HELP! Ink on school uniform

[arlenan]

Hi All,

Doe anyone have any tips for getting ink out of a nursing school uniforms? I washed mine with a black gel pen and have blotched spots. I have tried carpet cleaner (turned from black to light brown), hairspray, and alcohol. I made due today with chalk of all things. I would appreciate any tips. I am willing to try anything since it will take 3 weeks to get another set of uniforms.

Thanks,

Arlena N

LPN Student 1st semester

[jkapelao]

try lemon and milk.

[Cats3cat]

Cheap hairspray is a good start.

I read all the others must say never tried coke before.

Borax and oxyclean have the same ingredients recommend soaking over night. It worked for me on a dress that the drycleaner couldn't destain.

Chlorox and vinegar work geat on armpit stains but must be done in a well ventilated area as make chlorine gas.

I usually stay with the oxyclean as it doesn't leach the colours out of patches etc on uniforms.

White uniforms were to show that we are clean and to pay attention to hygiene.

Over the years many places have switched to other types and the public wants it switched back, they can't tell the players in the game without the white.

[ICRN2008, BSN, RN]

I spilled some gram stain reagent (similar to ink) on the sleeve of a blouse once. I could not get the stain out to save my life, so I turned the shirt over to my mother. She poured rubbing alcohol through the stain, holding a thick white towel underneath. While she was doing that, she dabbed on the top with another white towel. I think she said it took her a few hours (and a few bottles of alcohol, but those are cheap), but I just wore the blouse again the other day and it looked as good as new! Aren't moms great?

[DR2004RN]

The same thing happened to me once and I was soo upset! I had spent a truckload of money on my uniforms and could not afford a new set, so I found this stuff at my local grocery store (Kroger's) it was called CARBONA. There are different ones for different things like grass, coffee, etc. There is also one for ink. It took several applications but the stain came out 100%!! I was able to continue wearing for the last two semesters of nursing school.

[vickynurse]

"SAVE 1 LIFE & YOU'RE A HERO - SAVE 100 & YOU'RE A NURSE"

Hmmm...So a nursing instructor saves how many lives?

[weirdRN, RN]

I have had a number of stains over the years. The only one I have not been able to get out YET is the bile stain where a patient vomited on my shoelaces.

What I have done in the past is this:

Inkstains: I got eletrosol dish detergent and made a paste and let it sit over night.

Carbona works well for a number of things. Borax and Oxy-clean are the same thing under a diff name. Rit has a whitener brightener thingy that I LOVE. They also have a color remover. I have used with sucess hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, coke, windex, and spray-n-wash and the clorox bleach pen And the Mr Clean majic eraser. I have also used vinegar, lemon and even hairspray

Usually as soon as I get home I empty my pockets. Spray any stains that I notice, and avoid drying stains in the dryer (that sets them).

The fabric paint is an idea. getting new uniforms from a local store is an option. Maybe you could be honest with your instructors and let them know what is going on and tell them you are waiting for a new set to come in??? Maybe one of them might have a sure fire way of removing the ink stain.

Good luck and let us know what you find that works. As you can see, most of us have had stains.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

I see you got the stain out....so I just wanted to post this stain remover for blood...plain old milk. Just soak or pour milk over the blood spot ( might need to rub a little)...it will take it right out. Another thing for most stains that linger a little...hang them out to dry in the sun...works wonders!

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

I was amazed to find that hanging baby diapers and clothes out in the sun actually got stains out or at least faded them to the point of them being barely visible.

While I was in beauty school a long time ago we had to wear all white. Other students told me to pour straight bleach on my uniform stains and then throw them in the wash. Worked great. just don't leave the bleach on too long without rinsing it out or it will make the fabric weak and it will tear.

And the blood stain and milk..... would that be milk with fat? or would fat free do the same? I'm guessing that a protein like milk has would take out a protein stain like blood in which case fat free would do ok.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

Milk & blood...yes I do believe its a protein thing. Actually my grandma told me about this & the sun. She lived on a farm, & they had to use what they had....