Oh no! I wash and dried a blue pen with the laundry, please help!

[vacuumfreeeke]

I feel like such an idiot! It's been years since I've done this. I *always* check the pockets... I guess I missed one this time. Blue ink is all over most of my work khakis and polos and a brand new pair of shorts. I know that cheap hairspray and alcohol can be used as a spot treatment for ink. However, the damage this time is massive... there are several spots all over everything in the entire wash! There's not enough time in the world to spot treat all those spots. I have the whole load soaking in a bathtub of Oxiclean (though I think it's made for organic stains)... I had to rush off to work and needed to do something! Is there some kind of solvent that I can buy to soak the load in and get the ink out of them without doing each individual spot? I would need something that is safe to be run through a washer and dryer afterwards. Any help at all would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[launderess]

Commercial laundry supplies have "batch" ink removal chemcials designed to deal with ink and lipstick runs of an entire wash load. Ask around if any local chemcial supply will sell you some.

OTHO, the only option I've found that works well is to treat each stain with Fels Naptha soap (vintage if possible). Fels contains either Naptha or Stoddard solvent (newer contains the later), both are solvents and will remove some ink stains. Well, least they always have for me.

 

[oldhouseman]

I have a

bar of that stuff that's ....not sure how old. I found it in my house a couple of years ago when I bought it. My house is 210 years old so I can't tell you about the bar of soap. It was on a shelf in a bathroom that I suspect was used for washing things out by hand. According to the family I bought the place from they always sent laundry out to be done (no washer connections in the house). The house was built in 1797 but had been in the family I bought it from since 1811. I don't have a use for the bar. I will gladly cut it in half and send one half to you (I want to retain some for the history of the house) if you wish. Email me if you want it and I am happy to send it.

Greg in Sparta, Ga.

 

[launderess]

Honey if that bar is as old as you say, it will not "cut". Indeed attempts at cutting old dried out Fels bars will result in shattered shreds. I know this because my stash if filled with a case or two (or three) of vintage Fels soaps that are near petrified or on there way there state. Personally prefer old dried out bars of soap as they are much easier to grate.

If you wish to divide that bar of Fels, a touch with a hammer in the right spot ought to do the trick.

L.

 

[volvoguy87]

Ink.

The one time my fountain pen leaked, (Aurora Blue ink to be specific) I used a product called "Amodex," and BOY DID IT WORK! I spot treated the stain, and the stain came right out in my hands! It was on a shirt with a pattern, and the pattern was not damaged or faded by the Amodex.

After spot treating, wash of course. Just to be safe, do not run these clothes through the dryer until you are certain the stains are out.

Just my experience,
Dave