Sometimes, even the best inks may require a little help to flow out. This is often due to poor storage and storage conditions or due to local weather conditions. The following guidelines will help you if the print is drying on your printer bed and drying up after printing. If you follow these steps, the ink should work properly again. To cure the ink at home, you need a few items that can be found in any household such as water, water and more water and paper towels for cleaning end of the process.
Table of Contents
1. Pre-Soak the Ink from the Garment or Fabric in Cool Water
Curing ink printed on apparel is a necessary step to ensure the longevity of your shirt and print. But if you’re just starting out, you may feel overwhelmed about the whole process. This can be especially true for water-based inks, which are more delicate than their plastisol counterparts.
Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can follow to cure your water-based ink prints and feel confident about the results.
Pre-soak the Ink from the Garment or Fabric in Cool Water
This is important because heat can set the ink, making it difficult to remove. You’ll want to saturate your fabric with cool water, as hot (or even warm) water can also set and/or damage your ink. Then, let your garment soak for at least 10 minutes in the cool water.
After you’ve soaked the fabric in cool water for at least 10 minutes, use a soft cloth or sponge to carefully blot out as much of the ink as possible. The increased surface area of a soft cloth or sponge will help to absorb more ink in a shorter amount of time than gently trying to squeeze it out using only your hands.
2. Add Soap to Your Cool Water and Soak for at Least an Hour
There are several different methods suggested for curing Water Based Ink. The most important thing to remember is that the ink needs to be cured at a much lower temperature.
Soak in Water Add Soap to Your Cool Water and Soak for at Least an Hour
Place the garment in a tub of water that is deep enough to completely cover the area of ink you are attempting to remove. Gently swish the garment around under the water, being careful not to agitate it too much, or you may spread the ink further. If you have any dish soap with degreasing properties, add a few drops to this bath and allow it to soak for up to one hour. After soaking, rinse out your garment thoroughly in fresh water and check your progress on removing the ink stain. Repeat this method until all traces of the stain are gone.
Set It Out in Direct Sunlight Hang your garment on a clothesline or over a chair outside where it can sit directly in sunlight for several hours. Although there is no chemical reaction taking place, some believe that sun exposure helps get rid of stains.
3. Wash With Detergent and Hot Water on a Long Cycle
Most water-based ink stains on clothing can be removed with a simple detergent and hot water wash cycle. The key is to get to the stain before it dries and sets in.
Pour some liquid laundry detergent directly onto the ink stain, and use your fingers to gently work the soap into the fabric, coating the stained area as thoroughly as possible. Allow the garment to soak for at least 30 minutes in hot water (as hot as the fabric can safely tolerate).
Wash the garment as normal using detergent and hot water, ideally on a long cycle so that the agitation from washing helps lift the stain from the fabric. As the machine drains after the wash cycle, check your garment to see if the ink stain has been removed. If any ink remains, repeat these steps until it is gone.
4. For Extra Tough Stains, Use Borax and Ammonia
Water based ink is a popular choice for many types of printing from stationery to greeting cards. The ink can be difficult to remove from clothing, carpet and upholstery so it’s important to act quickly after the spill has occurred
Blot the stain with a white towel or paper towels. Don’t use a colored cloth because it may bleed onto the fabric. Continue blotting until no more moisture is transferred from the fabric to the cloth.
If any ink remains, mix 2 tablespoons of ammonia with 1 cup of water. Dip a sponge into the solution and gently blot the stain with the sponge. Continue blotting until no more ink transfers to the cloth.
If any stain remains after blotting with ammonia, sprinkle on borax powder. Borax acts as a mild abrasive that helps lift stains out of fabric without damaging them. Allow the borax powder to sit on the stain for at least 20 minutes, but overnight is better. Brush off the borax powder, then pre-treat with laundry detergent and launder as usual in hot water.
Conclusion
It is possible to cure water based inks at home, but it’s probably not viable for large production runs. The best thing you can do if the ink needs to dry quickly is avoid artificial heat and do a hot press to get it as close to room temperature as possible. When you can’t avoid having the item cured in an artificial environment, like an oven or heat press, your best bet is to put on two heat lamps (one on either side) at opposite corners of the oven or press so that the product gets equal amounts of infrared radiation.
