Ink Pen Exploded in the Dryer? This Surprising Cleaning Agent Removes All Traces

It’s happened to the best of us. You’re folding warm laundry fresh out of the dryer when you notice it—dark blue or black streaks across your favorite clothes. With a sinking feeling, you realize that an ink pen made its way into the load, exploded from the heat, and now your clothes, the dryer drum, and possibly your day are ruined. Before you resign yourself to buying new clothes or calling a repair technician, there’s a surprising solution that might save both your laundry and your dryer: rubbing alcohol.

The Solution: Rubbing Alcohol to the Rescue

Isopropyl alcohol (commonly known as rubbing alcohol) is remarkably effective at breaking down and removing ink stains. Unlike many other cleaning agents that merely spread the ink around, rubbing alcohol actually dissolves the ink components, making it easier to lift away completely. Here’s how to tackle both your stained clothes and dryer:

For Ink-Stained Clothes:

1. Act quickly. The fresher the stain, the easier it is to remove. Don’t put stained clothes through another wash cycle without treating them first.

2. Place the stained area face-down on clean paper towels. The paper towels will absorb the ink as it dissolves.

3. Pour rubbing alcohol directly onto the back of the stain. Use 90% isopropyl alcohol if possible, though 70% will also work.

4. Blot (don’t rub) the stain with a clean white cloth or cotton ball soaked in more rubbing alcohol. You should see the ink transferring to the paper towels below.

5. Replace the paper towels as they absorb ink and continue blotting until no more ink transfers.

6. Rinse the area with cold water once the ink appears to be gone.

7. Pretreat with laundry stain remover and wash the garment according to its care instructions.

8. Check the garment before drying. If any ink remains, repeat the process—heat from the dryer can set remaining stains permanently.

For a Stained Dryer Drum:

1. Ensure the dryer is completely cool and unplugged for safety.

2. Saturate several clean white cloths or strong paper towels with rubbing alcohol.

3. Wipe down all ink-marked areas inside the dryer drum. The alcohol will dissolve the ink, transferring it to your cloth.

4. Use fresh alcohol-soaked cloths as needed until no more ink transfers to your cleaning cloths.

5. For stubborn spots, hold an alcohol-soaked cloth against the stain for 30-60 seconds to allow the alcohol to penetrate and dissolve the ink.

6. Finish by wiping the entire drum with a clean damp cloth to remove any alcohol residue.

7. Leave the dryer door open for 30 minutes to ensure all alcohol fumes dissipate before using the dryer again.

8. Run the dryer empty for 15-20 minutes with a few old towels to ensure all cleaning agents are gone before adding regular laundry.

Tips and Considerations

Fabric Testing: Always test rubbing alcohol on an inconspicuous area of colored fabrics first. While safe for most fabrics, it could potentially affect some dyes.

Ventilation: Work in a well-ventilated area when using rubbing alcohol, as the fumes can be strong.

Alternatives: If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, hairspray with a high alcohol content, hand sanitizer, or nail polish remover (acetone) can work in a pinch—but these may damage certain fabrics, so use with caution.

Prevention: Develop a habit of checking all pockets before loading laundry into the washer. Consider keeping a small basket near your laundry area specifically for items found in pockets.

Persistent Stains: For white clothes with stubborn ink stains, a diluted bleach solution can be used after the alcohol treatment. For colored items with set-in stains, try a paste of baking soda and water.

Commercial Products: While rubbing alcohol works wonderfully, commercial ink-removing products like “Amodex” or “Goo Gone” are specifically formulated for ink stains and may be worth keeping on hand.

Dryer Maintenance: After cleaning ink from your dryer, consider running an empty load with old towels first to ensure no residual ink remains that could transfer to your next load of laundry.

Professional Help: If you’ve tried these methods and still have significant ink staining in your dryer, or if the ink has gotten into the mechanical components, it might be time to call a repair technician.

The Science Behind the Solution

Rubbing alcohol works so effectively because most ink formulations are alcohol-soluble. When applied to an ink stain, the alcohol breaks the bonds between the ink and the fabric fibers or dryer surface. The ink essentially dissolves into the alcohol solution, allowing it to be blotted away rather than just smearing around.

This scientific principle makes rubbing alcohol far more effective than water-based cleaners, which often just spread the stain. It’s also why you should always work from the back of a fabric stain toward the front—pushing the ink out the way it came in rather than through more clean fabric.

Conclusion

Discovering ink stains throughout your laundry can feel like a disaster, but with a simple bottle of rubbing alcohol from your medicine cabinet, you can tackle even the worst ink explosions with confidence. The key is acting quickly and being thorough in your cleaning process. What seems like a laundry emergency can be resolved with this inexpensive household solution, saving your favorite clothes and keeping your dryer in pristine condition. The next time a pen sneaks into your laundry, you’ll be prepared to erase all evidence of the mishap.