Do you want to figure out which erasers are the best ink erasers?
Do you look at the many different erasers out there and wonder which one is right to erase my ink mistakes?
We can help!
There are many ink erasers and options out there, some better than others at erasing ink, but they have different criteria for being the appropriate choice.
To successfully erase mistakes made in ink, it’s essential to know how to choose the right eraser – and then how to erase the ink properly.
If you make the wrong choice or do it incorrectly, you’ll have wasted your time and money, possibly damaged your paper or ruined your project, and still be stuck with your nasty, messy ink mistake.
You’ll still be trying to figure out what to do about it, all the while bad-mouthing ink erasers that may work perfectly well for someone else when used correctly.
We investigated this and laid it out for you – how to choose the right ink erasers, what to look for, and even reviewed several of the top performers!
Choosing The Best Ink Erasers
There are quite a few different products out there to choose from when deciding which are the best ink erasers.
If you look at only the reviews, you’ll see both good and not so good ones all for the same erasers.
The trick is choosing the right eraser for your specific ink, your particular paper, a few other parameters, and then following the instructions for erasing the ink.
If you’re still having problems, be sure to reach out to the product manufacturer for help and suggestions, as well as to others who have already successfully used the product.
There are many things to consider when choosing the appropriate ink erasers.
- The type of eraser, i.e., sand eraser, vinyl eraser, kneaded eraser, gum eraser, rubber eraser, correction fluid, correction tape, etc.
- The type and color of ink to be erased, i.e., ballpoint, rollerball, India, gel, fountain, Royal Blue, black, etc.
- The size of the ink area is to be erased, i.e., one letter, one word, one sentence, small mark, smudge, large spot, design area, etc.
- The ink’s medium needs to be erased from, i.e. notebook paper, tracing paper, copy paper, film, artwork, postcard, cardstock, etc.
- The ink eraser’s performance, i.e. its ability to erase; the number of strokes needed by an eraser to erase ink, etc.
- The ink eraser’s shape, style, and precision, i.e. rectangular, pen, pencil, cylinder, fine details, larger areas, etc.
- The ink eraser’s price and whether it’s a good value, i.e. total dollar amount, the dollar amount per eraser in the package, number of erasers in the box, etc.
- The ink eraser’s residual mess, i.e., fine dust, small clumps, matte finish, little bits, etc.
- The ink eraser’s gentleness – aka paper trauma – i.e., shred paper, leave holes, tear the paper, amount of pressure needed to erase ink, etc.
- The ink eraser’s longevity, i.e. lifetime, how long does it last?
The Type Of Eraser (Most Common)
The most common types of erasers are sand, vinyl, kneaded, foam, gum, rubber, correction fluid, correction tape, plus a few more.
- Sand Erasers: aka Ink Erasers, are typically made from rubber mixed with either sand or silica to make them gritty and tough enough to erase ink.
These erasers scrub ink off the paper by tearing tiny fibers of paper away until the ink is erased.
With that said, they can also tear through the paper quickly, so rubbing gently with a lot of patience works better than literally tearing right through the page with force and impatience.
- Vinyl Erasers: aka Plastic Erasers are the firmest type of eraser; most are made from vinyl, polymer, or PVC {polyvinyl chloride}.
These erasers are known for getting out deep pencil strokes and even some ink as well.
They are somewhat gentle on paper. However, when erasing ink or deep pencil, more pressure is needed. Therefore page tearing is possible.
They don’t dry out and leave the least amount of dust behind.
- Kneaded Erasers are very pliable and can be reshaped into a fine point or a large ball – whatever’s necessary for the desired artistic effect.
These erasers are a part of every artist’s toolkit as they make an excellent drawing tool primarily in charcoal, pencil, and colored pencil applications.
- Foam Erasers are relatively new eraser types made from PVC {polyvinyl chloride} that are incredibly effective at erasing the pencil.
- Gum Erasers: are made with synthetic rubbers or vulcanized corn oil and great for erasing pencil from larger areas; however, these are by far the messiest erasers of all as bits of the eraser crumble off as you use it.
- Rubber Erasers: are either natural or synthetic rubber, usually your standard pink rubber pencil eraser.
These erasers are somewhere between vinyl and gum erasers as they have a firm shape and have some residual mess, as in crumbling or peeling (not as bad as gum erasers, though).
- Correction Fluid: an alternative and effective way of “erasing” ink by covering it up with correction fluid, a dense white liquid, so it can’t be seen and rewriting on top of it, if necessary.
This option doesn’t damage the paper, is excellent for both large and small areas, and comes in small bottles with sponge or brush applicators, pens, etc.
It can look cakey, thick, dry, and flakey, but it can also look flat and smooth.
- Correction Tape: another alternative like correction fluid, correction tape is best for larger areas that need covering up using a stripe of white tape that sticks to the paper over what needs covering up, while allowing you to immediately rewrite over the top of it if necessary.
- Ink Eradicator Pens: aka Ink Eraser Pens, are chemical pen “erasers” that ONLY work on Royal Blue fountain pen {washable} ink.
These pens have two tips – a broad white tip, which chemically erases the royal blue fountain pen ink, and a permanent royal blue thin tip, which you use to rewrite over the top of where you erased, if necessary.
The chemicals just make the ink invisible rather than truly erasing it.
The Type And Color Of Ink To Be Erased (Most Common)
The most common types and colors of ink to be erased are ballpoints, rollerball, India, gel, fountain, Royal Blue, black, and a few more.
Often an ink eraser will note what type of ink and/or color, its ability to erase, so you’ll need to know what you’re dealing with when choosing the appropriate ink erasers.
The Size Of The Area Of Ink To Be Erased
The size of the ink area to be erased directly affects the type of ink eraser appropriate for the task and its effectiveness to erase the size and amount of ink you need.
Be it one letter, one word, one sentence, a small mark, a smudge, a large spot, or even a large design area.
Specific ink erasers are better for smaller areas and fine details.
Other ink erasers are better for larger areas, so depending on the size and amount of the ink to be erased, your list of ink erasers to choose from will become more manageable.
The Medium The Ink Needs To Be Erased From
The medium the ink needs to be erased from also directly affects the type of ink eraser appropriate for the task and its effectiveness to erase without ruining or tearing the medium.
Whether it is notebook paper, tracing paper, copy paper, film, artwork, postcard, cardstock, or anything else.
Most ink erasers list the mediums they are safe to use, and you get a good idea from the product reviews about what works best with each eraser.
The Ink Eraser’s Performance
The ink eraser’s performance is its ability to erase, measured by the number of strokes needed by an eraser to erase ink.
Look for an ink eraser known for consistently and completely erasing ink with light pressure and little to no smearing and tearing.
The Ink Eraser’s Shape, Style, And Precision
The ink eraser’s shape, style, and precision are important considerations when choosing an appropriate ink eraser, such as rectangular, pen, pencil, cylinder, animal silhouettes, fine details, larger areas, plus a few more…
Rectangular erasers are more common, better for larger areas and whole sentences, and are less likely to break because they’re wider.
Like pen or pencil style erasers, thinner erasers afford more accuracy and control and are better for erasing fine details in smaller areas or one letter without erasing the surrounding ink.
Also, consider which type of eraser will be easier for you to hold and manipulate.
The Ink Eraser’s Price And Whether It’s A Good Value
The ink eraser’s price and whether it’s a good value are important when choosing a good ink eraser.
Erasers are generally not too expensive; however, ink erasers tend to be more expensive than other erasers because they’re considered specialty erasers and not for general use.
You’ll want to consider the total dollar amount of the package of erasers as well as the count of erasers per package.
Some ink erasers initially seem more expensive than they are until you notice there are three erasers in the package, whereas other ink erasers are more expensive as there is only one eraser in the package.
The Ink Eraser’s Residual Mess
The ink eraser’s residual mess is an important consideration when choosing an appropriate ink eraser because the eraser can leave behind anything such as fine dust, small clumps, a matte finish, a smooth finish, little bits, and much more.
Look for a “mess” that’s acceptable to you and your situation, and remember there are a few “no mess” options, such as correction tape available.
The Ink Eraser’s Gentleness – AKA Paper Trauma –
The ink eraser’s gentleness – aka paper trauma – is a significant consideration when selecting a suitable ink eraser, i.e., does it shred paper, leave holes, tear paper, amount of pressure needed to erase ink, etc.
This aspect will be determined by the ink eraser you choose as well as the type of ink to be erased, the size of the ink area to be erased, and particularly the medium from which your ink needs to be erased.
Look in the eraser description as well as the question and answer section and customer reviews to determine a good match for your situation.
The Ink Eraser’s Longevity
The ink eraser’s longevity is so important when selecting an ink eraser because you’ll want to determine how long this eraser will last and if it will be worth the money.
Look to the size of the eraser or product, the residual mess, the amount needed per erasure, and typical customer reviews usually state how long the eraser lasted for the customer.
Pro Tip:
When looking at customer reviews, always keep an open mind as the person may not be using the right eraser for the right situation, or the person may not have followed the directions properly or even used the eraser appropriately.
All of which would negatively affect that person’s results as well as his or her opinion of the eraser.
Review Of The Best Ink Erasers
In this section, we’ll discuss each of our picks for the best ink erasers.
Tombow 57304 MONO Sand Eraser, Silica Eraser (512A)
[Sand Eraser]
This product is found on Amazon and gets great reviews.
A well-known brand with a good reputation, this eraser is made only for colored pencil and ink, including ballpoint, rollerball, and some markers.
It is made with natural rubber latex and silica grit, all-natural materials, with a 100% recycled pulp sleeve.
Environmentally friendly.
Sleeve protects eraser from dirt and grime.
It’s available on Amazon in a 1-eraser package.
Pros For This Product
- Sand eraser – specific for ink and colored pencil.
- Well-respected company.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Recycled protective sleeve, also makes eraser easier to hold.
- Works best on smaller smudges or marks.
- Gentle pressure
- Fine dust residual mess
- Good value
Cons For This Product
- Only one eraser per package.
- Gentle pressure takes a lot of patience to erase ink without tearing paper.
- Tears paper easily if you’re not careful.
- Has phthalates, although not enough to do any harm.
- Not recommended for erasing any large areas.
Prismacolor Premier Magic Rub Vinyl Erasers, 3-Count
[Vinyl Eraser]
This product is found on Amazon and gets good reviews as well.
Erases delicate surfaces, designed to gently remove pencil and India ink without tearing your paper or surface.
These erasers have thin edges, which allow you to erase smaller areas, getting fine details, without erasing the surrounding area.
Made with soft, sturdy vinyl, they are latex-free.
It’s available on Amazon in one 3-eraser package and available in a set of two 3-eraser packages.
Pros For This Product
- Takes ink out of paper well.
- Latex-free, which helps to reduce smudging.
- Premium vinyl eraser both absorbs pencil and erases India ink.
- 3-erasers per package.
- Thin edges allow finer details while wider side can get a bit larger area.
- Works best on smaller areas for ink but can get slightly larger areas.
- Little to no residual mess.
- Reasonably priced.
Cons For This Product
- They stink!
- Not recommended for erasing any large areas.
- Really good for India ink but not a ton of positive results for other types of ink.
Faber-Castell Perfection Eraser Pencil With Brush
[Sand Eraser]
This product is also found on Amazon and gets really good reviews.
A well-respected brand, with a good reputation, known for its office products.
A white hard cylinder pencil-style ink eraser for liquid, ballpoint, and typewriter ink.
Includes a brush at its end, handy for sweeping away the residual mess from erasing.
Point for fine details, small areas only – not meant for large spaces.
It’s available on Amazon in a 1-eraser package and available in multi-eraser packages.
Pros For This Product
- Sand/Ink eraser – specific for ink.
- Alternate version available without the brush.
- Because it’s a wooden pencil with a stiff eraser end, it can be sharpened to a point in a manual pencil sharpener.
- Excellent for use with fine details, smaller areas.
- The brush is useful for sweeping away dust from a residual erasing mess.
- Reasonably priced.
- Available in multiple-eraser packages.
- Not as abrasive as other sand erasers.
Cons For This Product
- Not recommended for larger areas at all – expect to use only in smaller areas.
- Doesn’t erase Sharpie markers.
- Need to erase mistakes as soon as they happen
- Need to be extremely gentle to avoid tearing paper.
Staedtler Mars 526-508 Plastic Combi Eraser
[Vinyl Eraser]
This product is found on Amazon and gets great reviews.
A well-respected brand, with a good reputation, known for its wide range of office supplies.
This is a combination eraser, for both pencil and ink, with one-third of it being soft white vinyl for pencil and two-thirds of it being blue solvent-loaded vinyl for ink.
This eraser is for use on both paper as well as matte drawing film.
Because it’s a vinyl eraser and has minimal crumbling and peeling, there’s practically no residual mess.
Due to its block, rectangular shape, it works better with larger, less detailed areas.
It’s available on Amazon in a 1-eraser package.
Pros For This Product
- Premium quality vinyl eraser.
- Combination eraser – one-third white vinyl for pencil and two-thirds blue solvent-loaded vinyl for ink.
- Little to no residual mess.
- Reasonably priced.
- Works better for medium to larger areas.
- Has a paper protectant sleeve.
Cons For This Product
- Gets mixed reviews on erasing results, which most likely depend on the paper you’re using.
- Doesn’t work so well on detailed areas yet doesn’t work great on gigantic spots either.
- Tends to smear from time to time.
Tombow 57302 MONO Sand And Rubber Eraser (510A)
[Sand Eraser and Rubber Eraser]
This product is found on Amazon and gets great reviews.
A well-known brand with a good reputation, this eraser is two-sided, with the rubber side used to erase pencil and the sand side used to erase ink, including ballpoint, rollerball, and some markers.
Made with natural rubber latex and silica grit, all-natural materials, with 100% recycled pulp sleeve.
Will not damage paper.
Eraser sleeve protects eraser from dirt and grime.
It’s available on Amazon in a 1-eraser package.
Pros For This Product
- Rubber and Sand eraser – rubber side for pencil and sand side for ink.
- Well-respected company.
- Environmentally friendly.
- A recycled protective sleeve also makes the eraser easier to hold.
- Works best on smaller smudges or marks.
- Gentle pressure
- Fine dust residual mess
- Good value
Cons For This Product
- Only one eraser per package.
- Gentle pressure takes a lot of patience to erase ink without tearing paper.
- Tears paper easily if you’re not careful.
- Has phthalates, although not enough to do any harm.
- Not recommended for erasing any large areas.
Other Ink Erasers Worth Mentioning:
- Correction Fluid: Paper Mate Liquid Paper Fast Dry Correction Fluid, Pack of 3, is the #1 best selling correction fluid on Amazon.
It’s also available in other quantities and is a great value for the money.
It has a small foam wedge sponge applicator, dries with a smooth finish, which can easily be written over the top of, if necessary.
It can tackle fine details as well as large areas covering ink, including ballpoint, gel, rollerball, and most marker inks.
It’s white in color and formulated to resist cracking, although it can get clumpy and look cakey and flakey if overdone.
- Correction Fluid Pens: BIC Wite-Out Shake ‘N Squeeze Correction Pen, 8 ml, White, 4-Pack, is the #1 best selling correction pens on Amazon.
It’s also available in other quantities and is a great value for the money.
It’s used by shaking the pen to activate the white liquid correction fluid within and squeezing the pen as you push the needle-like metal tip down gently onto the paper over the ink, which needs erasing.
Correction pens are a great way of using correction fluid specifically designed to get fine details with accuracy and precision not afforded with the foam applicator of the bottles.
Plus, the pen style enables you to manipulate the correction fluid into the smaller areas more easily.
They are a great option and reasonably affordable, although there are cheaper brands available.
- Correction Tape: BIC Wite-Out Brand EZ Correction Tape, White, 10-Count, is the #1 best selling correction tape on Amazon.
It applies dry, with no mess, allowing you to immediately write over the top of it, if necessary.
Correction tape allows you to cover up large or small areas without having to wait for drying time, risk tearing paper, or having any kind of a mess.
It’s not so easy to use for finer, more accurate, details though.
It’s a film-based tape, which offers greater strength than other paper-based tapes, and therefore more tear-resistant, neater looking, and longer-lasting.
It’s easy to apply and reasonably priced, available in multiple quantities and varieties.
- Ink Eradicator Pens: Pelikan Super Pirat Ink Eradicator for Royal Blue – Broad is one of the most popular ink eraser or ink eradicator pens on Amazon.
It’s a pack of two-pens formulated to work with Pelikan Royal Blue Fountain Pen Ink.
The pen has a double tip where the white tip is broad and erases Royal Blue Fountain Pen Ink ONLY, whereas the blue tip is for rewriting over the top of what was erased with permanent Royal Blue ink.
The broad white point makes it easier to erase whole words, but it’s also easy to do one letter or a small mark.
They’re quite affordable and are available in other quantities as well.
One of the only downsides with eradicator pens is that they only work on Royal Blue Fountain Pen ink.
There are a lot of ink erasers and options out there that you can purchase.
However, these five-plus options are some of the ink erasers that we’ve come across.
Of course, choosing the ink eraser depends on your things to consider when choosing the appropriate ink eraser, as mentioned in an earlier section.
To recap:
- The type of eraser.
- The type and color of ink to be erased.
- The size of the area of ink to be erased.
- The medium the ink needs to be erased from.
- The ink eraser’s performance.
- The ink eraser’s shape, style, and precision.
- The ink eraser’s price and whether it’s a good value.
- The ink eraser’s residual mess.
- The ink eraser’s gentleness – aka paper trauma –.
- The ink eraser’s longevity.
Commonly Asked Questions
How do you remove ink from the erasers?
-That’s a great question since when erasers get covered with ink from erasing too much ink already, some of that ink tends to get smeared back on the page from further erasing attempts.
To remove ink from ink erasers, take a small amount of a lubricant and rub it on the end of the eraser, wiping it off with a clean cloth, paper towel, or tissue.
You might need a few cloths, paper towels, or tissues depending on how much in there was as the ink will transfer to them.
How do you remove correction fluid from paper?
-It’s not easy, but also not quite impossible.
Using a sharp blade, like an Exacto knife or a razor blade, carefully scraping very lightly, peel the correction fluid off the paper to avoid damaging the paper.
How do you erase black gel ink?
-Some of the ink erasers mentioned may erase black gel ink or at least lighten it, but correction fluid and correction tape will work to cover it up.
Additionally, who knew that a little water could also erase black gel ink?
Just dip a cotton swab into a small amount of water and gently erase the black gel ink; blot any excess up with a tissue, but don’t rub.
Conclusion
Now you have information on what you need to consider when choosing the best ink erasers.
You know what to look for in a type of eraser, the type of ink you’re erasing, the paper you’re using, the ink erasers’ instructions for erasing ink on your medium, and a few more things when looking at the many ink erasers and options out there and available for purchase.
We’ve reviewed several of the top performers to give you further knowledge of what to look for in choosing the best ink erasers when looking for the best way to erase ink.
When you make the most informed choices, you prepare yourself to successfully erase ink – without damaging your paper or feeling frustrated by having wasted your time and money with the wrong ink erasers!
