Ballpoint inkon washable cotton
Do NOT throw it in the wash first — water spreads ballpoint ink into a bigger, permanent blur.
Phase 1: Immediate first aid
Use what you have right now. Nothing to buy.
Blot & isolate
Don't wet it. Slip a folded sheet of kitchen roll under the stain so the ink has somewhere to go.
Pantry pre-treatment
You need
15 ml Isocol / Rubbing Alcohol
Isocol / Rubbing Alcohol: Around 70% strength, from any pharmacy. Not methylated spirits.
Called something else where you are?
- Isocol / Rubbing Alcohol
- 🇺🇸 🇨🇦Rubbing Alcohol🇬🇧Surgical Spirit / Isopropyl🇦🇺Isocol / Rubbing Alcohol🇳🇿Isopropyl Alcohol / Rubbing Alcohol🇩🇪Reinigungsalkohol / Isopropanol🇫🇷Alcool à 70°🇪🇸Alcohol isopropílico / Alcohol de farmacia
Method
Dab it on with a cotton pad — dab, don't rub — and move to a clean part of the pad as the colour transfers. Patch-test first; it can lift dyes and some wood finishes.
Final flush & wash
Rinse the treatment out from the back with cold water. Wash on the care-label setting, then air-dry and check in daylight before any tumble-drying — heat sets whatever is left.
Why this one's tricky
Ballpoint ink is oil-based dye, so water spreads it and washing first is the classic mistake. Put a folded sheet of kitchen roll underneath, then dab the ink with Isocol (rubbing alcohol) (or alcohol hand gel) so it transfers down into the towel. Move to a clean bit of towel as it fills. It can take a few rounds. Once nothing more transfers, wash as normal. Gel and felt-tip inks behave differently and may need a specialist product.
Phase 2: Deep restoration
If a faint shadow remains after the initial rinse, or for fabrics that cannot tolerate water agitation:
Residual ghost-ring or dry-clean-only fibre?
Normal washing often won't shift the last trace of a set-in stain. Treat it with a targeted spotter before it goes anywhere near tumble-dryer heat — heat locks in whatever is left.
AlbaChem Dry Spotter
Solvent-based spotter for grease, oil, wax, make-up and ink. Works without water, so it suits fabrics that can’t be wet-cleaned.
Apply a few drops with a cotton bud, tamp gently, then flush as the label directs. Patch-test first.
- Vanish Oxi Action
Pick the formula labelled for this stain type — the range is split by stain.
Build your laundry first-aid kit
Top 3 essential spotters for next time — one for each stain family.
- AlbaChem Dry SpotterGrease, oil, wax, make-up, ink
- Alba-ProBlood, urine, grass, chocolate
- Alba-TanWine, coffee, tea, tomato, curry
Always patch-test on a hidden area first. Never mix bleach, ammonia, vinegar or peroxide together. For valuables, see a professional cleaner.