There are few stains quite as annoying to clean up as an ink stain. Whether it comes from a pen or a printer cartridge, the ink has particular chemical properties that make it one of the worst things to get on your carpeting. Fortunately, as tricky as it is to remove, there are several proven methods on how to get ink out of a carpet that this handy guide can show you.
Ballpoint Ink
This is the most common type of ink and more than likely the kind of stain you’ll be dealing with. It’s made up of several dyes, pigments, and resins designed to stain whatever it touches. So, if it gets on your carpet, you’ll want to work fast before the mess fully sets into the fabric.
A surefire way to get an ink stain out of the carpet is to use two cans of lacquer hair spray. Apply it to the stain and then allow it to sit for a few minutes for the ink to soften. After a few minutes, get a clean cloth and dab (don’t scrub) at the stain until it starts to transfer. This method may take a few applications, but the stain will eventually go away or be faint enough to be unnoticeable.
Water-Based Ink
Water-based ink can be found in rollerball pens, gel pens, and any marker labeled washable. They’re a type of ink that uses water as its solvent base to allow a pen to have a smoother scrawl on paper. While other inks would require alcohol to clean them up properly, water-based ink formulas can use a gentler approach.
Cleaning this ink up from your carpet is much more forgiving than ballpoint or permanent ink. All you have to do is mix one teaspoon of dish soap into lukewarm water. Then, wet a towel with the solution and gently blot the stain until it has disappeared.
Permanent Ink
As you can tell by its name, this ink is the trickiest type of stain to remove from your carpet. Permanent ink is used in sharpies and some gel pens; it’s made with potent compounds that quickly dry when exposed to air. Depending on the type of surface marked, permanent ink can either come off with a little pressure or be nearly impossible to remove without high-pressure cleaning or paint thinners.
Getting it on your carpet is something you’ll want to avoid, but accidents can happen. Most of the surefire ways to remove permanent ink would end up damaging your carpet.
The best way for a homeowner to get rid of a permanent ink stain is by soaking the area in rubbing alcohol and dabbing at it with a clean cloth. You can repeat this as necessary, but it’s possible that this method only reduces the stain.
When all else fails, and you realize it’s time for a new carpet, contact Remnant King Carpets—we’ll help you decide which replacement option is best.