If you’ve ever had ink overflow while refilling it in your pen, you know it can be a disaster. Pen ink never seems to come out of clothes or carpets. When you accidentally put a pen together with your clothes in the dryer, you’ll need to act quickly to get ink pen out of a dryer. Can a pen ruin a dryer? Yes, and that is why you should clean up the ink as soon as possible. Removing ink from the dryer is something that most people think can only be done with harsh chemicals, but it might be easier than you think. Here are a dozen ways to clean pen ink out of a dryer.
1. Warm or Heat Your Dryer’s Drum
If you start to heat your dryer, the ink will be melted and more likely to come out of the dryer. Turn the heat up and let the dryer get warm. After running the dryer on high-temperature settings for around 20 minutes, you can wipe off the inside with a wet rag. You can also use a soapy cloth to wipe off the ink, and then wash the cloth in warm water.
2. Use Soap and Water
If you don’t have the time to warm up your dryer, you can use a damp cloth or sponge to get rid of the ink. Use household soap, and scrub the ink that is inside your dryer. You can also try using laundry detergent or liquid dish soap to clean ink from your dryer. Always unplug the appliance before starting to clean it to avoid electric shocks when using soap and water.
3. Use Rubbing Alcohol
One of the easiest ways to get rid of that pesky pen ink is rubbing alcohol. Spray the inside of your dryer with alcohol, and let it sit for about 15 minutes to loosen up the ink. Then, wipe it off. Be careful to use rubbing alcohol only long enough to do the job as it may also remove some of your dryer’s paint.
4. Use Vinegar
You can use a cheap household cleaning solution if you don’t have any actual cleaning fluids at home. Just tilt your dryer upside down and pour white vinegar into the stained area. The vinegar will eat away the ink and make it easier to remove. After it dries up, take a spatula or spoon, and scrape away the ink inside the dryer.
5. Use Bleach
Although bleach is usually used to clean your clothes, you can also use it to clean pen ink from your dryer. The bleach will be able to break down the reactive chemicals in ink and, thus, get rid of the ink in your dryer. Pour about two teaspoons of bleach into your dryer, and let it sit for about 10 minutes or until the bleach is dissolved. After that, wipe off the dryer with a clean cloth.
6. Use an Adhesive Remover Spray
One of the most popular ways to clean pen ink is to use adhesive remover spray. You can find an adhesive remover in a home improvement store, or you can buy an adhesive remover that is specially formulated for cleaning pen ink. Apply the adhesive remover spray on a cloth or sponge and wipe off the pen ink inside your dryer. Repeat the procedure, and complete it by cleaning the dryer with soapy water.
7. Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another chemical that can safely remove pen ink from your dryer. Use a sponge or cloth, pour the peroxide on it, and then wipe to get rid of the pen ink. Scrub lightly for about 30 minutes if the dryer has dried ink.
8. Use an Industrial Absorbent
Another way to clean pen ink out of the dryer is to use an industrial absorbent formulated to remove ink from clothing. Before buying the industrial absorbent, you should know what ink was used on your pen. You have to know whether it’s India ink or ballpoint pen ink; otherwise, the industrial absorbent will not be able to get rid of the pen stains.
9. Use Acetone
Many professionals use acetone to remove ink from clothing. In most cases, acetone can remove ink from the dryer. It will be able to dissolve the ink as it evaporates, which makes it easier to clean out. However, check with your dryer’s manufacturer, as some dryers are incompatible with acetone.
10. Buy a Dryer Cleaner
If you can’t clean pen ink by yourself, you should go to your local store and buy a dryer cleaner or cleaner formulated for cleaning pen ink. This will be the most expensive way to remove the ink, but it will guarantee that all traces of the pen ink can be removed from your dryer.
11. Clean the Paddles
Just like the clothes inside your dryer, the paddles are also hard to clean. You can use a cleaning spray to remove ink from the paddles. This is an easier way to clean pen ink off of hard surfaces than trying to scrub it with soap and water or a solvent.
12. Remove Ink With a Magic Eraser
If you have tried everything you can think of and nothing worked, you can try using a Magic Eraser. The only thing you’re going to have to do is wet the magic eraser and then rub it on the surface of your dryer until all of the ink has been removed. If you don’t have a Magic Eraser, you can also use quicklime or lime powder for this step. Lime powder can dissolve the ink without damaging your dryer’s paint job.
As you can see, there are many different methods that you can use to clean pen ink out of your dryer. Before using industrial absorbents, it’s wise to try household materials such as bleach, vinegar, soap, and water. If all else fails, you should try using a dryer cleaner as this will guarantee that all ink is gone from your dryer, and your clothes will be safe inside.