Recommended clearing, staining, and destaining
procedures for different ink colors

Ink color General procedures: clearing, boil in 10% KOH;
staining, boil in 5% ink-vinegar solution.
Clearing Staining(min) Destaining
Black
or blue		 Time depends
on type of root
(e.g., bean, 5
min; ryegrass
and cucumber,
3 min); then,
rinse several
times with tap
water
3
 Rinse for a minimum
of 20 min with tap
water acidified with
a few drops of
vinegar
Red Time depends on
type of root
(e.g., bean,
15 min; ryegrass
and cucumber, 5
min); then, rinse
several times with
tap water
3
 Rinse for 10 min
with vinegar

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