Important: Safety Warning
This page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
In addition, this page directs the use of hazardous substances — such as benzine, gasoline, lye, or strong acids — for household tasks. These materials are highly flammable, corrosive, or poisonous, and the practices described have caused fires, burns, and poisonings.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Home › The Art Of Dyeing › To Remove Indelible-Ink Marks
To Remove Indelible-Ink Marks
Steep in a little chlorine water or a weak solution of bleaching liquor (see No. 101), for about half an hour, then wash in ammonia water, which will obliterate the stain; then wash in clear water. They may also be removed, by spreading the cloth with the ink marks over a basin filled with hot water; then moisten the ink marks with tincture of iodine, and immediately after take a feather and moisten the parts stained by the iodine with a solution of hyposulphate of soda, or caustic potassa or soda, until the color is removed; then let the cloth dip in the hot water; after a while wash well and dry. then add 3 ounces crystals of tin (or 1 pint chloride of tin); stir well and immediately work the goods in it for 30 minutes; wring out and put directly into the prussiate tub, made up with water into which is put a solution of 12 ounces ferrocyanide, and one wineglassful of hydrochloric acid; work in this for 15 minutes, then wash out in clean water in which is dissolved 2 ounces of alum. If a deeper shade of blue is required, wash them in clean water without the alum, pass them again through the two tubs; and, lastly, wash them in water with the alum.