How to clean a fountain pen

The better you take care of your fountain pen, the better it will work. All fountain pens can be clogged by dry ink or dust, and if you want to get the ink flowing again you will need to clean it. We recommend that you clean it regularly, approximately every other month or when you notice that the nib is beginning to skip ink. How do you clean a fountain pen? We will guide you, step by step, how to clean your fountain pen.

How do you clean a fountain pen?

The easiest way is simply with water! Sometimes you may need to repeat the cleaning if it has been a while since the pen was last maintained. Here’s how to do it step by step:

1. Unscrew the pen, remove the cartridge or converter, and rinse through the section that holds the nib.
   
   
2. Place the nib section in a container of lukewarm water and let it soak for 24 hours.
   
   
3. Rinse it again and allow it to dry completely.
   
   
4. Screw the pen back together and refill it with fresh ink.

If ink residue is still difficult to remove and your pen has a suitable converter (the device used to fill the pen with bottled ink), you can also use it to flush the pen. Attach the converter, fill a container with lukewarm water, and draw water into the converter through the nib. Then push the water out again. Repeat this process a few times.

If cleaning is still a challenge, there are special fountain pen cleaning solutions available. They are sold in bottles or as kits and usually come with instructions.

Preventing ink from drying inside your fountain pen

Cleaning is, as mentioned, unavoidable, but there are a few things you can do to make it less frequent. Certain habits can also make cleaning much more difficult. Here are our three main tips:

1. Store the pen with the nib pointing upwards. Otherwise, ink can run down into the nib and dry out.
   
   
2. Use the right type of ink. India ink and pigmented inks must never be used in a fountain pen. They can dry inside the pen and, since they are waterproof, make cleaning very difficult. Only use inks specifically recommended for fountain pens.
   
   
3. Write regularly. Fountain pens, just like people, need exercise! By keeping the pen in use, you reduce the risk of ink drying inside it.