Sciencemadness Discussion Board

How to remove ink and dyes

biko76 - 10-4-2010 at 16:49

Greeting everyone. As a first time posting to your message board I hope my question is acceptable and meaningful.

First, my background in chemistry is rudimentary at best. I understand that the reaction between acetone, hydrogen peroxide and bleech can be used to remove ink in certain circumstances. However, this same combination has also shown to be unable to remove such inks.

Can anyone suggest a sure method used to remove any type of ink in any circumstance.

Your time given this post is greatly appreciated.

psychokinetic - 10-4-2010 at 17:09

I can't think of a sure method, but after making azo dyes my lab coat was a mess. I just washed it with hell and fury for a month. It's white again, finally.

Formatik - 10-4-2010 at 17:50

I haven't tried any of the following, they're from an old encyclopedia called Roempp's Chemie Lexikon:

Dye (aniline dye, tar dye) stains:
Use dilute lime of chloride (then followed by 10% sodium thiosulfate solution to wash it out); Eau de Javelle, H2O2, or 10% conc. sodium bisulfite (this together with strongly dilute hydrochloric acid) can be use to chemically decompose and bleach. Chlorine containing products should be avoided with silk and wool. Dipping in 0.1% conc. KMnO4 solution, rinsing, and then dipping in oxalic acid solution and washing.

Ink stains:
Treat with alcohol, red tints treat like dyes. Can spray with water and then on the moist stain let tartaric acid powder, citric acid solution (maybe juice from lemons and NaCl), or potassium hydrogen oxalate act on it. These destroy iron gall ink complexes. With remaining residues of ink (usually bluish tar dyes), then the same measures taken against dyes above can be used. Another way: iron gall ink is dabbed with strongly dilute hydrochloric acid (5mL conc. HCl with 95mL water mixture), and then to this is added some hdyrogen peroxide, this is then washed. Sometimes milk is helpful (its reductases reduce aniline dyes to the colorless leuco form).

[Edited on 11-4-2010 by Formatik]

JohnWW - 10-4-2010 at 20:18

Quote: Originally posted by Formatik  
I haven't tried any of the following, they're from an old encyclopedia called Roempp's Chemie Lexikon:

I have uploaded that handbook, in German, to my Rapidshare Premium account, and posted links for downloading it in the References section. I can also seed it as a Torrent download, if requested.

biko76 - 11-4-2010 at 05:55

Quote: Originally posted by JohnWW  
Quote: Originally posted by Formatik  
I haven't tried any of the following, they're from an old encyclopedia called Roempp's Chemie Lexikon:

I have uploaded that handbook, in German, to my Rapidshare Premium account, and posted links for downloading it in the References section. I can also seed it as a Torrent download, if requested.


Thank you for responding. Would you suggest the same method from the book you proposed to remove in from not only cloth but paper products?

Formatik - 11-4-2010 at 11:12

Those are just some old (iron gall inks are hardly used anymore) general methods removing those stains. On paper some of those might leave wrinkles and cause bleaching (bleaching shouldn't be bad if it's not recycled).
Quote: Originally posted by JohnWW  
I have uploaded that handbook, in German, to my Rapidshare Premium account, and posted links for downloading it in the References section. I can also seed it as a Torrent download, if requested.


I made due with an older version that's from like the 1970's, but I'm glad to see newer versions in circulation.

[Edited on 11-4-2010 by Formatik]

zed - 26-4-2010 at 05:03

Ink? Stains? Removed from what?

12AX7 - 26-4-2010 at 07:09

HI, BILLY MAYS HERE FOR OXYCLEAN!

Cough, ahem..

[Edited on 4-26-2010 by 12AX7]

franklyn - 26-4-2010 at 17:03

Every circumstance is different. Usually liberal application of the
inks own solvent will effectively remove it to the point where what
may remain is unnoticeable. Some inks such as toners are actually
plastic and requires more judicious choice of solvent. Inks that may
contain salts which can leave embedded metals are something
that requires chemical treatment to remove , such as acid for iron.
The material which is being treated must of course be able to resist
whatever treatment is applied. My preference for overall remover
is methylene chloride but it is usually only available as paint stripper
in pint cans.

.