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How to Make Faded Ink on a Paper Visible

Although printed publications can effectively preserve information, the ink within them may not be so resilient. Over time, the ink in your books and documents can become faded, rendering parts illegible. This can be especially problematic if a new copy of the document is difficult to obtain. However, it is possible to make faded ink visible again. Understanding how to process ink can increase the shelf lives of your books and save you the time and expense of replacing them.

Things You'll Need

Water
Brush
Chloride of lime
Soap
Ammonia
Lemon juice
Muriate of tin
Sulfide
Photocopier

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the ink's color. Using a less-faded area of the document, check the color of the ink. Modern inks are either blue-black-based or red-based.
- 2
  Prepare the black ink solution. For black ink, combine a small amount of chloride of lime solution with water and carefully apply it to the paper with your brush. If this does not work, use a small amount of lemon juice. Depending on the type of black ink that was used, you should see it reappear, albeit in a different color. Another option is to use sulfide and water. Apply this mixture with your brush and the ink should reappear immediately in its original color.
- 3
  Create the red ink solution. Combine soap, ammonia, lemon juice, muriate of tin and water. Apply it to the paper using your brush. You should see the ink reappear; however, it will not be in its original color.
- 4
  Photocopy the page. Place the document facedown on the photocopier's glass and copy it at the darkest possible setting as per the manufacturer's instructions. This may enhance the darkness of the faded ink and make it visible on printed paper.

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