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Monday, August 13, 2007

World's Lamest Post

I'm not kidding.

Does anyone have a tip for getting an ink stain off a hardwood floor without damaging the finish too much?

I keep a bottle of hairspray to get ink stains out of clothes, but it's not doing any good on my floor (except to make it sticky). I've tried Murphy's Oil Soap, which likewise doesn't do anything on the ink. No luck with vinegar, either.

Any Heloises out there? I'm starting to obsess about this ink stain. And I'm not sure I can take on any more obsessions right now.


Where's Burt Lancaster when you need him to make you forget about your floor???

posted by Feemus at 10:13 AM

7 Comments:

  • World's Boringest Answer: http://cleaning.lifetips.com/cat/851/floor-cleaning/index.html

    there's a link for you, Feemus, but I'll have you know I'm not making this MY obsession!

    Now why Burt, forsooth?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:42 PM  

  • What kind of ink was it?

    Hairspray works because the solvent dissolves ballpoint pen ink. It wouldn't necessarily work on other types of ink.

    If this is ballpoint pen ink, make sure you spritz, then wipe while the hairspray is still wet (carefully, as to not spread the stain around.) It will be a tedious process; hairspray works much better on inkstains in cloth because the pressure of the spray blasts the dissolved ink right out of the shirt.

    By Blogger jjdebenedictis, at 3:53 PM  

  • Forsooth, I say. Forsooth!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:59 PM  

  • Ah Claud, I was hoping that Burt might appear and shake up my Deborah Kerr existence and show me that there's more to life than spotless floors. Forsooth.

    It's ballpoint ink, and it's a godawful mess. It's an old stain that I failed to get up a couple years ago. I remember scrubbing at it for a week and finally I just put a rug over it (there's some clever thinking). And now it's just not budging. I think that sandpaper might be the only answer at this point. Or putting the rug back over it.

    Thanks for the wise tips. You guys are the best. Forsooth.

    By Blogger Feemus, at 6:28 PM  

  • I found this:

    If you’ve gotten ink on a hard surface and your usual degreasers and kitchen cleaners can’t make a dent, pick up a commercial ink remover from your local hardware store. If you can’t find one, soak the area in soapy water with a few drops of ammonia, scrub (if the surface can take it), rinse, and dry.

    If that doesn’t work you can try using paint thinner or denatured alcohol – these can damage some surfaces, including wood floors and painted walls so be careful. Always try this first in an area that is not visible to make sure it won’t hurt the surface!

    I also found a site that suggested nail polish remover for clothing; you might try that, but again, it will damage some surfaces (shellacs and paints, mainly.)

    By Blogger jjdebenedictis, at 8:36 PM  

  • Hey Feemie, try Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I use it on crayon, ink and pencil on my semi-gloss wall paint. I don't think a wood floor's finish would be a whole lot more delicate than that. But I could be wrong. I don't think it would work on bare wood, but if it's polyed it probably wouldn't hurt it at all. I'm a big fan of the Magic Eraser. I should buy stock.

    By Blogger Sherri, at 10:54 AM  

  • thanks, Jen--I didn't even know they made commercial ink removers.

    Sherri, I cannot believe that I am just now learning of something called a "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser." It is no exaggeration to say that this is the product for which I have been waiting my whole life.

    I love cleaning products. Especially the really GOOD harsh-chemically ones. I usually buy the hippie cleaning products. Natural this and biodegradable that. Or I just use vinegar and baking soda.

    But sometimes I break down and buy a bottle of Clorox or Pine-Sol. Sigh. They are all the more wonderful for the nagging guilt I feel when I use them. Siiiiighhhh.

    By Blogger Feemus, at 3:55 PM  

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