Detailing Tip- Stain Removal:Ink

By Les Chung
http://www.nodents.com

"Detailing Tip- Stain Removal:Ink"

Stains!
Coffee, gum, koolaid, punch, crayons, ink, etc etc.
Man, there are ALOT of ways to stain a vehicle interior, huh!?

And, usually, the worst case scenario is for fabric interiors.

So, today, we will focus on one of them: ink.

Ink is a very common stain, as we all use pens, and eventually, an ink stain seems iminent.
So knowing how to remove ink stains, is a great tool to have in your detailing arsenal.

Step one: Clean the area. You can use a mild interior cleaner like blue coral interior cleaner or your favorite one, but cleaning is a great way to start:
NOTE: Some detailers will skip this step and go right to the money shot...

Step two: Try a mild cleaner before you go major. So, go with denatured alcohol, and, don some gloves on those hands prior to using chemicals.
Alcohol is a very passive cleaner and agent and is very safe to use. If you want, use a new, white terry cloth to wipe the ink out..dabbing 1st is recommended as you dont want to drag across the fabric more of the ink..and ink has a tendancy of spreading if you let it.

Step three: If the alcohol didnt do the trick, bring out the reinforcements: acetone. Make sure you have adequate ventilation (means open all the doors), and repeat the same procedure as you did with the alcohol, but prior to going to town on your stain, test a small inconspicuous area with the acetone to be sure it doesnt lift any dye from the fabric..if it does, forget it-dont use it.
If that doesnt do the trick, get some dye and prepare to dye the area, as acetone is about as strong a chemical you will want to use, otherwise you risk removing the factory dye in the fabric.

Now, get to work!

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