Beauty

Four ways to to get the stubborn blue election ink off your finger

For first-time voters, here are some ways to clean up the blue ink that you got courtesy of the EC

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 21 Nov 2022 9:00AM

Four ways to to get the stubborn blue election ink off your finger — Young Malaysians voting for the first time show their index fingers marked with ink after they had cast their ballots at SRA Dengkil in Selangor. – AZIM RAHMAN/The Vibes pic, November 21, 2022

FIRST of all, congratulations to all of you who exercised your civic responsibility for GE-15 – even though the end result is still up in the air. If you’d taken look on social media in the past couple days, many Malaysians shared pictures of their blue fingers to show they voted in the election.

Seen as a badge of honour of sorts, the blue finger was even good enough to get discounts for food and drinks at various outlets across the country. In fact, some were even given away for free.

Unfortunately, while those deals have come and gone, for most of us the blue ink is still on our index finger days after election day.

For those you’ve voted before, you probably already know the best way to remove ink. However, for first timers, here are some tips to get rid of the annoyingly clingy blue ink. Results vary, so try these methods out:

Clorox All Purpose Cleaner

True, this washing liquid is for the purpose of bleaching stubborn stains on fabric, kitchen and bathroom sink surfaces and floor surfaces.

However, this liquid can also remove the hard-to-remove voting blue ink. To do this, spray the index finger with ink and wipe the finger with a wet cloth until the ink fades. Rinse hands until clean.

Use nail polish bleach

This material contains acetone, which is itself a bleaching agent. So, don't use this substance excessively because it will cause the skin to dry, out especially if you have sensitive skin.

For a safer way, pour nail polish bleach into a cotton ball and dab it on the inked finger. Clean gently until the ink disappears. Rinse with water and finish with a moisturiser or lotion on the hands.

Wipe with an anti-bacterial tissue

You can use any brand but many people suggest Dettol brand for a better result. However, the use of this tissue should be done by dipping your finger into the bleach liquid first. Wipe the finger gently, until the ink disappears. Rinse and don't forget to apply moisturiser so the skin doesn't become dry.

Micellar water is also effective

This tip was shared by some Twitter users who claimed that the micellar water used for washing one’s face is effective in removing ink from the fingers. The trick is to wipe the inked finger with this water several times until it is clean. – The Vibes, November 21, 2022