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Home / Cleaning Guides / Clothing & Fabrics / Furniture / How to Remove Ballpoint Ink from Vinyl

How to Remove Ballpoint Ink from Vinyl

Table of Contents:
  1. You Will Need
  2. Steps to Remove the Ink
  3. Additional Tips and Ideas

Allyse asked: How do you get black ballpoint pen out of a vinyl chair seat? We have a 50’s kitchenette set and a friend’s child drew in black pen on the cream vinyl seat.

Fortunately, vinylfurnitureballpoint ink is fairly easy to remove from most surfaces, including vinyl. Follow the guidelines below to remove the ink and return your vinyl seats to new again.

You Will Need:

  • All purpose spray cleaner
  • Household ammonia
  • Mild soap
  • Water
  • Spray bottle
  • Paper towels or soft cloths

Steps to Remove the Ink:

*Always test a small hidden section first to ensure the cleaner will not cause any adverse effects to the surface of the vinyl.

  1. Begin by applying an all-purpose cleaner to the stain.
  2. Gently wipe with a soft cloth. Avoid applying too much pressure.
  3. Repeat if needed.
  4. Rinse the area completely.
  5. If the stain remains, moisten a clean cloth with a small amount of ammonia.
  6. Place the cloth on the stain and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
  7. Use the cloth to gently wipe the area until the ink is removed.
  8. Mix a mild soap with water and use a clean cloth to clean the entire area.
  9. Allow it to dry completely.

Additional Tips and Ideas

  • Gel ink is different from ballpoint ink and is nearly impossible to remove. Use caution whenever writing with gel ink pens.
  • If you are concerned the products used above will damage the vinyl (or the test spot showed adverse effects), you can try using a vinyl conditioner to remove the ink.
  • Regular white toothpaste is another alternate cleaner that can be applied to ink stains. Simply apply and rub gently with a soft cloth. Rinse and allow the area to dry.
  • Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is also great for removing ink. Test a small hidden area first to ensure it does not cause any discolorations.
  • Acetone nail polish can also be used to remove ink, but use very little and watch for any discoloration of the vinyl.
  • As a last resort, isopropyl alcohol will usually remove the ink. Test it in a hidden area first to be sure it is safe for your vinyl item.

Cleaning Guides, Furniture, Stain Removal

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Susan

I'm a stay-at-home mom who used to run a small housecleaning business. These days I consider myself more or a mad cleaning-scientist. I do most of the testing for our articles - as well as helping Mark & Melanie write them.

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Comments

  1. Rebecca says

    November 26, 2010 at 2:55 pm

    Cheap aerosol hairspray is great at removing pen from vinyl.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 7, 2017 at 3:24 pm

      It worked for me – the hairspray that is!
      Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  2. Amy says

    March 20, 2013 at 3:41 pm

    My daughter wrote with a ballpoint pen on the seat of the school bus. They said I might have to buy a new seat for the bus. I’m going to ask that she has the opportunity to clean it off first. Which method should we use?

    Reply
    • Tammy says

      September 21, 2018 at 3:54 am

      Tell them to prove she did it…and also to know they’re children…build child protection for their school bus seats. They’re ridiculous.

      Reply
  3. Don says

    July 7, 2013 at 6:27 pm

    None of these suggestions worked on ballpoint pen marks on my truck’s vinyl seat.

    Reply
  4. Deepali says

    July 20, 2013 at 4:30 am

    Hi, I agree with Don – no amount of acetone, Magic Eraser, or Clorox bleach pen worked on my daughter’s raincoat. I could not erase old phone numbers from her vinyl raincoat…she is really upset. Guess I will have to buy a new raincoat!

    Reply
  5. Diana says

    November 15, 2013 at 2:26 am

    Thank you; the acetone did help a little. It did not take it completely away, but it did fade the blue ink so that it does not POP out at you. I have a gray vinyl Bible and it had a small blue ink line on the back.

    Reply
  6. Mary T. says

    February 7, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    None of these worked on my cream-colored bar stool.

    Reply
  7. Elvis says

    February 25, 2014 at 8:10 am

    Has anyone tried a penetrating oil like WD-40?? I too have an ink stain on a vinyl seat and none of these suggestions worked for me.

    Reply
  8. Trevor says

    March 3, 2014 at 2:56 am

    Eucalyptus oil worked well to remove pen mark from vinyl handbag.

    Reply
  9. Thrifty Mom says

    December 5, 2014 at 10:22 am

    Someone suggested hand sanitizer, so I tried it; it works. Use it a couple of times; the ink will fade eventually.

    Reply
  10. Cheryl says

    December 17, 2014 at 9:42 pm

    I found the only thing to work was the acetone. Tried Spray n’ Wipe, bicarb with vinegar, ammonia, and toothpaste.

    Reply
  11. Darlene says

    April 17, 2015 at 1:05 pm

    Try cheap hairspray; it works on a lot of things. But always test in the hidden spot first. I always use this for ink on clothes! Spray, let it dry over night, spray again, and wash as usual. Check the stain is gone before drying; if not, spray and immediately wash again! Saturation with hair spray is good. Anybody know how to clean old vinyl furniture? Help needed please. Thank you.

    Check it out! We’ve answered your question! Yay!

    Reply
  12. Diana says

    September 13, 2015 at 2:39 pm

    I used “Goof-Off” to get off a pen mark from our soft vinyl chair.

    Reply
  13. Emma says

    February 25, 2016 at 2:35 am

    My two-year-old drew all over my white vinyl couch. I used mould remover; am so relieved it worked!!! Spray it and leave for 15 minutes, then wipe off. Redo if needed.

    Reply
  14. Helen says

    March 2, 2016 at 8:11 am

    Hello – Emma, can I ask what sort of mould remover you used? We’ve got a white fake leather sofa with a big blue ballpoint pen line on it.

    Reply
    • Donna says

      June 30, 2016 at 12:30 am

      I used acetone on my pocketbook. It worked awesome.

      Reply
      • Carol says

        September 21, 2016 at 12:15 pm

        Hello Emma. With Helen, Mar. 2, 2016, I am also awaiting the name of the mold remover. Thank you.

        Reply
  15. Aaron says

    March 7, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    My daughter drew all over my seats and the only thing that is working at all is brake cleaner, but it just basically faded it and I can’t get anymore off and I tried everything, even paint thinner.

    Reply

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