How to clean velvet curtains or clothes

csarina

I would usually advise using neat washing up liquid on ball point pen and then washing. The only other thing I can suggest is drycleaning pointing out the mark to the cleaners.

ERICS_MUM

There used to be a range of stain removers called Stain Devils, covering a variety of stains such as blood, tea, rust, grass, biro etc. It is a concentrated liquid that you dab onto the stain. I don't know if they still exist but you could try Tesco/Sains, or it's the sort of thing that Wilko's sell.

HTH

Linda

PS just found this:

http://www.dr-beckmann.co.uk/products/stain-removal-products/stain-devils-ink-stain-remover/

Tealady_2

I would try spraying it with hairspray then just blotting with a cloth. Hairspray for some reason disolves the ink.

youngatheart_2

Forever grateful "Tealady". Hairspray worked a treat and I have 1 happy friend. Must remember that in future!

[Deleted User]

what a great tip,I would never have thought of using hairspray, I shuddered at the thought of ink on beige velvet curtains so had to have a look and see if anyone had any ideas

MegandNicsmum

we used to use hairspray all the time if we got tint on our clothes when I was a hairdresser.....you had to quickly wipe away the excess and then thoroughly coat the material with hairspray and it seemed to halt the oxidisation of the tint and stopped it from bleaching/tinting the garment!!!

Agapanthus

Surgical spirit is the solvent for ballpoint pen ink. Try it on an out of sight area first to check it doesn't affect the dye.

If that's ok then dab the spirit on around the stain until you've completely encircled it, finishing up on the stain itself (that ensures that it doesn't leave too much of a ring.)

Then blot the ink away with clean rag or kitchen paper. Repeat until the stain is gone.

Tealady_2

youngatheart wrote: »

Forever grateful "Tealady". Hairspray worked a treat and I have 1 happy friend. Must remember that in future!

youngatheart - glad this worked and your curtains are ok. This is a tip I picked up ages ago when I worked in hotels. One of those strange but true things

mrs_baggins

Bought a really nice long crushed velevt skirt from e bay really cheap. Sadly its dry clean only. Any ideas what may happen to it if I wash it> is it likely to shrink? go funny somehow?

zippychick

Hi Mrs Baggins:hello:

Personally i don't think I would risk it.... velvet is renowned for being hard to clean. I found an old thread about velvet curtains which would have the same principle really.... Thread is here . In it, someone said they successfully washed velvet in the washing machine but that would really be at your own risk.

I'll add your thread to that one later , so we can keep the ideas together.

thanks
Zip