How to Get Ink out of Books
- 1). Locate the ink markings in the book and make an inventory of inked pages, noting either major or minor work to remove ink on the various pages. This inventory provides an estimation of the success rate and the time required to remove all ink marks.
- 2). Determine the type of inks used to mark the book and note this on your inventory. Books marked with pens made before the 1940s use a pen with a nib and bottled ink. Inexpensive modern pens typically use ink with less saturation than older ink. Scan your inventory and make a note of the ink age using a general estimation. This notation allows you to repeat the use of a successful cleaning product on pages with similar inks. Continue in one action to remove all pages listed as modern ink with the imbibed eraser, for instance, if the process proves successful. Chances are great that a reader inking in one part of the book continued with the same ink pen in other parts of the book.
- 3). Use a chemically imbibed eraser lightly on the regular ballpoint pen ink that appears as modern ink. This special eraser applies a chemical to the paper to break down the surface ink, but use of the eraser technique requires a light touch to avoid saturating the paper with chemical. According to Steven Saitzyk, author of the book "Art Hardware," the action removes the ink without major damage to the paper when used as directed on the package.
- 4). Use the aerosol hairspray on the remainder of the ink marks once the chemical eraser dries. Place cardboard pieces over parts of the page without marks and lightly spray areas with the ink marks. Work one page at a time and allow the ink to thoroughly dry. Lightly drag the chemical eraser across the sprayed ink marks.
- 5). Take the abrasive eraser and rub gently over any remaining ink marks left on the pages. This process damages the paper, so use it only as a last resort.
