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• Method 1 of 2: Remove ink with alcohol
• Method 2 of 2: Remove ink with household products

Is ink leaking from your printer? Maybe a nice pen you got from the company for your 10 years of service gave up after a month of moderate use to keep itself in check. Whether there is ink all over your table or desk, you have a few options to tidy it all up. The faster you get to the ink stains, the easier they are to remove!

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Method 1 of 2: Remove ink with alcohol

1. Pat any spilled ink dry as soon as possible. Step one in all ink removal processes is dabbing. Remove ink that has not dried as soon as possible by dabbing it with a piece of kitchen paper dampened with water.
   • Do not rub ink stains before dabbing them firmly.
   • Repeat the method of dabbing with wet kitchen paper a few times until no more ink is transferred to the paper.
   EXPERT TIP

   Apply alcohol or hairspray. Alcohol is one of the best cleaning products out there. If you already have some hairspray somewhere, it probably does the job just as well. It can be used on laminate, wood, metal, plastic and glass, as well as most other common materials.

   • Wet a cotton ball completely with alcohol or hairspray. Squeeze the excess liquid from the cotton ball.
   • Rub the ink stain in small circular motions until it disappears. The cotton ball soaks up the ink.
   • Cheap hairspray will do just as well as expensive ones. Usually, the cheaper the hairspray, the higher the alcohol content.
2. Repeat the process with a new cotton ball, if necessary. Apply firm pressure to the stain while rubbing. Don't scrub too hard, though, or you risk damaging the finish on the table or desk you're cleaning.
   • Remove ink from metal by applying a generous amount of alcohol directly to the metal surface of the table. Rub the stain off with a clean cloth.

Method 2 of 2: Remove ink with household products

1. Try the cleaner in an inconspicuous place. Regardless of which way you choose, choose a small and harmless place to test the method.
   • You don't have to test the ink-removing aspect of the method. Only test the cleaning method to make sure you don't damage or otherwise mark the surface you hope to clean.
   • Do not rub too hard, as materials such as cotton wool and baking soda have a degree of abrasion and can damage some surfaces.
   • Do not forget to clean the area where you remove a stain with a cloth dampened with water or a paper towel.
2. Try with baking soda. Mix baking soda with water until you have enough spreadable paste to cover the ink-stained desk or table. Baking soda can be used on almost anything, including laminate, metal, plastic, wood, and glass.
   • Spread the paste thickly over the stain and rub it in with your fingertips or a toothbrush.
   • Use a clean damp cloth to gently scrub the surface and remove the paste. Do not scrub too aggressively as this can scratch the surface of various materials.
   • Repeat the steps if necessary.
   • Wipe the area with an alcohol-moistened cotton ball.
3. Use toothpaste. Toothpaste with baking soda in it works particularly well. Coat the area well and gently spread the toothpaste over the surface of the stained area.
   • Rub the toothpaste off with a cloth dampened with water. Wipe gently on softer surfaces to avoid scratching.
   • If any toothpaste remains, wipe it off with a cotton ball moistened with alcohol.
   • If the table or desk is made of wood, let the paste sit for 10 to 15 minutes. For other surfaces, a shorter time will probably suffice.
4. Apply acetone or nail polish remover. The cleaning power of acetone is so well known that it is used to remove nail polish! It will probably also remove the ink stain without any problems.
   • Place a cotton ball on the opening of a bottle of nail polish remover and shake gently to allow the cotton ball to absorb the liquid.
   • Rub the ink stain gently until the ink is lifted.
   • Be extra careful when using acetone or nail polish remover. Wear gloves and don't forget to test the surface for color fastness.
   • Acetone can be used to clean metal, glass, plastic, and even leather.
5. Opt for an insect repellent or sunscreen in a spray bottle. Spray bottle applications designed for your skin can also be used to remove ink effectively by seeping under the stain itself. These work especially well on plastic surfaces.
   • Make sure to test an inconspicuous area as the varied strength of these products can sometimes damage the surface of a table or desk.
   • Spray the stain until it is completely saturated with the repellent or sunscreen.
   • If the stain is particularly small, apply the spray to a cotton ball and rub it gently.
   • Rub the spray off with a clean soft cloth. If the stain is still on, repeat the steps.
6. Remove a long-standing ink stain from wood with mayonnaise. To remove an ink stain that has been there for a while, especially from a wooden surface, you need a heavy-duty cleaning agent. Add the mayonnaise.
   • Fold a thick layer of mayonnaise on the stain and leave it on overnight.
   • Wipe the mayonnaise off with a wet paper towel and rinse the wood with another paper towel dampened with water.
   • Scrub the surface of the wood with a cloth and wood polish to get that little bit extra.