Ways on how and with what you can erase ballpoint and gel pen paste from paper without leaving a trace at home

How to erase pen from paper without leaving marks is a pressing task not only for schoolchildren or students.

Sometimes situations occur in professional activities in which it is necessary to correct an error or delete an entry on an official form or document.

In almost every home, among household products there are those that will help cope with this problem.

We'll tell you in this article how to erase pen from paper without leaving marks at home.

The main difficulties of removing traces

The main problem that prevents you from getting rid of ink traces efficiently is the thickness and texture of the paper:

1. The lower the density of the sheet, the greater the likelihood that the sheet will be damaged as a result of writing out a record.
2. Numbered forms have a looser structure compared to traditional office paper or notebook sheets, so it is better to get rid of ink on them mechanically.
3. Coated paper is the most difficult material to remove from a gel or ballpoint pen.

The type of ink used to record is also very important to ensure success:

• In most cases, ballpoint pen ink is easier to remove from the surface of the sheet;
• gel ink comes out more easily only from glossy surfaces, although there is a risk that a faint trace will still remain.

To increase your chances of success, you need to have a sheet of paper similar to the document. Before destroying what is written on the original, it is recommended to practice on a draft.

You can learn how to erase a gel pen from paper from this articles.

How to carefully remove regular and gel ink using improvised means?

It is important to prepare not only the means with which you can erase the pen, but also convenient applicator to apply them pointwise:

• a thin brush with soft bristles;
• cotton swabs for make-up - they have a special pointed tip on one side;
• brushes for applying eye shadow with a sponge.

Potassium permanganate, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide

Great way to remove ink not only from an ordinary white sheet, but also from a lined sheet:

1. Dissolve several crystals of potassium permanganate in a teaspoon of 70% acetic acid.
2. Apply the resulting mixture along the contour of the letters.
3. There is no need to wait for it to dry: leaving it to react for 2-3 minutes, follow the traces of the solution with a brush moistened with hydrogen peroxide.
4. Iron the sheet through the fabric at a temperature of up to 110 °C.

A solution of potassium permanganate and vinegar does not dissolve printing ink, so the cells or rulers on notebook sheets will remain undamaged.

Acetone and nail polish remover

As a means to help get rid of pen marks, acetone and liquids containing it are often put first. However, in practice this method does not work.

Ethanol

You can only get rid of pen marks using ethyl alcohol on glossy paper. On regular paper, everything will turn out to be blurry ink and the inability to correct anything.

What to take:

• cotton swabs with a pointed tip;
• paper napkin or toilet paper.

Use a cotton swab soaked in alcohol to gently wipe along the outline of the letters. After each application, forcefully apply a napkin to the marks being erased. This will allow the ink to remain on the napkin and cotton swab. Glossy paper cannot be dried with an iron; it must be placed under a press and left until dry.

Soda, citric acid or juice, salt

A slight clarification of what is written is the maximum that can be achieved by using these means in any combination and sequence.

Nevertheless, fine salt or soda with a little water makes an excellent abrasive, which can be used to completely erase the pen:

• Pour soda or fine salt with water until a thick paste is obtained;
• apply the paste to the inscription that needs to be removed;
• Clean in a circular motion with light pressure until traces of the handle completely disappear;
• shake off the abrasive, let it dry first under a press, then iron it through several paper sheets or napkins.

There are no traces of the pen left, and damage to the top layer of the sheet is insignificant.

Potato and corn starch

Starch will help to cope with the greasy and bright traces of roll-on or gel paste. This method will require quite a lot of time and will not help get rid of traces completely, but will serve as an excellent preparatory step for abrasive processing:

1. Dilute a few tablespoons of corn or potato starch with warm water to the consistency of thick sour cream.
2. Place some of the mixture on the inscription to be printed.
3. Wait until it hardens and carefully remove. Some of the ink will remain on the starch crust.
4. Mix the mixture in a container and place a new portion on the sheet.

How to discreetly remove it with household chemicals or delete a recording with cosmetics?

The application of household chemicals should also be targeted, so cotton swabs, brushes or narrow sponges should be used as tools:

1. Gel "Whiteness" – the most affordable whitening product. It should be applied with a brush or the sharp tip of a cotton swab.

   Light inscriptions disappear in one application; on bright inscriptions the gel will have to be renewed two or three times. The remaining gel can be easily removed with a slightly damp sponge. Price – from 50 rubles.

2. Gel "Domestos" – the principle of use and effectiveness are similar to “Whiteness”, but the cost of the product is almost three times more expensive. Price – from 150 rubles.
3. Stain remover "Dr. Beckmann". The product helps get rid of ink marks, but in terms of the nature of the action and the final result it is in no way superior to the Whiteness gel. Cost - from 250 rubles.
4. Sodasan Stain Remover Concentrate – the absolute leader both in quality of ink removal and in cost. A 200 ml package will cost 650-800 rubles.
5. Toilet soap – despite the absence of chlorine and other bleaching substances in the composition, in most cases it gives an almost ideal result.White soap must be cut and sharpened so that it is sharp enough to apply to the word being removed.

   Wet the soap and rub it with sliding movements from side to side several times over the area to be cleaned. Blot with a napkin or toilet paper. Repeat until all traces of paste disappear. Price – from 20 rubles.

6. Whitening toothpaste - affordable and very effective product. Damage to the sheet surface is minimal. For optimal results, you should choose a paste of a combined composition containing gel strips. Apply the paste with cotton swabs and, pressing lightly, peel the paper from the handle. Remove the remaining paste with a sponge and dry the sheet. Price – from 50 rubles.

Mechanical methods

Mechanical methods are quite effective in removing both ballpoint and gel pens:

1. Safety razor blade. Nowadays such blades are rare. The blade must be taken by the safe edges and bent slightly so that the thinnest top layer of paper is cut off with the curved sharp edge.

   There are practically no marks left, but there is still a risk of cutting through the sheet by catching too much.

2. Sandpaper. You need to choose the finest grain size. Use circular movements with minimal pressure to erase the inscription. Upon completion, a slight trace of roughness will remain.
3. Patch - one of the most effective ways. You need to choose a fabric-based patch in a roll or plate. Cut pieces of the patch that are the size of the inscription that needs to be removed. Stick it on it, roll it with your finger for better adhesion and remove it. Part of the inscription will remain on the sticky side of the patch.Repeat until it disappears completely.
4. Eraser – you will need a Koh-i-Noor double-sided eraser. One of its sides is soft, and the other has abrasive particles. The abrasive side will do a great job of removing paste from the sheet.

   The second way to remove it using an eraser is to trace the inscription along the contour with a simple pencil of hardness HB or TM and erase it with a regular eraser. Repeat tracing and erasing until the inscription disappears.

5. Wet finger – the method only works in the case of a ballpoint pen. Wet your finger and use circular movements without pressing to erase the inscription from the paper. Despite its apparent simplicity, this method is also one of the most effective.

Remove from colored sheets

The difficulty in removing pen marks from colored paper is that the color coating may be damaged. Therefore, abrasive methods and the use of chlorine-containing substances are not applicable.

To remove pen from colored paper you need to use toilet soap or toothpaste.

Remove from glossy

A wet eraser will help get rid of writing on glossy paper. The eraser needs to be wet. Erase what they wrote. Periodically, the gum should be wiped on a napkin and wet again.

This method does not guarantee complete disappearance of the paste from the surface, but it will help to ensure that the lines are barely noticeable.

What can't you do?

Acetone, turpentine, and dimexide are often cited as the most effective means. Their use will not only not help get rid of pen marks, but will also leave colored stains that will completely ruin the sheet.

Household chemicals used to destroy the inscription must not contain dyes. It is better if they are white or transparent. In such a case, there is a guarantee that after removing the paste from the paper you will not have to get rid of traces of the dye contained in the active substance.

You will find many useful tips and recommendations on removing pen ink from various surfaces and objects. here.

Video on the topic of the article

The video will show you how and how to remove ink from paper without leaving a trace at home:

Conclusion

It is quite difficult to erase a gel or ballpoint pen from paper, since the gel quickly penetrates into the fabric structure. The most effective way is to use a blade. But no less popular is the folk method of removing gel pens with soda. Do not apply acetone to paper. This will only make the problem worse.