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Allyse asked: How do you get black ballpoint pen out of a vinyl chair seat? We have a 50’s kitchenette set and a friend’s child drew in black pen on the cream vinyl seat.
Fortunately, 
ballpoint ink is fairly easy to remove from most surfaces, including vinyl. Follow the guidelines below to remove the ink and return your vinyl seats to new again.
You Will Need:
- All purpose spray cleaner
- Household ammonia
- Mild soap
- Water
- Spray bottle
- Paper towels or soft cloths
Steps to Remove the Ink:
*Always test a small hidden section first to ensure the cleaner will not cause any adverse effects to the surface of the vinyl.
- Begin by applying an all-purpose cleaner to the stain.
- Gently wipe with a soft cloth. Avoid applying too much pressure.
- Repeat if needed.
- Rinse the area completely.
- If the stain remains, moisten a clean cloth with a small amount of ammonia.
- Place the cloth on the stain and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
- Use the cloth to gently wipe the area until the ink is removed.
- Mix a mild soap with water and use a clean cloth to clean the entire area.
- Allow it to dry completely.
Additional Tips and Ideas
- Gel ink is different from ballpoint ink and is nearly impossible to remove. Use caution whenever writing with gel ink pens.
- If you are concerned the products used above will damage the vinyl (or the test spot showed adverse effects), you can try using a vinyl conditioner to remove the ink.
- Regular white toothpaste is another alternate cleaner that can be applied to ink stains. Simply apply and rub gently with a soft cloth. Rinse and allow the area to dry.
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is also great for removing ink. Test a small hidden area first to ensure it does not cause any discolorations.
- Acetone nail polish can also be used to remove ink, but use very little and watch for any discoloration of the vinyl.
- As a last resort, isopropyl alcohol will usually remove the ink. Test it in a hidden area first to be sure it is safe for your vinyl item.
Cheap aerosol hairspray is great at removing pen from vinyl.
It worked for me – the hairspray that is!
Thanks for the tip!
My daughter wrote with a ballpoint pen on the seat of the school bus. They said I might have to buy a new seat for the bus. I’m going to ask that she has the opportunity to clean it off first. Which method should we use?
Tell them to prove she did it…and also to know they’re children…build child protection for their school bus seats. They’re ridiculous.
None of these suggestions worked on ballpoint pen marks on my truck’s vinyl seat.
Hi, I agree with Don – no amount of acetone, Magic Eraser, or Clorox bleach pen worked on my daughter’s raincoat. I could not erase old phone numbers from her vinyl raincoat…she is really upset. Guess I will have to buy a new raincoat!
Thank you; the acetone did help a little. It did not take it completely away, but it did fade the blue ink so that it does not POP out at you. I have a gray vinyl Bible and it had a small blue ink line on the back.
None of these worked on my cream-colored bar stool.
Has anyone tried a penetrating oil like WD-40?? I too have an ink stain on a vinyl seat and none of these suggestions worked for me.
Eucalyptus oil worked well to remove pen mark from vinyl handbag.
Someone suggested hand sanitizer, so I tried it; it works. Use it a couple of times; the ink will fade eventually.
I found the only thing to work was the acetone. Tried Spray n’ Wipe, bicarb with vinegar, ammonia, and toothpaste.
Try cheap hairspray; it works on a lot of things. But always test in the hidden spot first. I always use this for ink on clothes! Spray, let it dry over night, spray again, and wash as usual. Check the stain is gone before drying; if not, spray and immediately wash again! Saturation with hair spray is good. Anybody know how to clean old vinyl furniture? Help needed please. Thank you.
Check it out! We’ve answered your question! Yay!
I used “Goof-Off” to get off a pen mark from our soft vinyl chair.
My two-year-old drew all over my white vinyl couch. I used mould remover; am so relieved it worked!!! Spray it and leave for 15 minutes, then wipe off. Redo if needed.
Hello – Emma, can I ask what sort of mould remover you used? We’ve got a white fake leather sofa with a big blue ballpoint pen line on it.
I used acetone on my pocketbook. It worked awesome.
Hello Emma. With Helen, Mar. 2, 2016, I am also awaiting the name of the mold remover. Thank you.
My daughter drew all over my seats and the only thing that is working at all is brake cleaner, but it just basically faded it and I can’t get anymore off and I tried everything, even paint thinner.