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Home / Cleaning Guides / Kitchen & Bath / Bathroom Appliances and Fixtures / How to Remove Ink from Porcelain

How to Remove Ink from Porcelain

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

Bert asked: How can you remove pen ink from a porcelain sink? My pen burst while I was writing and I ran over and put it in the sink. Now, there’s a blue ring in the sink and I can’t clean it off.

Ink requires a solvent or cleaner that can break it down so that it can be removed. Fortunately, porcelain provides a hard surface that can tolerate most cleaning products. Follow the guidelines below to start with the least abrasive/chemical cleaners and work up to more powerful applications until the stain is removed.

You Will Need:

  • Hairspray (the cheap kind tends to work best)
  • Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Acetone nail polish remover or acetone
  • Mild soap
  • Water
  • Spray bottle (optional)
  • 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 porcelain.

  1. Begin by applying hairspray to the ink area. You can spray it on, but it may be easier to get a good coating by removing the lid and pouring some on.
  2. Allow it to sit for a minute if possible, but not so long that it dries. Hairspray contains alcohol, which is what lifts the ink.
  3. Wipe the area clean with a soft cloth. Apply more hairspray if necessary to keep the area moist.
  4. Repeat as necessary.
  5. If the stain still remains, moisten a Magic Eraser and gently rub over the area. These erasers are slightly abrasive so avoid using too much pressure, but they often provide excellent results on these types of surfaces.
  6. If the stain is still visible, use a clean cloth moistened with acetone nail polish remover (or plain acetone), and rub the area and remove the stain.
  7. In the unlikely event that the stain is still on the surface, moisten a soft cloth with rubbing alcohol and use it to gently scrub the area.
  8. Repeat as necessary until the stain is completely lifted.
  9. Finally, clean the area as normal to remove any residue from the cleaning products. Use a mild soap to clean the surface and rinse completely.

Additional Tips and Ideas

  • 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.
  • If you don’t have any of the above products, try using some white vinegar instead.
  • Goof Off is a commercial cleaner, available at any department store, that has been successful in removing many types of stains, including ink.

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About the Author

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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. debbie says

    August 22, 2012 at 12:10 am

    I work for the post office. The porcelain sinks are badly stained. Any advice?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Annette says

    December 15, 2012 at 1:26 am

    The hair spray worked awesomely well. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Wayne says

    July 31, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    Well, I missed the pen in the pocket and had a few spots on some clothes but big blotches on the washer, which had a porcelain tub. I tried turpentine with no results. Hit it with hairspray and a rag… clean as a whistle! Thanks for the advice. The hairspray helped remove some stains on some clothes completely and lightened others. I did not dry them first… I may be a guy, but I figured that one out myself. 😉

    Reply
  4. Tatyana says

    October 2, 2013 at 3:51 pm

    I successfully used lemon juice and a sponge to clean a porcelain cup stained with bottle ink. Works! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Michelle says

    October 17, 2016 at 6:42 am

    My daughter was cleaning out a cup with a pen that busted. She left dark blue ink all over the sink. It was a huge eyesore on my sink; I had to do something. I had the items listed on the website. I used rubbing alcohol; it lightened it. The stain was set in for two days. The hairspray and a sponge worked like a charm, even though it was sticky. Thanks to whoever posted this; you have saved my life.

    Reply
  6. Deborah says

    September 7, 2017 at 5:12 am

    That was a great article. Every bit of information was useful and well written, easily understandable and all of them work–I tried them. I made stains on the dryer, sink, tub, in washers and every product worked to some degree, most completely.

    Reply

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