How to clean inkwells full of gunk?

[Plume145]

Hi! Not a pen repair, but hopefully still in the right place. 

 

I have the two vintage inkwells below. They’re both metal, the tube-shaped one might even be silver. They are *super* gunked up with dried ink, multiple colors and layers. I would like to be able to use them as inkwells, but I don’t trust filling a fountain pen out of something with this much unidentifiable sediment (I don’t use dip pens often enough to justify the space these would take up). Is there any way to clean them?

 

Here’s what I tried so far, and what it did (spoiler: not much):

 

Higgins pen cleaner, multiple lengthy soaks and toothbrush scrubbing. Some flaking off of deposits, but not much overall improvement.

 

Paste of baking soda with water and dr bronner’s castlile soap, thickly layered on and left for nearly 24 hours, then scrubbed with toothbrush. Pretty much the same as the Higgins, but fewer flakes.

 

Hot water, running and to soak: some color pours out, but no real visible difference even after copious quantities.

 

Overall result: pretty darn bad. I think the build up is severe and needs something pretty drastic.

 

I’ve heard good things about ultrasonic cleaners, but I don’t own one because I’ve never really needed one on a permanent basis for my household. Can you think of what types of businesses might have one that I could give my inkwells to for cleaning? Or failing that, one cheap enough to use for this and then give away? (I'm a little bothered by this solution, because I hate to treat things as disposable….but if it’s cheap enough and definitely works, I’ll seriously consider it). 

 

I also considered buffing off with sandpaper, pumice, etc, but they’re too small and awkwardly shaped for anything to reach everywhere inside. I don’t see it working.

 

Any and all thoughts welcome, even if they’re not the definitive answer they may lead to it 🙂

 

[ParramattaPaul]

Not that I've tried it, but I wonder how well nail polish remover or acetone would work.

[Plume145]

26 minutes ago, ParramattaPaul said:

Not that I've tried it, but I wonder how well nail polish remover or acetone would work.

woah. that's actually...really clever. Potentially really disastrous, too, but I can probably stop that happening by testing a teensy corner with a cotton swab, right? Although, sometimes pigments don't dissolve with acetone. Hmmm. 

 

Either way, worth a try, but not tonight bc where I am it's bedtime and that's just asking for trouble, so I'll have a go tomorrow. 

 

In the meantime, I would still love to hear other ideas if anyone has them! It's always good to have alternatives 🙂

[sgphototn]

Try Tri Sodium Phosphate. A couple of tablespoons in a cup of boiling water. Add a teaspoon of Dawn detergent. This is a strong solution so use it in a sink. It's not an acid so you won't get burned if some splashes on you, but rinse off if it gets on flesh. Put in in and let it sit for a couple of hours. Overnight will probably be better.Take an old stiff brush or toothbrush and see if that loosens the crud.

TSP is used to clean surfaces of mold, mildew, paint, and concrete stains. Used in conjunction with a 'soap' like Dawn it will help breakdown those old deposits.

 

TSP is available at Home Depot and Amazon (where it's much cheaper).

[A Smug Dill]

49 minutes ago, Plume145 said:

Can you think of what types of businesses might have one

 

Jewellers and optometrists.

 

50 minutes ago, Plume145 said:

that I could give my inkwells to for cleaning?

 

I don't think any jewellery or spectacles retail store would offer ultrasonic cleaning, or the use of their ultrasonic cleaners, as a general service for payment. While cleaning jewellery and spectacles for the store's customers — or even drop-in visitors who didn't originally buy those items from the store, and have not yet made a purchase — is generally offered as a free service and courtesy, soaking and cleaning an inkwell (which has nothing to do with the types of products sold in-store)  that may release some nasty stuff into the bath of cleaning solution is a different thing altogether.

[Plume145]

15 minutes ago, sgphototn said:

Try Tri Sodium Phosphate. A couple of tablespoons in a cup of boiling water. Add a teaspoon of Dawn detergent. This is a strong solution so use it in a sink. It's not an acid so you won't get burned if some splashes on you, but rinse off if it gets on flesh. Put in in and let it sit for a couple of hours. Overnight will probably be better.Take an old stiff brush or toothbrush and see if that loosens the crud.

TSP is used to clean surfaces of mold, mildew, paint, and concrete stains. Used in conjunction with a 'soap' like Dawn it will help breakdown those old deposits.

 

TSP is available at Home Depot and Amazon (where it's much cheaper).

Wow, thanks! This looks super impressive, definitely enough to work. I'll have to see if I can track it down here (I'm sure it's available, I just don't know whether it's controlled or something). Do you know whether it smells really strong? I have a sensitive pet and I want to plan ahead to keep him far away and close doors etc. 

 

Also, Dawn is a detergent for hand washing dishes, right? So, would any one of them do much the same job? Is there anything I should look out for in the ingredients (or avoid)?

15 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Jewellers and optometrists.

 

 

I don't think any jewellery or spectacles retail store would offer ultrasonic cleaning, or the use of their ultrasonic cleaners, as a general service for payment. While cleaning jewellery and spectacles for the store's customers — or even drop-in visitors who didn't originally buy those items from the store, and have not yet made a purchase — is generally offered as a free service and courtesy, soaking and cleaning an inkwell (which has nothing to do with the types of products sold in-store)  that may release some nasty stuff into the bath of cleaning solution is a different thing altogether.

That's what I thought as well. I do have an optometrist I've used for many years, have bought multiple pairs from, etc, but I'm still iffy about producing something in this state and asking them to put it in their machine. I just asked in case I was being too delicate 🙂

[ParramattaPaul]

A neighbour or a friend who reloads ammunition may have a an ultrasonic cleaner to clean empty cartridge cases.

[sgphototn]

2 minutes ago, Plume145 said:

Wow, thanks! This looks super impressive, definitely enough to work. I'll have to see if I can track it down here (I'm sure it's available, I just don't know whether it's controlled or something). Do you know whether it smells really strong? I have a sensitive pet and I want to plan ahead to keep him far away and close doors etc. 

 

Also, Dawn is a detergent for hand washing dishes, right? So, would any one of them do much the same job? Is there anything I should look out for in the ingredients (or avoid)?

That's what I thought as well. I do have an optometrist I've used for many years, have bought multiple pairs from, etc, but I'm still iffy about producing something in this state and asking them to put it in their machine. I just asked in case I was being too delicate 🙂

TSP isn't offensive, does have a smell, but used this way in the sink it shouldn't bother your pet.

 

I prefer Dawn. There's something in the formulation that breaks down grease better that others. You want the regular Dawn original (might be called Ultra where you are), and it's the best for dishes too. I also use the TSP in dishwasher (2 teaspoons), in washing machine (1/4 cup) along with regular detergent, in my workshop for degreasing tools and removing gunk from all sorts of saw blades.

 

I don't know how old you are but back in the old days (40s-early 70s) clothes were cleaner after being washed. Why? because of phosphates. Most phosphates have been removed from detergents and now clothes don't get as clean. A little phosphate will make your clothes cleaner, dishes cleaner and easier to remove residue, and removed stains from walls. It's cheap and effective.

[ParramattaPaul]

42 minutes ago, sgphototn said:

Most phosphates have been removed from detergents

Weren't phosphates removed because they were a pollutant and environmentally harmful?

[Plume145]

1 hour ago, ParramattaPaul said:

A neighbour or a friend who reloads ammunition may have a an ultrasonic cleaner to clean empty cartridge cases.

Heh, it's cool to know this, but not an option as I live in a country with tightly controlled gun laws. Very few people likely to just know someone down the street who reloads ammunition  

 

1 hour ago, sgphototn said:

TSP isn't offensive, does have a smell, but used this way in the sink it shouldn't bother your pet.

 

I prefer Dawn. There's something in the formulation that breaks down grease better that others. You want the regular Dawn original (might be called Ultra where you are), and it's the best for dishes too. I also use the TSP in dishwasher (2 teaspoons), in washing machine (1/4 cup) along with regular detergent, in my workshop for degreasing tools and removing gunk from all sorts of saw blades.

 

I don't know how old you are but back in the old days (40s-early 70s) clothes were cleaner after being washed. Why? because of phosphates. Most phosphates have been removed from detergents and now clothes don't get as clean. A little phosphate will make your clothes cleaner, dishes cleaner and easier to remove residue, and removed stains from walls. It's cheap and effective.

I don't think Dawn is available where I am at all. I checked on Amazon and found some sure enough, but it's about $40 (and two bottles). 

 

If it was early '70s at the latest, yeah, I'm afraid that's before my time! But if so, it sounds like it's unlikely to be restricted, so once shops are open as normal again it should be easier to find than I first thought! (We're in lockdown at the moment, only curbside pickups, so it's hard to shop for specialty things like that). 

 

Good to know about the smell. I guess it never hurts to ventilate well regardless, but it's good to know it's nothing too bad. 

1 hour ago, ParramattaPaul said:

Weren't phosphates removed because they were a pollutant and environmentally harmful?

A lot of that post-WW2 Better Living Through Chemistry-type stuff was reversed starting around the 1970s  

[Dione]

If one of them is silver then you should be able to find a silver cleaning solution for it. You would probably need one that involved adding powder to some hot water and soaking the silver item in it.

 

Not sure whether there is anything similar for non-silver metal.

 

Once you have the outer surface of the inkwell on the left of your picture clean enough the best option is to buy a glass inkwell liner for it. Glass inkwell liners were usually supplied with inkwells of that shape because ink doesn't play well when left in some metal inkwells for long periods of time.

Edited December 23, 2020 by Dione

[sgphototn]

8 hours ago, Plume145 said:

 

 

I don't think Dawn is available where I am at all. I checked on Amazon and found some sure enough, but it's about $40 (and two bottles). 

 

 

Then use whatever you can find and use two teaspoons of whatever you've got. It's really the TSP that will do the trick. The detergent helps make the water 'wetter' so to speak and will allow the TSP to break the deposits down. It's like when the ground is very dry and you pour water on it and it runs off. A soap detergent breaks down the surface tension and allows the water to go into the ground.

 

Best of luck to you.

[Wahl]

You could try Amodex, which is a specific ink stain remover.

[Plume145]

 

 

10 hours ago, Dione said:

If one of them is silver then you should be able to find a silver cleaning solution for it. You would probably need one that involved adding powder to some hot water and soaking the silver item in it.

 

Not sure whether there is anything similar for non-silver metal.

 

Once you have the outer surface of the inkwell on the left of your picture clean enough the best option is to buy a glass inkwell liner for it. Glass inkwell liners were usually supplied with inkwells of that shape because ink doesn't play well when left in some metal inkwells for long periods of time.

I'll try to find one of those silver cleaners! Im not totally sure it IS silver, honestly, it just might be. 

 

It does look like there might have been a glass insert originally! I didn't think of that but it makes a lot of sense, especially because the inkwell screws onto a ceramic base shaped like a flat tile, and you would think the place the screws go might create leaks, right? So a glass liner would make sense. Unfortunately, I found this without a glass liner, and it doesn't seem likely I'd be able to find a replacement, too much of a long shot. But if I can clean it, I might close the holes with some hot glue or something!

 

6 hours ago, sgphototn said:

Then use whatever you can find and use two teaspoons of whatever you've got. It's really the TSP that will do the trick. The detergent helps make the water 'wetter' so to speak and will allow the TSP to break the deposits down. It's like when the ground is very dry and you pour water on it and it runs off. A soap detergent breaks down the surface tension and allows the water to go into the ground.

 

Best of luck to you.

Yes, that makes a lot of sense! It's a really clear explanation, thanks!!

1 hour ago, Wahl said:

You could try Amodex, which is a specific ink stain remover.

Good idea, I don't have any Amodex handy but I do have a pretty effective product for removing ink from fabric, and I might try that if the other ideas are a non-starter!

 

 

Okay everyone, thanks a lot for all the ideas! It's a great range of options to try. When I do, I'll try to post results (as well as some better before pictures!) But it won't be for a little while yet because we're still on a pretty strict lockdown here, business are all shut except for curbside pickup so it's not very easy to find anything specialty  

 

But if anyone can think of another solution, feel free to add it in!! I'll keep checking this thread, not multiple times a day as I have now, but I will respond 🙂 

[Barkingpig]

I know you wouldn't have anything to fear from TSP; I have used it a lot in preparing older painted surfaces for new paint & it is regularly used for cleaning.  A Home Depot or good hardware store should have it in regular stock & a phone call might make it available for curbside pickup.

 

I have never kept DAWN for dishwashing but it has a wide range of devoted users.  Any dishwashing soap should produce the interaction with the TSP to dissolve the sediment.  A possible trial while awaiting the TSP might also be baking soda & vinegar; if not successful it would surely hasten the final process.  There is a chemical reaction between vinegar & common baking soda that will frequently unstop a slow moving kitchen drain & it is perfectly safe (since both ingredients are used for human consumption!)

 

I wish you well & am sorry I don't live next door to loan you my ultra sonic cleaner; mine was an AMAZON purchase & was under $30.00.  It comes in very handy for cleaning dried ink out of fountain pens & you might find yourself happy to have it for future pen maintenance.  There are a variety of price ranges for the machines but I purchased mine based on a suggestion from a Member here & have been very happy with it.

 

 

[sgphototn]

6 minutes ago, Barkingpig said:

I

 

I wish you well & am sorry I don't live next door to loan you my ultra sonic cleaner; mine was an AMAZON purchase & was under $30.00.  It comes in very handy for cleaning dried ink out of fountain pens & you might find yourself happy to have it for future pen maintenance.  There are a variety of price ranges for the machines but I purchased mine based on a suggestion from a Member here & have been very happy with it.

 

 

I've been wanting to get an ultrasonic cleaner. What brand did you get from Amazon? Thanks and Merry Christmas!

[Plume145]

3 hours ago, Barkingpig said:

I know you wouldn't have anything to fear from TSP; I have used it a lot in preparing older painted surfaces for new paint & it is regularly used for cleaning.  A Home Depot or good hardware store should have it in regular stock & a phone call might make it available for curbside pickup.

 

I have never kept DAWN for dishwashing but it has a wide range of devoted users.  Any dishwashing soap should produce the interaction with the TSP to dissolve the sediment.  A possible trial while awaiting the TSP might also be baking soda & vinegar; if not successful it would surely hasten the final process.  There is a chemical reaction between vinegar & common baking soda that will frequently unstop a slow moving kitchen drain & it is perfectly safe (since both ingredients are used for human consumption!)

 

I wish you well & am sorry I don't live next door to loan you my ultra sonic cleaner; mine was an AMAZON purchase & was under $30.00.  It comes in very handy for cleaning dried ink out of fountain pens & you might find yourself happy to have it for future pen maintenance.  There are a variety of price ranges for the machines but I purchased mine based on a suggestion from a Member here & have been very happy with it.

 

 

Right!! The infamous drain volcano, isn't it? I've always wanted to do that, but never had a valid reason to make a mess. So, thanks for reminding me 😉 

 

Thanks, too, for the tip on hardware stores. I'm not in the US, so it might not work out, but I do know of a couple good general hardware stores that are probably setup for distance shopping. The specialty stores I had in mind probably are not, and even if they are I don't even have contact details for half of them (they're very much Not Online). But it sounds like this is less specialised than I first assumed. 

 

Your last § is very touching 🙂  If you were next door, I would gladly accept your offer, and in return provide baked goods and samples of any inks I have that you do not 🙂  

 

3 hours ago, sgphototn said:

I've been wanting to get an ultrasonic cleaner. What brand did you get from Amazon? Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Also want to know! ✍️

[Barkingpig]

I just looked at the box my cleaner came in; It is a MAGNASONIC & was the one recommended by a Member here because the controls are on the SIDE of the machine (instead of the TOP, which he said he had heard had a tendency to short out.)

 

When I entered the brand name MAGNASONIC in AMAZON search (under Industrial & Scientific) it brought up images of several machines, each varying for $30.-$40.00, which since mine is perhaps 4 years old might be a reasonable attrition in price.  I would be comfortable with any of them, provided the control panels were on the FRONT of the machine, instead of the top.

 

I know professionals have cleaners costing far in excess of these amounts & I am sure they are well worth their needs.  However I may use mine 4 times a year & my wee machine hasn't failed the tasks I have assigned.  I usually just use plain water in mine & if not sufficiently clean, then I may add a spot of detergent & have used some vinegar once.

 

I remember thinking when I read the thread here mentioning the cleaner I purchased that I didn't mind spending UNDER $50.00 if it made an old pen, clogged with ink usable again & could use there after for routine cleaning of pens, converters, etc.  It is smaller than my 2 slice toaster so therefore it doesn't take up much space whether left out or stored in the box.  

 

Because I am not faithful to one ink in more than a couple of pens, I sometimes have 40 pens inked @ a time & clean maybe 10 or so when they are dry.  It is nice to have an "assistant" @ those times instead of my standing @ the kitchen sink with a bulb syringe & hypodermic needle!  I don't have many of the kitchen devices I see mentioned that some people seem to require, yet this is a tool that has made my pen maintenance easier & less dreaded & thus avoided!)

 

[sgphototn]

23 minutes ago, Barkingpig said:

I just looked at the box my cleaner came in; It is a MAGNASONIC & was the one recommended by a Member here because the controls are on the SIDE of the machine (instead of the TOP, which he said he had heard had a tendency to short out.)

 

 

 

Thanks for the information.

[Plume145]

On 12/25/2020 at 1:28 AM, Barkingpig said:

I know you wouldn't have anything to fear from TSP; I have used it a lot in preparing older painted surfaces for new paint & it is regularly used for cleaning.  A Home Depot or good hardware store should have it in regular stock & a phone call might make it available for curbside pickup.

 

I have never kept DAWN for dishwashing but it has a wide range of devoted users.  Any dishwashing soap should produce the interaction with the TSP to dissolve the sediment.  A possible trial while awaiting the TSP might also be baking soda & vinegar; if not successful it would surely hasten the final process.  There is a chemical reaction between vinegar & common baking soda that will frequently unstop a slow moving kitchen drain & it is perfectly safe (since both ingredients are used for human consumption!)

 

I wish you well & am sorry I don't live next door to loan you my ultra sonic cleaner; mine was an AMAZON purchase & was under $30.00.  It comes in very handy for cleaning dried ink out of fountain pens & you might find yourself happy to have it for future pen maintenance.  There are a variety of price ranges for the machines but I purchased mine based on a suggestion from a Member here & have been very happy with it.

 

 

 

Hey everyone! Just a quick update to say I tried Barkingpig's drain volcano idea! Unfortunately, not much happened. The reaction was honestly weaker than I thought based on descriptions!  It did seem to affect the gunk a tiny bit, but I had to scrape with a knife to see anything moving and it was so little I'd have to repeat the process potentially dozens of times before it clears if it ever does. 

 

So I'm back to sgphototn's try sodium phosphate idea! But that won't be for awhile because lockdown tightened again after the holidays here. 

On 12/26/2020 at 1:57 AM, Barkingpig said:

I just looked at the box my cleaner came in; It is a MAGNASONIC & ...

 

Thanks for the details!! Marking this for future reference. I won't get one now because hopefully I can clean the inkwells without it, but in the future I have some pens I'd like to repair and I will probably get it then. Incidentally I think this would be a perfect item for one of those tool libraries things! (Not that I have one locally, sigh)