How to Erase Printed Ink From Paper (With Chemical or Household Items!)

Printer ink may bond to the paper fibers or soak deep into the paper, making it much more difficult to remove than pen ink. However, as long as you do not expect bright white paper, there are several methods you can try. In this article, we walk you through the different methods you can use to remove ink from inkjet-printed paper, laser-printed paper, using household items and more! Read on to learn everything you need to know about removing printer ink from paper (and how to replace the removed text), including tips from a stain removal specialist and professional cleaners.

How do you remove ink from paper?

Stain removal specialist Susan Stocker says to let the ink set before trying to remove it. Then, gently scrub at the paper using a nail file. Alternatively, dab a paste of equal parts baking soda and water onto the ink with a Q-tip. Then, let that sit for 2-3 minutes before removing it with a damp cloth.

Section 1 of 5:

Removing Ink from Inkjet-Printed Paper

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1
Dab fresh ink with a cotton ball. Inkjet (or "bubble jet") printers spray droplets of ink onto the paper, and depending on the type of ink used and the printer, these droplets may remain wet for several minutes. Immediately after printing, you may be able to pick up a small portion of the ink using a cotton ball.
- Do not rub the paper vigorously, as it may rip.
- Professional cleaner Bridgett Price says that ink tends to rub, “and the key is blotting or treating it without tactically rubbing it in.”^{[1]
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- Most home and office inkjet printers use aqueous inks, which take a few minutes to dry unless the printer includes a heating mechanism.
- This can make the next step easier, even if the ink is still mostly visible on the paper.
- If the ink is already dry, don’t worry—Stocker says it’s actually safer to try to lift the ink off the paper once it’s dry, since it will be less likely to spread.^{[2]
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Meet the wikiHow Experts

Susan Stocker is a stain removal specialist and green cleaning expert. She's also the owner of Susan’s Green Cleaning and specializes in reduced-carbon-emissions cleaning.

Bridgett Price is a professional cleaner and the co-owner of Maid Easy in Phoenix, Arizona. She has over 8 years of experience.

Alessandra Mendes is a cleaning specialist and the Founder of Cleaning Glow, with 10 years of experience.
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Scrape the paper gently with sandpaper or a razor blade. Sometimes, the ink will remain mostly on the surface of the paper. Gently scrape the top level of paper off using a razor blade or ultra-fine grit sandpaper. Scrape in one direction only, towards yourself, with the blade at a 90-degree angle.
- Alternatively, Stocker suggests using a low-grit nail file. She just cautions you to use it gently, because if you scrape too hard, your paper may rip.^{[3]
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- This has a greater chance of success if you try this immediately after printing. Thicker paper will also help, as it can withstand additional scraping.
- UV-cured inks, which tend to be more expensive and durable, are quickly bonded to the paper before they have a chance to soak in. They may be easier to scrape off than other types of printer ink.
- After scraping the ink away with the blade, go over the spot with an eraser to remove any excess ink flakes.
- Stocker warns that it can be difficult to use a razor blade to scrape the paper without damaging it.^{[4]
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If the above steps do not work, you may have to give up on removing the ink. Apply White-Out instead and allow it to dry before writing or drawing over it. It can take anywhere from a few seconds to 5 minutes, depending on how much White-Out you’ve used.

Section 2 of 5:

Removing Ink from Laserjet-Printed Paper

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Apply acetone with a cotton ball to smudge the ink. Laser printers fuse the ink (technically "toner") to the paper fibers before the paper is ejected, so the ink is already dry and bonded by the time you see it.^{[5]
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Research source} But acetone, also sold as fingernail polish remover, can be applied with a cotton ball to dissolve some of the ink into a liquid again.
- Stocker cautions that this method will likely smudge the stain, causing the ink to spread.^{[6]
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- Keep acetone away from heat sources, as it is flammable.
- If you feel dizzy from fume inhalation, move to fresh air. If you get acetone on your skin, eyes, or mouth, immediately rinse with lukewarm water for 15 minutes, without pausing to remove contact lenses.^{[7]
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- This is not a perfect method—the paper will end up grey and smudged, but new printing or writing should be clearly visible on top of the smudge.
Rubbing the acetone over the ink helps remove a good amount of ink, but about one-third of it will remain as a faint grey smudge. Rub tissue paper only once across the affected area, since additional rubbing may tear the paper without noticeably increasing the amount of ink removed.^{[8]
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Ultrasonic devices use high-frequency sound waves to agitate contaminants and break them off surfaces. This can be used to remove even more of the ink smudge, although the paper will still not appear as new.
If none of the above steps work, try using White-Out instead. This will leave a visible, raised, white surface on the paper, but once it dries, you’ll be able to write or draw over it.

Section 3 of 5:

Removing Ink Using Household Items

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1
Apply lemon juice to the ink you want to remove. Start by grabbing half of a lemon and squeezing the juice into a bowl. Then, grab a Q-tip and dip the cotton end into the bowl. Gently dab the ink you want to remove with the lemony Q-tip, then gently blot the area with a paper towel as soon as possible until you notice the ink start to lift.^{[9]
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- Only use a bit of lemon juice, as too much can break down the paper.
- Repeat the process if the ink isn’t removed on the first try. Make sure to use new, clean Q-tips and paper towels when you do.
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Make a baking soda paste and apply it to the ink you want to remove. To make the baking soda paste, cleaning specialist Alessandra Mendes says to “[mix] equal parts baking soda and water.”^{[10]
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Expert Interview} Once you’ve made the paste, apply it to the ink in light, circular motions. Let the paste sit for a few minutes to break down the ink, then dab it away with a clean, damp cloth.
- Remove residual paste with a small amount of distilled water and a clean cloth, dabbing at the area until it’s gone.

Section 4 of 5:

Removing Ink Without Damaging the Original Text

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Removing ink without damaging the original text on the page is difficult, but not impossible. Grab some light white gouache, add a bit of water, and mix it with a small amount of yellow gouache until it matches the color of your paper. Test the mixture on a concealed part of the page to make sure it matches.^{[11]
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Apply the gouache mixture with a fine paintbrush. Carefully apply the gouache to the ink that you want to remove, making sure to keep a steady hand as you paint over the ink. Only paint over the section of ink that you want to remove, not the words entirely. Once you’ve painted over the area, let the gouache dry.
- For example, if the word “write” is scribbled out on a page and you’re trying to repair the “e,” only paint over the scribbles, not the “e” itself.

Section 5 of 5:

How to Replace Removed Text

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Import the original document into your preferred photo editing app, then digitally cover the text that you removed so it matches the physical page. Then, type the text that you want to add and insert it into the removed area, making sure it has the same font and color as the rest of the text.
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Get rid of all of the original text. You’re going to be reprinting the original piece of paper, so delete all of the text in the current document so that it doesn’t print over the original text. The only thing you’ll want to keep is the new text that you added in the previous step.
- Printing over the original text can lead to smudges, so it’s important that you remove all of the original text before printing the document.
Make sure the paper is facing the correct way so the ink prints in the area where you removed the original text. Then, print the new document out. Once the paper runs through the printer, the original text that you removed will be replaced by the new text you added in the first step.

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Where can I buy acetone?

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You can find acetone in most stores if you look in the cosmetics section; just look for nail polish remover.

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How do I remove printer ink on plastic components?

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Nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol should do the trick. If not, use a magic eraser and some Clorox.

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How do I remove micro printed ink?

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Use white-out, or use white tape If you have some.

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If you or an expert acquaintance has access to a chemistry lab, a mix of 40% chloroform and 60% dimethyl sulfoxide may be most effective.^{[12]
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If you aren’t sure whether your printer is an inkjet or a laserjet, look at the label on your ink cartridge, or search for the name of your printer online to find a description.

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If any of these methods don't work for you, you can use a pencil and eraser. Use a graphite or led pencil to draw over the ink. Erase with a pencil eraser or ink eraser. Repeat a few time until ink is gone. Be careful, because the paper may tear.

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Warnings

Some of these treatments may affect the appearance of colored paper.

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Other substances besides acetone can dissolve laserjet toner, or be mixed with acetone to whiten the grey smudge that results, but they are often too dangerous for home use, and are not typically available outside of chemistry labs.

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