Ballpoint inkon stone & wood surfaces
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 paper towel under the stain so the ink has somewhere to go. On stone or wood: wipe up fast — porous surfaces wick stains in quickly.
Pantry pre-treatment
You need
15 ml Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing Alcohol: Around 70% strength, from any pharmacy. Not methylated spirits.
Called something else where you are?
- 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 color transfers. Patch-test first; it can lift dyes and some wood finishes.
Final flush & wash
Wipe clean with a cloth dampened in cold water, rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly. On wood, never leave water standing.
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 fiber?
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 dryer heat — heat locks in whatever is left.
AlbaChem Dry Spotter
Solvent-based spotter for grease, oil, wax, makeup 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.
- Carbona Stain Devils
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, makeup, 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.