and a warm water setting.
Non-bleach detergents are gentler on clothing than bleach and will help to keep colors from running or fading during the washing process. Warm water also helps to keep colors vibrant and prevent fading during the wash cycle.
Use an enzyme-based detergent.
Enzyme-based detergents are specially designed to break down oils, fats, and protein-based stains. Because tattoo ink is made up of all three, it’s the perfect candidate for this type of detergent.
Add a cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle if needed.
If you’re having trouble getting all of the ink out, try adding a cup or two of white vinegar to the wash cycle. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and anti-bacterial agent that will help to get rid of any lingering smells from your tattoo as well as any residual ink in your clothing.
Wash on hot if needed, but avoid dry cleaning at all costs!
While dry cleaning can be used to remove some inks from clothing, it can also damage fabrics and fade colors in the process. It’s always best to avoid this harsh chemical when possible!
Use Regular Laundry Detergent.
- If you’re lucky, all you’ll need to do is wash the clothing item using a regular laundry detergent. If the ink isn’t set in, this should take care of it.
- If the garment is made of polyester, make sure that you use a detergent designed for polyester clothing. Regular laundry soap may cause the ink to set in further, making it harder to remove later on.
- If this doesn’t work and the dye from your tattoo has already set in, there are still plenty of options available to you!
- Use baby wipes or rubbing alcohol on the ink stain first if it hasn’t already been set by regular washing or a detergent meant for polyester clothing. This will help break down any oils that have built up and will allow both of these steps to work better!
- Next, apply some liquid dishwashing soap directly onto the spot where your tattoo was and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before laundering as usual (if possible). The dish soap will help break up any oils left behind after using baby wipes or rubbing alcohol and help lift out the remaining pigment from your clothes!
- Finally, if none of those methods worked, there are some more drastic measures that can be taken. Try a pre-treatment product designed specifically for removing permanent ink stains from clothes.
Try A Stain Remover Specifically For Dark Clothing.
- Try using a stain remover specifically for dark clothing. Most of these products are designed to remove stains like lipstick, grease, and ink. It’s worth a try before you go out and buy new clothes!
- Try washing your garment in the hottest water possible with a good amount of detergent.
- If that doesn’t work, try soaking it in a bucket of warm water mixed with some hydrogen peroxide for about 30 minutes. Let the garment soak until the stain begins to fade away; then, launder it as normal!
- If that doesn’t work, try using rubbing alcohol on an old toothbrush or cotton swab to rub out the stain from the inside of your garment. Be sure to use some rubber gloves to avoid making your hands smell like rubbing alcohol! This method is very effective on black garments because the color of tattoo ink is actually pigment, not dye. You can also use this method for white garments if you don’t mind them being tinted yellowish-white afterward! The only way this won’t work is if you have body art on your clothing made with red ink – no amount of rubbing alcohol will get that out unless you want your clothes stained pink forever!
Conclusion
Ink stains on clothing can be frustrating, but they aren’t impossible to remove. Be sure to treat the stain as soon as it occurs, and you’re more likely to have success with removal. If you’ve tried all of the above methods and nothing has worked, you may want to let the stain sit and fade away naturally. You can often tell that a stain is fading from the yellowish tinge it has when new.
