Red ball point

Somebody (stain devils?) used to make a range of stain removers (blood,pen, worse) which again used to be available at John Lewis. Might still exist.

There are some proprietary stain removers that seem to work. I've found Vanish very good and there is a version for white things. Have to admit I've never met a challenge like yours. Good luck.

As it's white bed linen, you might have to resort to bleach!

I've done a bit of googling MiceElf, but the advice all relates to small stains that haven't been washed already.
The common denominator is rubbing alcohol, so you could perhaps soak the bedding first in an alcohol solution, before rinsing then washing with the Oxy-vanish.
If it's really nice bedding, I think I'd consider taking it to my local friendly dry-cleaners.
Good luck!

I seem to remember using meths to remove ink from my sons cricket trousers

Ouch. It does not help that the pen has been washed with the sheets rather than just leaked on there. Fresh stains are usually easier to remove.

Bleach might be the best option, or failing that tie dye your sheets to coordinate with the stains. 1970s tie dye style. Then you will have retro designer sheets.

Thank you for all the suggestions.

Now, another question. Which one to try first? And is it possible that one chemical might negate or aggravate the effects of another if used subsequently? That is, if I try bleach first then alcohol and then meths and then stain devils, will it be worse than it was at the beginning?

Scientists, this a call out to you all.

Either embrace the pink !!
Or ...say it's tie-dye
Or boast your grandson is an experimental artist....

Dylon has a product - Dygon - that takes the colour out of a garment before re-dyeing it. When I got a bleach splash on a purple cotton jumper, I used it and then dyed it black which worked very well. Not suggesting that you should have black sheets.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dygon&sprefix=Dygon%2Caps%2C282&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Adygon

Forgot to 'blue' the link:

www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dygon&sprefix=Dygon%2Caps%2C282&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Adygon

www.ehow.com/how_13427_remove-ballpoint-pen.html

I tried this once, on white linen, and oddly enough, it worked. I am a great fan of e-how!

MiceElf meths is alcohol, so no need to use it twice.

anno There was an interesting range of products that showed up in response to the search term "Dygon."

MicElf I am sure these other products could interfere with each other but I have no idea how you deal with that. Surely GN has a chemistry bod out there somewhere!

That's a good link Ariadne, I've bookmarked it for future use, thanks.

Jane A I'm blushing. But I must confess my acquaintance with alcohol is confined to a cheery little Sencerre...

Just don't try adding meths to your next Black Cherry gateau, MiceElf

You could just use them with the red ink on. Minibags used to draw on her bedding. I gave up trying to remove the marks.

I'll heed that wise advice Jane A.

Bags, I could but they're our sheets and husband keeps singing

'The people's flag is deepest red
It's shrouded oft our martyred dead...'

The humour is wearing thin.

Just reply:

I tell you dear, please do not sing,
Or else your neck I'll have to ring.
These sheets were white, but now they're red,
I do not want them on our bed.

(Now the slightly higher middle bit)

Oh what to do to rectify
Remove the stain or just tie-dye
The Grans might know,
I'll ask them all,
'Cos you're no bloody help at all!

phoenix, brilliant! I sang it. Got funny looks

Genius Phoenix.

Thanks!

That has given me an idea............(scuttles off to start a thread).

Lightbulb moment! Go for it!! (This also applies to the other thread)