Eradicate That Pencil Stain From Your Shirt in 8 Simple Steps
It can be pretty disheartening when an accidental pencil stain lands on your favourite shirt. Don’t despair! We’ll walk you through a simple and easy way to get the stain out using items you likely have around house.
Updated 13 Mar 2023
By Luke Smith
Step 1: Blot the Area Immediately
Grab a paper towel and blot the area gently and carefully to absorb as much of the pencil as possible. Do not rub the stain, this may cause it to spread or be pushed deeper into the fabric.
Step 2: Remove Excess Pencil
Before pre-treating stain, use a butter knife or other flat object to carefully scrape the pencil off fabric. Be careful not to push the pencil further into the fabric.
Step 3: Pre-Treat with Liquid Detergent
Mix one-part dishwashing liquid with two-parts water in a bowl. Dip a cloth or sponge in the mixture and apply it directly to the pencil stain. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Rinse the Stain
Rinse the soap mixture thoroughly with cold water. Blot the area with a paper towel to remove excess water.
Step 5: Pretreat with Vinegar
Mix a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water and pour into a spray bottle. Spritz area and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Rinse Again
Rinse the vinegar solution with cold water and repeat with a fresh paper towel.
Step 7: Rinse with Ammonia
Mix one-part clear ammonia with six-parts warm water. Using a cloth or sponge, dab the solution onto pencil stain and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Step 8: Rinse and Air Dry
Rinse the ammonia solution with cold water. Place the garment on a flat surface and air dry in direct sunlight if possible.
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