# How to get ink off of laminate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 13, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060 "2013-01-13T13:39:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/1 "2013-01-13T13:39:34Z")
My bench tops are laminated. We left some wet cardboard on it, and now it’s stained. Anyway to get it out? I’ve tried soap, bi-carb and vinegar so far. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/2 "2013-01-13T14:45:42Z")
Try rubbing alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/3 "2013-01-13T14:55:04Z")
Moved from MPSIMS to our advice forum, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![St.Barthgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@St.Barthgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Barthgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/4 "2013-01-13T15:36:27Z")
HAIRSPAY usually works with ink… The kind your grandmother used to use- like final net. Try spraying some on a cloth and rubbing the ink. Re-wet the cloth as necessary. Good Luck! O, and WD-40 works on a lot of stuff like that… worth trying … ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/5 "2013-01-13T18:11:13Z")
Chlorine bleach, perhaps? It works for me, but I have white laminate countertops. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/6 "2013-01-13T18:12:54Z")
Nail polish remover (acetone) might also do the trick. Or a magic eraser - those things take just about everything off of everything. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/7 "2013-01-13T19:48:27Z")
I just had to get some ink off a vinyl toy. Nail polish remover did the trick. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/8 "2013-01-13T20:27:20Z")
If laminate is anything like Formica, Goo Gone might work. Goo Gone works on just about anything. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/9 "2013-01-13T20:57:16Z")
Acetone will damage lots of things - avoid that. I’d try alcohol - it’s a good cleaner and safe on almost anything. Lens cleaning fluid will do if you have some. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/10 "2013-01-13T21:18:11Z")
[Acetone/nail polish remover should do the trick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_marker) and most likely won’t harm laminate counter tops - if there’s an unobtrusive spot you can test it on (like alongside the fridge or stove), do that first.\* I carry acetone in my tool kit for work for oops moments. What it WILL do is damage or dull anything that already has a finish (cars, anything that’s been painted/varnished/lacquered) \*Try other methods first; try the acetone (or acetone-based nail polish remover) if nothing else works. If you really need to get medieval, [try MEK](mek to remove magic marker). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/11 "2013-01-13T22:02:22Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > Acetone will damage lots of things - avoid that. > > I’d try alcohol - it’s a good cleaner and safe on almost anything. Lens cleaning fluid will do if you have some. A lot of the things recommended here will damage things - I’d suggest doing a spot test in an unobtrusive area for most of them first. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-ink-off-of-laminate/647060/12 "2013-01-14T02:42:04Z")
I used some cleaning alcohol. It did the trick. 🙂