How To Clean Ink From Sinks?

[tonydent84]

Or even easier, use a public sink, like at your office, and let someone else figure it out.

 

I love this lol

 

Every time I want to switch inks I'll take a drive to work or to Burger King or McDonald's .

Edited July 5, 2019 by tonydent84

[tonydent84]

There's a lot of good responses here. I've tried the approach of scrubbing the sink immediately after cleaning a pen, and I'm always using running water. The issue is, up till now, I've been renting, and the sinks were already not in pristine condition, so the slight discoloration was hardly noticeable with the discoloration that had already taken place. But the house we bought was finally built last month, and all the sinks are brand new, so I'm afraid of washing my pens out now lest my wife should see some ink stains and kill me.

 

I like the idea of using the kitchen sink because it's stainless steel. The laundry room also might not be a bad place to go, though that sink is white plastic. I like the idea of ammonia and bleach too...I hadn't tried those immediately after washing my pens (though I did use Clorox to clean the sink after the fact, and it didn't help much).

[Bibliophage]

 

 

What about Jif^®, now known as Cif^® in some parts of the world?

'Jif' is a trademarked peanut butter in the US.

Moms choose it.

[Bibliophage]

There's a lot of good responses here. I've tried the approach of scrubbing the sink immediately after cleaning a pen, and I'm always using running water. The issue is, up till now, I've been renting, and the sinks were already not in pristine condition, so the slight discoloration was hardly noticeable with the discoloration that had already taken place. But the house we bought was finally built last month, and all the sinks are brand new, so I'm afraid of washing my pens out now lest my wife should see some ink stains and kill me.

 

I like the idea of using the kitchen sink because it's stainless steel. The laundry room also might not be a bad place to go, though that sink is white plastic. I like the idea of ammonia and bleach too...I hadn't tried those immediately after washing my pens (though I did use Clorox to clean the sink after the fact, and it didn't help much).

For a brand new sink, clean it well, then coat it with car wax. That helps keep anything from sticking to it - including ink, tomato, and various other nasty things. I do that regularly.

[A Smug Dill]

That's probably it, because the bottle looks almost exactly the same to the countless other brands we have here that sell it (Frosch, Viss, Domol, Moc, etc).

'Jif' is a trademarked peanut butter in the US.

 

 

That particular product is still sold by the name of Jif in (at least) Australia, Iraq, Japan, New Zealand and Norway, but Viss in Germany.

[BaronWulfraed]

I like the idea of ammonia and bleach too...I hadn't tried those immediately after washing my pens (though I did use Clorox to clean the sink after the fact, and it didn't help much).

 

Hopefully with massive rinsing of everything when switching from one solution to the other... (I don't even keep bleach and ammonia in the same cabinet). Bad enough I tend to corrode my nasal passages when using ammonia as a cleaner -- I sure don't need to compound it with chlorine gas...

[aderoy]

Found Bar Keepers Friend to work well, after dry apply a coat of Turtle wax (paste version). Shinny and clean.

[Runnin_Ute]

To date I haven't had a problem. I do use the kitchen sink.

A. Stainless steel

B. More room

C I often use an old printed glass from red lobster that I fill with water sitting on newspaper on the counter. The ink is diluted some when I dump the glass into the sink, so less chance of staining. The circa 1973 formica countertops I have to watch it. But Clorox wipes usually do the trick.

[Bibliophage]

To date I haven't had a problem. I do use the kitchen sink.

A. Stainless steel

B. More room

C I often use an old printed glass from red lobster that I fill with water sitting on newspaper on the counter. The ink is diluted some when I dump the glass into the sink, so less chance of staining. The circa 1973 formica countertops I have to watch it. But Clorox wipes usually do the trick.

car wax - it'll help keep the Formica looking decent, as well as putting some waterproofing back into the worn surface. I actually use Johnson's Paste Wax for a lot of things, including keeping the surfaces of metal from corroding (saw decks, planes)

[Tweel]

Or Gel-Gloss, which is made for the job, rather than car wax.

[goodpens]

Baking soda is a good, gentle abrasive.

 

Chlorine bleach OR ammonia may be good, but DO NOT mix them!!!

[mulrich]

C I often use an old printed glass from red lobster that I fill with water sitting on newspaper on the counter. The ink is diluted some when I dump the glass into the sink, so less chance of staining. The circa 1973 formica countertops I have to watch it. But Clorox wipes usually do the trick.

This is closer to what I actually do, but without the red lobster branding, and I never had a problem with staining but I dont have any really bad staining inks.

[Bibliophage]

Or Gel-Gloss, which is made for the job, rather than car wax.

Considering that Johnson's Paste Wax has been around for decades, I don't think it's _not_ made for the job. Gel Gloss is made for (aimed for?) _fiberglass_, specifically fiberglass boats. (although, just like every _other_ polishing product, they claim it works on everything including the kitchen sink.)

 

So, use what you have around - which is probably car wax - and you're ahead of the game.

[Brianm_14]

I clean my pens in a stainless steel sink, in the kitchen, but over an old stainless steel bowl into which water is running and overflowing. That way, the ink is immediately well-diluted, and the bowl will catch the nib or section if it comes loose by accident (which has happened).

 

Barkeeper's Friend and similar products contain mild abrasives, detergents or soap, plus oxalic acid which is a strong bleaching (oxidizing) agent. A thick paste made of that, worked into a stain, will usually work given a few minutes. If not, try the opposite tack, and apply a gel toilet bowl cleaner containing hydrochloric acid. Let this sit for a few minutes as well. Of course, don't ever, ever mix products, and try to get some ventilation going in case there are fumes. Straight chlorine bleach is worth a try, too. But beware the fumes and splashes!

 

Except in plastic sinks, solvents such as strong (>90%) rubbing or ethyl alcohol may work, too, or paint thinner or kerosene or naphtha (lighter fluid); mind that there are no flames or sparks nearby, for safety's sake, and allow adequate ventilation. I suppose you could try some 151 proof rum in a pinch. . . . .

 

The problem with abrasive cleaners is that they may remove the stain, but they will also leave the surface with many micro "scars" and scrapes, so the next time, the staining will be even harder to address. I try to stick with the mildest polish when possible. Bon Ami cleanser, made from crushed feldspar and detergent, is a favorite. In fact, we've long used it to clean and polish microscope slides for use in the lab. It's great for use in most sinks. Metal polish works well in stainless steel sinks.

 

Always try the mildest agents first, one by one: mild dish detergent, vinegar, household bleach, household ammonia, dishwasher detergent. Then get fancy. But if you only let diluted ink in running water into the sink in the first place, you'll likely obviate the entire problem. Plastic sinks remain the single exception. Their sole virtue is their cheapness.

[KingsCountyWriter]

I like to use a melamine sponge if there are any stains (there usually aren't though). A few swipes and whatever discoloration vanishes.

 

Magic Eraser is a commercial brand, but I get a bag of 50 or so for about $10.

[Holon]

I use the stainless steel kitchen sink too. Never had any problems with ink stains.

[pen2paper]

"Stainless" steel sink. Trust me/us on this.

You want to avoid any abrasive on porcelain for longevity.

One use of White laundry tub is to soak delicate fabrics. No Ink - trust me - avoid wifely rath.

 

Someone mentioned melemine or Mr Clean pads. Appear harmless, but will quickly abrade countertop surface & ruin painted surfaces. Expensive+++ lesson.

[mulrich]

"Stainless" steel sink. Trust me/us on this.

You want to avoid any abrasive on porcelain for longevity.

One use of White laundry tub is to soak delicate fabrics. No Ink - trust me - avoid wifely rath.

 

Someone mentioned melemine or Mr Clean pads. Appear harmless, but will quickly abrade countertop surface & ruin painted surfaces. Expensive+++ lesson.

 

I've used Mr Clean on painted walls to remove crayon and marker (kids are great). As long as I'm not too aggressive, the paint is usually okay.

[inkstainedruth]

Why is this thread reminding me of the story my mother told about the (supposedly) washable crayons.... Apparently, she didn't realize that my brother could reach the top of the refrigerator from the stairs to the second floor of the house we lived in when I was little (the staircase was just off the kitchen, and the fridge was against that wall). He got the crayons off the fridge, gave them to me, and I proceeded to draw all over the bedroom walls, standing on my potty chair (I was maybe two or three at the time) to reach higher.... The "washable" crayons? Not so washable. My parents eventually had to repaint the bedroom -- including inside the closet....

I still think the best solution is to use a separate bowl or tub in the sink, and then when the diluted ink (or the flushing agent) is flushed out, it's diluted enough to pour down the drain (by flushing out the tub). Mine is a cheap kitchen drain tub which cost me maybe $5 US at a discount store.

I would NOT clean pens in a kitchen sink because I don't know how toxic some of the dyes and chemicals are. And I've had enough food sanitation courses (even though my current certification expired a couple of years ago) to care about stuff like that (at the one-off show outside Indianapolis a couple of summers ago, the booth got dinged for using too MUCH bleach in the sanitizer rinse sink; although after hearing about how the kitchen itself was so disgusting that the early-on crew had to completely scrub it down (a 2 day process!), I think the inspector cut us a little slack -- apparently she made noises about how they were going to be MUCH more rigorous about inspecting that building (a snack bar at a 4H fairgrounds) in future.... But we did have to get testing strips to make sure that there wasn't too much bleach in the rinse water for the sanitizer rinse sink.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for formatting issues

Edited August 13, 2019 by inkstainedruth

[Arkanabar]

I start by closing the stopper and putting an inch or so of water in the bottom. This greatly dilutes the ink, and makes it much less likely to cause stains.

 

 

What about Jif^®, now known as Cif^® in some parts of the world?

 

Here in the US, Jif is a brand of peanut butter. The equivalent product is probably Soft Scrub. I believe the abrasive is calcium carbonate (e.g., limestone, chalk, marble).