Can you wash out tattoo ink from clothes?

The permanent quality of a tattoo is, for many, an integral part of the appeal – body art that will grace your skin for the long haul. But that forever factor is a lot less alluring when it comes to tattoo ink staining your clothes. The good news, however, is that fresh ink smearing your T-shirt or flannel PJs doesn’t necessarily have to stay there forever. Even though it’s always wisest to plan ahead for a worst-case scenario, here we run you through how to remove tattoo ink from clothing.

Table of Contents Show

Why Do People Get Tattoos?
What’s In A Tattoo Ink?
Remove That Tattoo Ink From Your Clothes
1. Water To The Rescue
2. Use Nail Polish Remover
3. Combine Baking Soda and Water
4. Pour Some Vinegar
5. Rub That Alcohol
6. Spray That Stain Away
7. Buy A Oxygen Based Cleaner
Avoid Staining Your Clothes With Tattoo Ink
Erase That Tattoo Ink Out Of Clothes STAT!

First off, time is of the essence when you’re dealing with removal of unwanted tattoo ink, explains Brian Sansoni, the American Cleaning Institute’s SVP of communications, outreach, and membership. “Speed is the key to attacking just about any stain you get on your clothing, especially tattoo ink,” he says, “by blotting up any excess ink, then pretreating the stain with a stain remover product and letting it sit.” There isn’t a specific brand or type of stain remover he recommends, but advises to follow the instructions carefully.

Then, follow garment care instructions on the particular piece of clothing for water temperature and cycle settings when tossing it in the washing machine, “preferably using an oxygen bleach,” Sansoni says. If the ink mark isn’t fully removed after the wash cycle, opt for air drying. “Do not put it into the dryer unless the stain has been removed so it doesn’t set,” he says. “If that doesn’t work or if the clothing is dry clean only, take it to a professional, but, like with any stain, a tattoo ink stain is pretty fixable if caught and treated quickly.”

Another, less conventional method to consider when working out how to remove tattoo ink from clothing involves a common beauty cabinet staple. “In my experience, the best way to remove ink stains is hair spray,” says Terry Gauldin, owner of Backwoods Tattoo in Whitsett, North Carolina. He reassures that having an imprint of the tattoo on your shirt, pajamas, or bedsheets is a common situation on your first night post-tattoo, and emphasizes that the stain should be spritzed with hairspray after the ink stain has dried, not while it’s fresh and damp.

It’s a versatile solve, regardless of the wardrobe piece you’ve inadvertently inked. “I’ve used hairspray on all types of clothing,” Gauldin explains of the unlikely hack, which has proven to be a successful approach for any tattoo ink stain debacles he’s personally dealt with in his career. “Professional cleaning could be an option but I’ve never used that method,” he says.

Sansoni suggests that professional tattoo artists should properly educate themselves on their ink supplies in order to be able to be a helpful resource for stains. “A tip for tattoo artists: When you’re purchasing new tattoo ink, make sure you check with the manufacturer to see if they have any specific recommendations about cleaning up tattoo ink stains,” he recommends, as a way to “be in the know in case their colleagues or customers ask about it.”

Granted, despite your best efforts and the tips above, some stains just may not budge—so choose your outfits and bedding accordingly, warns Jay Cunliffe, tattoo artist and owner of Bonedaddys Tattoo and Chief Tattoo Officer for the Philadelphia Union soccer team. “In my years of tattooing, and having a lot of clothing getting hit with ink, I have found that nothing gets ink out,” Cunliffe shares. His go-to plan of attack normally involves blotting the stain with a dry paper towel if the ink is still fresh, followed by blotting then scrubbing the stain with soap and hot water. “Honestly, I’ve tried everything, and nothing seems to work. The ink will eventually fade with each wash, but if it’s a darker ink it’ll be there for good,” he says.

While it’s worth trying the aforementioned remedies offered up by Sansoni and Gauldin, as Cunliffe’s experience with stain scenarios proves, also be sure to not wear, or sleep in, anything you really cherish shortly after acquiring some new body art. “I would advise not wearing clothes that you would get upset if ink got on them. The same goes for bed sheets,” Cunliffe says. “Sometimes, for the first few days, I know ink can seep out of the tattoo, so I put older sheets on the bed to avoid stains that might not come out.”

So, as long as you don’t wear your favorite threads and dig out an older set of sheets it’s possible, with some help from hairspray, that a tattoo ink stain might disappear—unlike that new body art masterpiece, which should stick around forever.

If you liked our post, “How To Remove Tattoo Ink From Clothing”, check out Does Tattoo Ink Expire?

There’s nothing quite like getting a new tattoo. There’s that excitement and elation that you feel before, during, and after. However, what happens when it stains your clothes? That would certainly be a bummer. So before you get inked, take note of how to get tattoo ink out of clothes before they get ruined!

Why Do People Get Tattoos?

Tattoos have been a thing since ancient times. It has a fascinating history that has lasted for thousands and thousands of years.

In some parts of the world, tattooing has been part of their tradition and culture. The process of tattooing and its meanings depend on each community or tribe. Some people got tattoos to symbolize victories in battles, the enemies they have killed, to commemorate a significant event, rituals, and whatnot.

Nowadays, people getting tattoos do it for various reasons. For example, here are some of the main reasons why people get tattoos these days:

A tribute to a loved one who has passed away
Self-expression
Express creativity
Remembrance of a milestone in life

Of course, there are other reasons why some people choose to get inked. Whatever the reasons are, people are free to do whatever they want with their bodies. After all, their bodies are their temples.

What’s In A Tattoo Ink?

When you are planning on getting a tattoo, there’s one component that should be present. There would be no tattoo session without the tattoo ink. But this was not always the case.

In the old days, people didn’t use machines and inks. Traditional tattooing involved using various pointy tools handled manually. At first glance, you might get an impression that those were torture devices. But in reality, those were the tools used in inking someone then.

If you are getting a tattoo anytime soon, it’s important to know the ingredients of the tattoo ink. Remember that when you get tattooed, the ink penetrates both the outer and deeper layers of your skin. You have to know what goes into your body!

There are two main ingredients – the carrier and colorant. The carrier is usually a fluid that might contain some of these liquids:

Water
Isopropyl Alcohol
Witch Hazel
Glycerine
Methanol

The carriers are mixed with colorants to make the ink. The colorants or the pigments are added to add color or hue to the ink. These pigments might come from either natural sources such as minerals or from synthetic ones.

Remove That Tattoo Ink From Your Clothes

After getting inked, there might be times when mishaps happen. Due to the freshness of the tattoo, the ink might accidentally transfer to your clothes. If this happens, don’t panic! If you want to save your clothes, there are some things you can do to remove the ink. Take a look at some of these tips and remember them if this happens to you! [11 Ways To Get Ink Stain Out Of Clothes]

1. Water To The Rescue

If the stain is still very fresh, you can use water to soak up the stain. Apart from water, you would be needing a rag or towel. You can try dampening the rag or towel in water and then using it to blot the ink stain. While this process won’t totally remove the stain, it absorbs some of the ink, lessening the remaining spatter on the clothes.

2. Use Nail Polish Remover

Some nail polish removers contain acetone. And this particular chemical can remove tattoo ink stains from clothes. If you are going to use this method, do not pour the nail polish remover directly on the stains. When using acetone-based products, you must proceed with caution. If there is high exposure, it can be harmful to your body.

The first step is to get a cotton ball and then pour a small amount. Once the cotton is soaked, try placing it on top of the stained area for about a minute or two. After that, you can try blotting the stain.

If that doesn’t get rid of the stains just yet, you can try repeating the process. When you have managed to remove the stains, you should wash your clothes. Follow the washing instructions found on the label. Apart from making sure your clothes are clean, this also gets rid of chemicals.

3. Combine Baking Soda and Water

When we usually talk about removing stains, baking soda is one of those products that we can always trust. And it’s no different when it comes to removing tattoo ink out of our clothes.

Making the Baking Soda and Water paste is so easy. All you have to do is mix two parts of baking soda with one part water. Mix these two ingredients well until they form a paste. Once you have got that down, get some and dab it on the ink stains. You should wait until the paste dries on top of the stains. This process would help speed up the removal process.

4. Pour Some Vinegar

While it might not be the best method to use, it’s still worth a try. It might work best if the ink stain has not dried up yet. The acidity of the vinegar would help remove the stain.

If you want to make a more potent concoction, you can mix the vinegar with baking soda. By combining these two ingredients, it would create a paste. When your paste is ready, spread it on the stained parts of your clothing. Let it dry and rinse with lukewarm water.

5. Rub That Alcohol

Isopropyl Alcohol is one household item that can help remove ink stains on your clothes. Using this as a stain remover is pretty straightforward.

You can get an old cloth or rag and then pour some alcohol on it. Once it’s soaked, you can dab the damp rag on the stained portion of your clothing. The alcohol would help dissolve the ink stain and make its removal easier.

6. Spray That Stain Away

Not all of us have bottles of hairspray at our disposal. But if you happen to have a can at home, you can use it to remove tattoo ink stains from your clothes.

The active ingredient in hairspray that can remove a stain is alcohol. However, before you start using this, check the ingredients list of the hairspray that you have. Some hair sprays no longer contain alcohol. So you are better off using other removal processes if your hairspray does not have any alcohol content at all.

7. Buy A Oxygen Based Cleaner

If you aren’t comfortable using these DIY tattoo ink removal, you can always check out if you have any oxygen based cleaner in your laundry area. Known as Oxygen Bleach, it is a much safer alternative to chlorine bleach.

There are so many varieties available in the market, and it helps if you already have one at home. In cases when tattoo ink stains your clothes, you can use it as soon as possible. You don’t have to worry about your clothes bleeding because you can safely use Oxygen Bleach on colored clothes.

You shouldn’t pour the cleaning agent directly on the stained portion. It’s a must to dilute the Oxygen Bleach with water. Once you have diluted the mixture, that’s the time you can soak the blemished piece of clothing. You can try leaving it for an hour. However, if that doesn’t work, you can try soaking the clothes longer.

Avoid Staining Your Clothes With Tattoo Ink

When getting a tattoo, there are a couple of things you should remember before you do it. These are just simple reminders that would help you in the long run!

One major tip that you should take note of is to wear something loose during your tattoo session. If you are getting a tattoo on an area usually covered by a piece of clothing, don’t wear something tight.

Wearing something like that can rub against the freshly tattooed skin, causing the ink to bleed or slow down the drying process. The tattoo ink can also stain your clothes, leaving you to think about the best way to remove it. Imagine if you have to deal with these kinds of things after going through the whole tattooing process. Talk about stress!

Wearing something you don’t mind soiling is a simple life hack that you can do to avoid any tattoo ink stains setback. There might be some loose-fitting old clothes in your closet that you can take advantage of. You can make the most out of these clothes while your tattoo heals.

Erase That Tattoo Ink Out Of Clothes STAT!

When you are dealing with any kinds of stains, time is of the essence. You want to get that smudge as soon as you can. The same thing applies when you are trying to figure out how to get tattoo ink out of your clothes. As the stains wait for no one, you have to wipe it out immediately!