I spilled Noodler's red ink (one of the Russian inks) on my Thanksgiving tablecloth. It is mustard colored cotton damask. Any ideas or suggestions. I'd really appreciate any help.

Thank you
Elizabeth

I would try household ammonia. You might test a corner to make sure it doesn't change the dye in the fabric.

Ammonia is the classic ink zapper. It has no effect on bulletproof Noodlers but it's murder on most any other ink.

Phil

yikes! aren't all the Russian inks eternal?
I'm sorry this happened to you.

Oh dear. Are they eternals? If so, she's got a big problem if the tablecloth contains any cotton (cellulose). Maybe she'll get lucky and it's all synthetic fibers but probably not, huh?

And red, for some reason, is more problematic that most colors even with standard inks. Blue will typically wash away without a trace but reds always seem to leave a faint stain no matter what you do.

In that case, if it just happened, then by all means keep it wet! Water will slow or prevent the reaction of Noodlers with the cellulose. If it's eternal, and the tablecloth has cotton, and you let it dry. Well, that's why they call it eternal.

Try a solution of sodium metabissulfite (you can get it at a homebrew or wine making shop). Some of the cellulose reactive dyes can be "discharged" by sulfite (meaning they come back off), and since it's not a bullletproof ink, you might get lucky.

Be very careful, it's possible the other dyes will discharge as well, leaving a white spot...

I'm very careful with my Noodler's bulletproof and eternal inks -- I have some spots on a couple pair of pants already.

Peter

You're mean! (but you may be right, unfortunately)

I am no chemist. But everything that I read tells me that these inks become permanent when they interact with the cellulose in the paper.

Now, I know nothing about paper, and have no idea about what the heck cellulose is, but I think of paper... and I think of trees... and I think of cotton... and they all sorta seem like the same thing.

So I'm thinking that the magical powers of Noodlers have kicked in and not even bleach will get that out.

There aren't many reactions that are not reversible (if any). However, to reverse the reaction with cellulose may be a process that destroys the tablecloth.

That's pretty much the case for the "Bulletproof Challenge" Offer(ed?) by Noodlers - you have to remove the ink without destroying the paper its on. He doesn't claim it's completely impossible to remove - but that to remove it would destroy the paper.

So while I have little doubt that the reaction can be reversed, I don't think it's likely to be a practical solution. Sorta like curing the disease by killing the patient.

My best success with removing Noodler's from paper (and I've tried a few things) was with water and friction. I think it's mainly the friction - which physically removing the dyed cellulose from the paper. I don't think that approach will work well with cloth.

If Elizabeth manages to get her tablecloth clean, does that mean Nathan owes her money?

Oh yeah, you're right on target. Cotton is cellulose. In fact Nathan sells his bulletproof inks to artists who draw pictures on blue jeans--100 percent cotton blue jeans.

I'm not familiar with the Russian inks but if they're eternal, then we have a problem.

Elizabeth, I am sorry for your misfortune. Here are some lyrics from one of my favorite artists which might make you feel better:

Leave It Like It Is

David Wilcox
From the album How Did You Find Me Here?, © 1989


Now when the paint jar tipped off of the table
You watched as it started to fall.
Glass popped, shattered and splattered.
The paint spray hit the wall.

Bright blue glossy enamel,
Across the kitchen floor.
You said "Good God, look at that pattern,
I've never seen that before."

Leave it like it is.
Never mind the turpentine.
Just leave it like it is,
It's fine.

When the paint dried you gave it a title
You called it Kitchen Blue.
A white frame painted around it,
And gallery lighting too.

Rich folks come over to dinner
They all want one of their own.
They say "How much?" " Who is the artist?"
And "My, what a beautiful home."

Leave it like it is.
Never mind the turpentine.
Just leave it like it is,
It's fine.

Most folks suffer in sorrow,
Thinking they're just no good.
They don't match the magazine model,
As close as they think they should.

They live just like the paint-by-numbers
The teacher would be impressed.
A lifetime of follow the lines,
So they're just like all of the rest.

Leave it like it is.
Never mind the turpentine.
Just leave it like it is,
It's fine.

This is a slightly crazy suggestion -- actually it's probably barking mad -- but I'll advance it seriously as a way of salvaging the tablecloth in some fashion, since damask is certainly worth keeping, if possible. Do you like the colour of the ink in question enough to have a damask cloth of that colour? If so, it might be worth exploring the price of a sufficient quantity of ink to dye the entire tablecloth. I have no idea what the relative value of the tablecloth & such a quantity of ink might be, but it might possibly make sense on sentimental or economic grounds.

Again, this is just an wild idea that occurs to me; I know nothing at all of dying cloth.

Bad News Elizabeth.

Translation from the bottle
противопульные чернила против ин�трументов подделывательниц=bulletproof ink against the tools of forgers.

I cant get the font to match exactly. it comes out weird. but its the writing at the bottom left of the Lable that curves along the line of the other fish.

once it has dried it won't come out.

Sorry.

sorry I couldn't get the Cyrillic font to work.

Here's another important safety tip:

Noodler's Bulletproof Black Ink does not come out of a $100+ silk Italian tie given to you by your wife.

And your wife will not let you forget it.

Here's a survival tip:
Spend $100 on a replacement tie.... it's cheaper than a new wife

OTOH, my late wife would've shrugged and got on with the rest of her life