--- title: "How to Clean a Fountain Pen: Flush, Soak and Dry" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-clean-a-fountain-pen/" description: "How to clean a fountain pen, from maker manuals: flushing cartridge, converter, piston and eyedropper pens, when to use pen flush, staining inks and how often." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-21 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 15 products: - name: "Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen" brand: "Pilot" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Brass body and cap (painted; per Pilot Japan for the Cocoon and JetPens for the Metropolitan), resin section, steel nib" released: "2012" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-metropolitan/" - name: "LAMY safari Fountain Pen" brand: "LAMY" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "ASA plastic body, steel nib" released: "1980" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.)" model: "safari Füllhalter" url: "https://www.lamy.com/de-de/p/lamy-safari-fullhalter/54912096764248" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/lamy-safari/" - name: "Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim)" brand: "Platinum" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Resin body and cap, gold-plated trim, 14k gold nib" released: "2011" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "PNB-15000 (3776 Century, gold trim)" url: "https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/fountain-pen/1464/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-3776-century/" - name: "Sailor Pro Gear Slim Fountain Pen" brand: "Sailor" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "PMMA resin cap, barrel and end pieces; gold-tone or rhodium trim; 14k gold nib (US) or 21k gold nib (Japan)" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Kure, Hiroshima, Japan; majority-owned by PLUS Corporation since May 2022" model: "Professional Gear Slim (Japan: Pro Gear Slim 21, 11-2151)" url: "https://sailor.co.jp/product/11-2151/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-pro-gear-slim/" - name: "Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim)" brand: "Pelikan" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "Resin body and cap, 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings, gold-plated stainless steel nib" released: "1985" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023" model: "M200" url: "https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/elegance/classic/classic-200-schwarz.html" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-m200/" - name: "TWSBI ECO Fountain Pen" brand: "TWSBI" brand_origin: "Taiwan" made_in: "Taiwan" material: "Solid and transparent resin; stainless steel nib" released: "2015" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "TaShin Precision (Taiwan)" model: "ECO" sku: "M7445310" url: "https://www.twsbi.com/products/twsbi-eco-clear-fountain-pen" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-eco/" - name: "Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pen" brand: "Kaweco" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Germany" material: "ABS plastic body with octagonal cap, gold-plated steel nib" released: "1911" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" model: "CLASSIC SPORT Füllhalter" mpn: "10000000" gtin: "4250278600013" url: "https://www.kaweco-pen.com/Kaweco-CLASSIC-SPORT-Fuellhalter-Schwarz/99000001/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kaweco-sport/" --- # How to Clean a Fountain Pen: Flush, Soak and Dry > Flush it with plain water until the water runs clear, then dry the nib with a soft cloth. Pilot suggests cool or 40 °C (104 °F) lukewarm water, and a 1 to 2 hour soak for a cartridge pen. Clean before changing ink and before storing; Platinum says monthly, Sailor every 2 to 3 months. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-clean-a-fountain-pen/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-21 - Updated: 2026-10-21 ![Six capped fountain pens drawn to scale and labeled by filling system](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/how-to-clean-a-fountain-pen-16x9.png) *The filling system decides how you flush. Drawn to scale at 1 mm = 1.3 px from each pen's guide.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America) | Japan | Japan | Brass body and cap (painted; per Pilot Japan for the Cocoon and JetPens for the Metropolitan), resin section, steel nib | 2012 | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | LAMY safari Fountain Pen | LAMY (by C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg (part of Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.)) | Germany | Germany | ASA plastic body, steel nib | 1980 | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim) | Platinum (by Platinum Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Japan | Resin body and cap, gold-plated trim, 14k gold nib | 2011 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Sailor Pro Gear Slim Fountain Pen | Sailor (by The Sailor Pen Co., Ltd., Kure, Hiroshima, Japan; majority-owned by PLUS Corporation since May 2022) | Japan | Japan | PMMA resin cap, barrel and end pieces; gold-tone or rhodium trim; 14k gold nib (US) or 21k gold nib (Japan) | – | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim) | Pelikan (by Pelikan Group GmbH (Germany), owned by Hamelin since December 13, 2023) | Germany | Germany | Resin body and cap, 24-carat gold-plated clip and rings, gold-plated stainless steel nib | 1985 | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | TWSBI ECO Fountain Pen | TWSBI (by TaShin Precision (Taiwan)) | Taiwan | Taiwan | Solid and transparent resin; stainless steel nib | 2015 | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pen | Kaweco | Germany | Germany | ABS plastic body with octagonal cap, gold-plated steel nib | 1911 | $$$: $20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen): Japan. Per Milligram's listing (made in Japan). Pilot's Japanese catalog page for the Cocoon (read in full on October 20, 2026) doesn't state a country. eBay and Rokomari listings cited earlier blocked our access on that date, so we dropped them. Source: https://milligram.com/products/pilot-pen-metropolitan-fountain-pen - Made in (LAMY safari Fountain Pen): Germany. LAMY's own product listing (India storefront) gives Germany as the country of origin and names C. Josef Lamy GmbH, Heidelberg, as the manufacturer, and also says made in Germany. LAMY's German page names no country. Source: https://www.lamy.com/en-in/p/lamy-safari-fountain-pen - Made in (Platinum #3776 Century Fountain Pen (Chartres Blue, gold trim)): Japan. Unsharpen's review says the band reads "Platinum #3776 Century Made in Japan". Platinum's own English pages don't state it in the sources we found. Source: https://unsharpen.com/pen/platinum-3776-century-fountain-pen/ - Made in (Sailor Pro Gear Slim Fountain Pen): Japan. Goldspot's Celestial Outflow listing says "Made in Japan" and that the 14k nib is crafted in Hiroshima. Sailor's Japanese history page says its Hiroshima factory in Kure gained a new building mainly for fountain pen production; its product pages don't print a country of manufacture. Source: https://www.goldspot.com/products/sailor-pro-gear-slim-fountain-pen-in-celestial-outflow-14k-gold-nib - Made in (Pelikan Classic M200 Fountain Pen (Black, gold-plated trim)): Germany. Pelikan's German product page for the Classic 200 Schwarz says "Gefertigt und montiert in Deutschland" (made and assembled in Germany) and "Qualität, made in Germany". Source: https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/writing/elegance/classic/classic-200-schwarz.html - Made in (TWSBI ECO Fountain Pen): Taiwan. Goldspot's ECO spec sheet says "Made in Taiwan", and Pen Chalet shows "ECO-T Taiwan" engraved on the ECO-T's cap band. TWSBI's own product pages don't print a country of manufacture, and its Taiwanese site, twsbi.com.tw, didn't load for us on October 20, 2026. JetPens says TWSBI nibs are made in Germany. Source: https://goldspot.com/products/twsbi-eco-fountain-pen-in-black - Made in (Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pen): Germany. Kaweco's German product page labels the Classic Sport "100% Made in Germany" and says all nibs and the pen itself are made in Germany; its series page says Classic Sport pens are produced and assembled in Germany. Cornelissen says hand assembled in Germany, and Milligram says designed and made in Germany. Source: https://www.kaweco-pen.com/en/Series/CLASSIC-SPORT/ ## Key takeaways - Pilot's Japanese care page soaks a cartridge pen's nib section 1 to 2 hours in water or 40 °C (104 °F) lukewarm water, overnight if the pen sat unused. - Sailor says to draw and expel water 5 to 6 times with a converter, then soak the nib section overnight, and to flush every 2 to 3 months even with daily use. - Pelikan says a daily-used piston pen needs a flush only once a year, an occasionally used one every six months, and dried ink may need up to a week of soaking. - LAMY and Pelikan both say never to add dish soap or cleaners to the water; Platinum's own cleaner kit dilutes a 10 ml pack in 100 ml of water for an overnight soak. - For pigment ink, Sailor says to flush about every two months, because dried pigment can harden inside the pen. ## How do you clean a fountain pen? **Flush the nib and feed with plain water until it runs clear, then blot and dry them; that is the whole routine in every maker's manual we read.** Pilot, LAMY, Pelikan, Platinum and Sailor all say water first, and Pilot calls washing "the basis of care". How you push water through depends on how the pen fills, which our [how to fill a fountain pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-fill-a-fountain-pen/) guide explains. 1. Empty the pen: remove the cartridge, or expel the ink from a converter or piston back into the bottle. 2. Flush with cool water or water at about 40 °C (104 °F), as Pilot suggests. 3. Repeat with fresh water until no color comes out. 4. Blot the nib and feed with a soft cloth or tissue, and let the pen dry before you refill it. Pilot says to wash a pen before changing ink colors and before leaving it unused, LAMY says to flush before a color change, and Sailor says to empty and wash a pen before storing it. ## How do you flush a cartridge or converter pen? **Pull the cartridge and soak the nib section; with a converter, pump water in and out like ink.** Pilot's Japanese care page puts a cartridge pen's nib section, cartridge removed, in a cup of water for 1 to 2 hours, overnight if the pen sat unused, changing the water as it darkens. Then it rinses the section under running water, from the grip toward the nib, and wipes it dry. With a converter, Pilot draws and expels water until it runs clean. Sailor does the same 5 to 6 times, then removes the converter and soaks the section overnight. This is the routine for the [Pilot Metropolitan](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-metropolitan/), [LAMY safari](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/lamy-safari/), [Platinum #3776 Century](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-3776-century/) and [Sailor Pro Gear Slim](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sailor-pro-gear-slim/). Sailor adds one caution: on clear or skeleton pens, water can carry ink into the section and leave color behind, so rinse only the nib end instead of soaking. ![How often Platinum, Sailor and Pelikan say to flush a fountain pen, as bars to one scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/how-to-clean-a-fountain-pen-how-often.svg) *Flush intervals as each maker states them, on one scale of months.* ## How do you clean a piston fountain pen? **Use the piston as a pump: turn the knob to draw water in and turn it back to push it out, until it runs clear.** Pelikan describes exactly this for the [Pelikan M200](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pelikan-m200/), with lukewarm water and no additives, and says a pen with dried ink may need its nib left in clear water for up to a week. The [TWSBI ECO](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/twsbi-eco/) flushes the same way. JetPens says the wrench and silicone grease in its box are for occasional maintenance of the piston, and TWSBI shows how to take its pens apart in its tutorial videos, so disassembly is a rare job, not part of routine cleaning. ## How do you clean an eyedropper pen? **Empty the barrel, rinse barrel and section separately, then regrease the threads before you refill.** An eyedropper pen holds ink in the barrel itself, sealed by silicone grease on the section threads; Wonder Pens says a [Kaweco Sport](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kaweco-sport/) converted this way holds about 2 ml. Wonder Pens notes that each unscrewing squeezes out some grease, so refresh it whenever you clean the pen to change colors. It also warns not to convert the aluminum AL Sport, because aluminum can react with ink. Our [Kaweco AL Sport](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kaweco-al-sport/) guide covers that pen, which takes short international cartridges or a mini converter instead. ## When should you use pen flush instead of water? **Only when water alone doesn't clear the pen: dried ink, a stubborn color, or a pen bought used.** Goulet describes its Pen Flush, a mix of distilled water, ammonium hydroxide and surfactants, as for when "water just isn't enough": flush with about 4 ml, then flush again with clean water. Goulet says not to soak aluminum or casein pens in it. Platinum sells its own kit: dilute one 10 ml pack in 100 ml of water, soak the nib section overnight (2 to 3 hours for light dye-ink stains), then rinse well, because the cleaner is alkaline. LAMY and Pelikan both say never to add washing-up liquid or cleaners to the water. ## How often should you clean a fountain pen? **Every one to three months for most pens, and every time you change ink.** Platinum's care page says to give the nib a "bath" once a month; Sailor says every 2 to 3 months even with daily use; LAMY says every few months. Pelikan is the most relaxed: once a year for a pen used daily, every six months for one used only now and then. ## Which inks stain or clog a pen? **Pigment and carbon inks clog when they dry, and strong colors stain clear parts.** Sailor says pigment ink that dries hardens inside the pen, so flush about every two months. Pelikan says its Fount India ink needs a flush every 3 to 5 months in a pen that isn't used daily. Platinum says to flush its Chou-kuro pigment ink only with purified water, not its cleaner, since that can make the ink set; see our [Platinum Carbon Black](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/platinum-carbon-black-ink/) guide for its waterproof pigment ink. Pelikan also says colored inks need more frequent cleaning than plain blue. ## What should you never do when cleaning a fountain pen? **Don't use alcohol, solvents or soap, and don't soak wood or whole barrels.** Sailor warns that alcohol wipes can make resin brittle and crack, and that wood barrels swell and crack in water. Platinum says to wipe barrels only with a dry soft cloth, never metal polish or chemicals. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I use tap water to clean a fountain pen? Usually, yes: Pilot and Sailor rinse with tap water, and Goulet says tap water is fine if you have no distilled water. Platinum is the exception for its Chou-kuro pigment ink, which it says to flush only with purified water. ### Can I use dish soap to clean a fountain pen? The makers say no. LAMY says never to add washing-up liquid to the water, and Pelikan says not to use liquid soap or cleaning agents; use plain water or a pen flush made for fountain pens. ### Can I clean a fountain pen with rubbing alcohol? No. Sailor warns that wipes or cloths with alcohol can make resin brittle and crack it. For stubborn ink, use a fountain pen flush, which Goulet makes from water, ammonia and surfactants. ### How long should I soak a fountain pen nib? Pilot suggests 1 to 2 hours, or overnight for a pen that sat unused; Sailor soaks the nib section overnight. For ink that has dried hard, Pelikan says the nib may need to stay in clear water for up to a week. ### Do I need to dry a fountain pen before refilling it? Yes, mostly. Platinum says water left in the feed makes the first lines pale, so blot the nib and feed with a tissue until no water comes out before you fill it. ### Do I need to take my TWSBI apart to clean it? Not for a routine flush: draw water in and push it out with the piston. JetPens says the wrench and silicone grease in the box are for occasional maintenance of the piston. ### My fountain pen still won't write after cleaning. What now? Sailor says that if ink still won't flow after washing, the feed may have a fault, and to contact the maker's service. Check first that the cartridge or converter is seated firmly, as LAMY advises. ## Sources - [PILOT LIBRARY: 万年筆の使い方 (Pilot Japan, how to use a fountain pen: cleaning a cartridge pen and a converter pen in water or 40 °C lukewarm water)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/library/002/repair.html) - [Pilot Japan FAQ: インキの色を変えたい時はどうしたら良いですか。 (wash with water before changing ink color)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/support/fountain/1122817723031.html) - [Pilot Japan: CON-40 converter instructions, PDF (expel ink and flush with clean water before long storage)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/support/warranty/jp/warranty_assets/pdf/fountain_con40_jp.pdf) - [セーラー万年筆: 万年筆のお手入れ方法 (Sailor Japan, fountain pen care: every 2–3 months, converter 5–6 cycles, overnight soak, no alcohol, wood barrels)](https://sailor.co.jp/topics/fountain-pen-maintenance/) - [セーラー万年筆: 各種インクの注意事項について (Sailor Japan, ink handling: pigment ink, flush about every two months)](https://sailor.co.jp/topics/ink-handling-instructions/) - [プラチナ万年筆: 長くお使い頂くために (Platinum Japan, care: monthly bath, dry cloth only, cleaner kit steps)](https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/about-fountain-pen/389/) - [プラチナ万年筆: 万年筆用インククリーナーキット (Platinum Japan, ink cleaner kit: five 10 ml packs and a pipette)](https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/products/ink/2895/) - [プラチナ万年筆: 先行販売中「超黒」インクご使用にあたってのQ&A (Platinum Japan, Chou-kuro ink Q&A: purified water, no cleaner)](https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/news/11745/) - [LAMY: Häufig gestellte Fragen (LAMY FAQ, German: dried ink, never add washing-up liquid, flush before changing color)](https://shop.lamy.com/de_at/faqs) - [Pelikan: Befüllen und Pflegen (Pelikan Germany, filling and care: pure water, no additives, once a year to every six months, Fount India every 3–5 months)](https://www.pelikan-passion.com/de/service/befuellung-und-wartung-service) - [Pelikan: Kolbenfüllhalter richtig befüllen und pflegen (Pelikan archive: soaking dried ink up to a week)](https://archive.pelikan.com/pulse/Pulsar/de_CH.CMS.displayCMS.260230./befuellen-und-pflegen) - [TWSBI: Tutorials (assembly and disassembly videos)](https://www.twsbi.com/blogs/tutorials) - [JetPens: TWSBI ECO Caffe Bronze, Fine (wrench and silicone grease for piston maintenance)](https://www.jetpens.com/TWSBI-ECO-Caffe-Bronze-Fountain-Pen-Fine-Limited-Edition/pd/42697) - [Goulet Pens: Goulet Pen Flush, 8 oz (when water isn't enough; about 4 ml per cleaning; ammonium hydroxide and surfactants; not for aluminum or casein pens)](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/goulet-pen-flush-8oz-bottle) - [Wonder Pens: Kaweco Sport eyedropper conversion, a how-to (silicone grease on the threads, about 2 ml, not for the aluminum AL Sport)](https://wonderpens.ca/blogs/basics-of-fountain-pens/kaweco-sport-eyedropper-conversion-a-how-to)