Hide Secret Notes

Secret notes are fun and sometimes necessary. Of course, secret notes aren't secret if you are caught passing them and the information is revealed to all! You can keep your notes from prying eyes by writing them in invisible ink on otherwise innocuous pieces of paper or by hiding them in certain types of pens and markers.

Steps

Hiding Your Note Using Lemon Juice

  1. Make invisible lemon-juice ink. Fresh lemon juice goes onto paper clear, but turns dark when heated due to oxidation.[1] Squeeze about half a lemon into a bowl and add a few drops of water. This will be your ink.
  2. Write your note. This is easiest done with a paintbrush or a small cotton pad like a Q-tip. [2] Be careful not to use so much ink that it splashes or soaks the paper, as this will make your note impossible to read.
  3. Disguise your note. Since passing a blank piece of paper would be suspicious, you'll need to hide your note in plain sight. Write an innocuous message on the piece of paper, preferably in a colored ink that will contrast from the dark brown that your message will appear in.
  4. Pass your note. If your note is intercepted, never fear. It is disguised and the true message will be hidden from prying eyes. The intended recipient can hold the note close to a light bulb or hair dryer for warmth. This will cause the message to appear. [3]

Hiding Your Note Using Corn Starch

  1. Make invisible ink from corn starch. Corn starch ink is used in similar fashion to lemon juice ink, but is a little more complicated. Heat two tablespoons of corn starch and 4 tablespoons of water in a pot over the stove. Stir it into a smooth paste. Heat for 3-4 minutes. [4]
    • This method is harder to detect. Anyone trying to discover your message using heat will be foiled.
  2. Write your message. A fine point should be used for this, such as a toothpick or the back of a paint brush. Dip the point into your ink and write your message. When it dries it will look almost completely clear and normal.
  3. Disguise your note. Since passing a blank piece of paper would be suspicious, doodle, sketch, or write an unrelated note on your piece of paper. Preferably this will be done in a color that contrasts with purple (your corn starch ink will appear purple). [5]
  4. Pass your note. Pass your note as you would any other. Try to be discreet so you don't draw attention, but if you are caught it is fine. Anyone scrutinizing the note likely won't know how to unlock the message. Your intended recipient obviously should be informed of the decoding method in advance.
  5. Decode the note. A mixture of 1 teaspoon of iodine and 10 teaspoons of water is necessary to unlock the note and show the message. Dip a sponge or paper towel in the solution and wring it out so that the sponge or towel is damp, but not dripping wet. Wipe it over the page to cause the note to appear! [6]
    • Don't use a sponge or paper towel that is too wet. It can make the paper soggy and cause the note to run and be illegible!

Hiding Your Note in a Pen or Marker

  1. Open your pen or marker. With markers, one of the easiest ways to do this is pry the back (non writing end) off with a staple remover. You can also use a knife, your teeth, or any other implement than can get under the back of the marker. Pens can usually just be unscrewed. [7]
    • This also works (and is often easier) with highlighters.
  2. Remove the ink stick or cartridge. Inside of the pen or marker there will be an ink stick. You'll need to remove this. [8] Keep it and place it to the side.
  3. Hide your note inside. If you have a larger note, you might just put the note where the ink stick used to be. If it is smaller or if your paper is thin, you can wrap it around the ink stick and replace the ink stick.
    • If you don't replace the ink stick, you can either discard it or save it for use later.
  4. Close the pen or marker back up. Put the part that you unscrewed or pried off back on.[9] Gently try to close it evenly without crushing it. Causing damage to it can make it harder to open. Pass it to the recipient.

Tips

  • When prying a marker open you can wrap it in paper or a paper towel to prevent a mess. [10]
  • Make sure the person receiving the note is aware of the secret hiding place.
  • Once opened, a marker is much easier to re-use.
  • Pens and markers that are out of ink are great for this.
  • You can also write the note and then cut it up to make something like a puzzle. Put the pieces in an envelope or plastic bag, and be sure not to lose any.
  • Open your stapler, remove the staples and place the folded note inside the staple cartridge. Pass it on as no one will guess there's a note inside.

Warnings

  • Be very cautious if using a knife to open your pen or marker.
  • Be careful not to stain your hands or clothes.

Related Articles

References

  1. ↑ http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/invisibleink.html
  2. ↑ http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/invisibleink.html
  3. ↑ http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/invisibleink.html
  4. ↑ http://mypages.iit.edu/~smile/ch9602.html
  5. ↑ http://mypages.iit.edu/~smile/ch9602.html
  6. ↑ http://mypages.iit.edu/~smile/ch9602.html
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIsW_8pMGF4
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIsW_8pMGF4
  9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPAa607ApcQ
  10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG0dM8QvBx4
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