Some people do it once a week. Others every day. A few busy people do it only when they feel it’s necessary. Whatever cleaning regime you use, keeping your carpet looking spotless is no easy task. A short while ago we looked at how to get nail polish out of carpet in 30 minutes; in this post we describe how to get ink out of carpet.

Different methods for different inks

When you find an ink stain on your carpet, don’t leave it untouched. While some spilled fluids need to be dry to be removed easily, ink is not one of them. The wetter the ink, the easier it will be to remove.

Also, it pays to identify the type of ink that has stained your carpet because you’ll need to adapt your cleaning technique to the ink type. Whatever the type of ink, each method can be executed in three steps.

How to get ink out of carpet with hairspray

If your ink stain has been made by ball point ink – the most common type of ink stain today – you may be able to remove with everyday hairspray:

1. Spray the ink stain to moisten the ink
2. Blot the wet patch with a clean white cloth. Whatever you do, don’t scrub it. Repeat this spray-and-blot process until the stain has gone
3. When dry, brush and vacuum

Permanent ink doesn’t have to be a permanent stain

Permanent ink is a little more difficult to remove, but may still be possible:

1. Make the stain wet using rubbing alcohol
2. Using a clean, dry cloth use the same blotting method as for ball point ink. The ink will start to move from carpet to cloth
3. Once the stain has gone, use a different cloth that you have dipped in lukewarm water to finish the job

Water is needed for water-based ink

For water-based inks, you’ll need to use a little water:

1. Mix a small amount of dishwashing liquid into lukewarm water
2. Dab a clean cloth into the solution and dab the stain with it
3. Repeat the dabbing process with a clean piece of cloth every time until the ink has been lifted

As you can see, there is no one method how to get ink out of carpet. To do the best job, you’ll need to identify the ink and carry out the cleaning process as quickly as possible. Dry ink is a difficult proposition: the first rule is the wetter the ink the better.

No matter how much patience and cleaning solution you apply, some ink stains will prove to be particularly stubborn – some permanent inks really are permanent.

If the stain remains, your carpet may benefit from a deeper professional carpet cleaning treatment. If this is the case, contact us today – we’re available to eliminate those hard to remove stains that refuse to go. 

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