Make Your Own Fountain Pen Wash

You’re seriously considering paying twenty bucks for pen cleaner? Mix one part household ammonia with nine parts distilled water and you’ve got the same thing those companies are selling you in fancy bottles. Add a drop of dish soap if you’re feeling adventurous. But watch out—ammonia can damage vintage pens made before the 1960s, so start with just distilled water first. Store it in a labeled container unless you want someone accidentally drinking your DIY pen juice.

Key Takeaways

• Mix one part household ammonia with nine parts distilled water for an effective homemade fountain pen cleaning solution.
• Add one or two drops of plain dish soap without moisturizers for enhanced cleaning power if needed.
• Start with distilled water alone for vintage pens made before 1960s to avoid damaging cellulose resin materials.
• Store your homemade solution in a clearly labeled container to prevent accidental misuse and ensure safety.
• Save money by making your own cleaner instead of buying commercial solutions that cost around twenty dollars.

Unless you’ve been hypnotized by fountain pen retailers, you probably know commercial pen cleaning solutions are basically overpriced water with a dash of soap. You’re paying twenty bucks for what costs pennies to make at home. And the kicker? Your homemade version works just as well.

The basic recipe couldn’t be simpler. Mix one part household ammonia with nine parts distilled water. That’s it. You’ve just saved yourself enough money to buy actual ink instead of fancy cleaning water.

Want to get wild? Add a drop or two of dish soap. Dawn works fine, but honestly, any plain dishwashing liquid will do. Just avoid the fancy stuff with moisturizers or whatever else they’re putting in soap these days. Your pen doesn’t need soft hands.

But wait, there’s more complexity if you’re into that sort of thing. Some people swear by adding photography chemicals like Kodak PhotoFlo 200. Because apparently, your fountain pen needs the same treatment as darkroom equipment from 1982. Sure, it might help with ink flow, but so does regular cleaning.

Now, before you go mixing up a gallon of this stuff, here’s the catch. Got a vintage pen from before the Beatles were famous? That ammonia might eat through it like a teenager through pizza. Pens older than the 1960s often contain cellulose resin, which doesn’t play nice with aggressive cleaners. And definitely keep ammonia away from any aluminum parts – they don’t get along.

So what’s a cautious pen owner to do? Start gentle. Try just distilled water first. Seriously. Most of the time, that’s all you need. If your pen looks at you funny after that, maybe add some dish soap. Save the ammonia solution for stubborn inks that refuse to budge.

And please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t mix bleach with ammonia. You’re trying to clean a pen, not recreate a World War I battlefield in your bathroom.

The real beauty of making your own solution? You can adjust it however you want. Too weak? Add more ammonia. Too strong? More water. It’s like cooking, except nobody has to eat it.

Store your concoction in a labeled container. You don’t want someone mistaking it for mouthwash. Though honestly, it would probably taste better than some commercial pen cleaners smell.

Bottom line? Making fountain pen wash is ridiculously easy and saves you money. Unless you enjoy paying premium prices for basic chemistry, there’s no reason not to mix your own.