Removing ink from vinyl from Grocery Brown Bag

grady33

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Took some guys fishing yesterday On my 330 and one of them placed a grocery bag with some food between the the seat and table in the cabin. Well, the bag bled and got brown/red ink all over the white vinyl. I used vinyl cleaner and it lightened a little but you can still see the stain and it it’s very noticeable. Anyone have any experience with this. I don’t want to try something and only damage it further. Thanks!
 

Blaugrana

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Same thing happened to me yesterday but with a Dunkin’ Donuts bag by live well on fiberglass...tried a cleaner and spray nine with the same results as you..Went from pink to light pink

curious what others give as feedback....
 

grady33

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I’m thinking of putting in sun and let UV rays at it. Or I’m wife is telling me to try hair spray.
 

Doc Stressor

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70% isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) soaked on a rag should take it right out without harming the vinyl. Water-based detergents and cleaners don't do a good job on inks.
 

DennisG01

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Sunlight can do wonders. Otherwise, try the alcohol. If that doesn't work, you can use a mixture of bleach/water on a WHITE rag -- can you figure out why? :) Let the rag sit there for about five minutes and rinse. Reapply if needed. Bleach won't harm the vinyl - just try to avoid letting it drip onto the stitching, hence the rag.
 

seasick

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I would try alcohol first for ink. Then I would try soft scrub with bleach. It is a bit abrasive so rub lightly, let it sit for 15 minutes or so, and rinse off . Make sure you get the Soft Scrub with bleach
 

grady33

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The stain seems to have lightened a little bit sti noticeable. Tried all suggestions including vinyl cleaner and some upholstery cleaner. Very strange indeed the way this brown grocery store bag stained the vinyl!!!!
 

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DennisG01

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The bleach didn't take it out? Try using straight bleach and leave it on there for a good 5 minutes or so. Otherwise, it sounds like leaving it out in the sun may do the job.
 

grady33

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The bleach didn't take it out? Try using straight bleach and leave it on there for a good 5 minutes or so. Otherwise, it sounds like leaving it out in the sun may do the job.
Thanks. Think I’ll put in the sun. It’s off white (beige) so worried I may turn it white with bleach.
 

Doc Stressor

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That's not ink. It's a dye used to color the plastic bag. Different chemistry.

The sun will eventually take that out. It's amazing what the sun can do. Most stains and mildew marks show up during covered storage. A few weeks in the sun generally cleans things up.

The process is known as photobleaching. Colored compounds contain conjugated double bonds. When they absorb UV they break, which destroys the colored compounds. Bleach does the same thing by a chemical process. The sun is not as harsh but takes longer. The sun will also not harm any stitching.