how to cover an ink(?) stain

[NanaM3]

This wonderful table runner I found at a yard sale for FREE! has an old blue (ink?) stain that bleaching and sunlight cannot help any further. It was much worse when I brought it home but now I don't want to harm the (cotton) thread itself.

So here's the question: what would you do? I was thinking about some kind of embroidery ... or would you suggest I try to thread over the existing work?

 

This runner is too lovely to discard as the previous owner did.

 

 

Also, I have some old pieces with rust stains (I have no clue how that would have happened!) ... so maybe you have some ideas about that as well?

[BarbaraJean]

I have had a great deall of luck with a product called whizzzzzzz to remove rust. it removes rust instantly before your eyes.

 

Where can you get it?

[faedragon]

Rubbing alcohol will remove ink stains. You may need to soak and rinse more than one time, but it should work.

[NanaM3]

Hooray!! But what gave the final result?

in this case I suspect the Goo Gone was the hero.

[redhead]

Too get out stains I usually pretreat with Oxyclean (has peroxide) then using the hottest tap water disolve a small amount of Dishwasher soap ( example Cascade) in the sink; just enough to barely cover the item. Let it soak over nite; rinse well. It works really well. (I use it a lot on my GD bibs.)

Chris

[BarbaraJean]

I'm here to report that with your help I now have a beautiful and fully restored pure white table runner!

 

In fact I'm so pleased with the outcome I'm posting the entire process on a new thread I'll call "Restoring Stained Threadwork"

 

it will have all the pictures I took step by step and hopefully someone will benefit as I did from your fantastic ideas.

 

here's a sneak peek at the end result

versus the starting photo

 

I think you'll have a tough time finding where the stain had been. Even here in my hands I can barely spot it close up.

 

I am SO pleased!!!!!

 

And it's all because of Crochetville ... you are SUPERB

 

 

Hooray!! But what gave the final result?

[autumnrhapsody]

Nobody mentioned this one: dabbing some toothpaste (regular white, nothin' fancy ) and washing whites does the trick sometimes as well.

[crochetingfool]

I know about Goo Gone...Aubuchon's sells it ... in fact I may still have some ... I bought it once to remove tar from fabric ... I think it was when I climbed up on my camp's roof to re-tar it and got the muck on my sneakers ... the stuff does work but on ink??

 

 

Yeah this stuff is great....I think it will work...

 

Linda

 

http://madcrochetingfool1.blogspot.com

[RoseRed]

i am soooooooo happy for you!

[NanaM3]

I'm here to report that with your help I now have a beautiful and fully restored pure white table runner!

 

In fact I'm so pleased with the outcome I'm posting the entire process on a new thread I'll call "Restoring Stained Threadwork"

 

it will have all the pictures I took step by step and hopefully someone will benefit as I did from your fantastic ideas.

 

here's a sneak peek at the end result

versus the starting photo

 

I think you'll have a tough time finding where the stain had been. Even here in my hands I can barely spot it close up.

 

I am SO pleased!!!!!

 

And it's all because of Crochetville ... you are SUPERB

[RoseRed]

i'm glad the milk helped.

 

By the time you get the stain all the way out you won't know which one worked best lol.

[NanaM3]

Try Michaels....the stuff is called Goo Gone. That should take it right out without hurting it. If not Michaels maybe Joanns or Longs, Rite Aid, Wal Mart...

 

this is not a joke 'Goo Gone' is the name....look it up on the Internet...I think Target sells it as well...

 

Linda

 

http://madcrochetingfool1.blogspot.com

I know about Goo Gone...Aubuchon's sells it ... in fact I may still have some ... I bought it once to remove tar from fabric ... I think it was when I climbed up on my camp's roof to re-tar it and got the muck on my sneakers ... the stuff does work but on ink??

[crochetingfool]

Try Michaels....the stuff is called Goo Gone. That should take it right out without hurting it. If not Michaels maybe Joanns or Longs, Rite Aid, Wal Mart...

 

this is not a joke 'Goo Gone' is the name....look it up on the Internet...I think Target sells it as well...

 

Linda

 

http://madcrochetingfool1.blogspot.com

[NanaM3]

The 1st thought that comes to mind is to place something pretty over top of the stain.

 

The 2nd thought is to soak it in milk.

 

If the milk doesn't help - soak it down with hairspray.

I tried the milk idea this afternoon and although the blue is still there's it's much less now ... I poured milk on a plate, laid the stained end on it and took the plate outside where I kept it for an hour ... then I took it from the plate and hung it over the fence to dry in the sunlight ... now I'm rinsing it thoroughly ... next comes the hairspray test!

[NanaM3]

Greetings, Place some sort of blotter/paper towel or something like that beneath it and dab with rubbing alcohol. Then try washing with mild detergent. I have a pair of pants that had an ink stain on them for at least ten years (ie they want through the washing machine many times\) that I tried this wih and now wouldn't be able to find where the stain had been even if I wanted to.

NiYa:)

I first tried the rubbing alcohol idea and unfortunately the stain's still there, altho less so now. I have carefully rinsed it clear of the r-alcohol and will try hairspray next.

 

I'll keep you all posted

[texasredhead]

I have used a product called oxyclean to soak old lace in. It might make it a bit whiter, but that would be okay if the stain comes out.

[shadow]

I have had a great deall of luck with a product called whizzzzzzz to remove rust. it removes rust instantly before your eyes.

[Ankh]

Greetings, Place some sort of blotter/paper towel or something like that beneath it and dab with rubbing alcohol. Then try washing with mild detergent. I have a pair of pants that had an ink stain on them for at least ten years (ie they want through the washing machine many times\) that I tried this wih and now wouldn't be able to find where the stain had been even if I wanted to.

NiYa:)

[BarbaraJean]

Dyeing it another color or adding some embellishment are great ideas.

If you wish to keep it the original color (I would) I recommend the already mentioned hairspray. I saved a $70 top with hairspray from two ink spots.

Just spray it directly on the ink and rub it gently with an absorbant cloth while the hairspray is still wet. Repeat it as much as necessary. Of course, you'll not want to damage the fiber by too much rubbing.

[Knit Happens]

1. I totally agree with the hairspray, but it has to be aerosol, and a good one if you can find it is the likes of Aqua Net. 2. Second thought is hydrogen peroxide. I would mix it with water and let the entire piece set. 3. hopefully, you are rinsing between methods of ink removal because you wouldn't want a bad chemical reaction. 4. The thought of dying it is good. Lastly, I'm amazed someone found the pattern to make another online. This place is wonderful!!!!!

[Hooked]

My first thought was that if the ink, if that's what it it, won't come out, then dye it blue. If it's color from something else that bled, color remover should do the trick. Good luck. It's very pretty and a great find if you can fix it.

[losingmymind2]

First thought was with RoseRed, cover with a nice plant or vase or something pretty. Second was hairspray, but now they changed the formula of a lot of them, taking out the alcohol, because it dries your hair out; so maybe just rubbing alcohol would be best.

 

If nothing works, what about using dye remover, they dyeing it a pretty color?

[Afghaniac]

My first thought also was hair spray. I've had great success with hair spray on men's shirts with ink stains, but the stains were new. Not sure about old stains. And, I agree too that tea staining might be a good Plan B.

[crochetsal]

My first thought was along the lines of Smokeyp81's suggestion: dye the runner blue to match the stain. But if the other suggestions work, that wouldn't be necessary. I hope you let us know what you do and how it turns out, that is a gorgeous runner!

As for rust, I'd read somewhere that salt and lemon juice rubbed in would help, but that wasn't for cotton thread so I don't know if that would work.

Sally

[KellyA]

What about crocheting some thread:rose flowers and attach them "randomly"

[Granny Square]

I don't have anything to add on the ink removal, but I wish you luck.

 

This is beside the point, but if anyone wanted to recreate this beautiful runner here is the pattern

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwich/Queen.html