How to Get Ink Out of Carpet

How to Get Ink Out of the Carpet (the Easy Way)

Have you been having trouble getting ink out of your carpet?

Hey, we don’t blame you. Seeing your once-pristine carpet suddenly stained by ink can be downright depressing. You probably know how it goes: first comes feelings of shock, and after the initial surprise your mind springs into action. There’s a reason that ink stains are among the most notorious stains of them all. 

“How can I get ink out of my carpet?” you wonder to yourself, before proceeding to scrub and scrub as best as you can. But when you’ve done your very best and the ink stain is still there…when you’ve exhausted the techniques you’ve read on google…what next?

In this blog we’ll be answering all your ink-removing questions. There’s actually an easy way to get ink out of your carpet! Keep reading to learn more. 

How Do You Get Ink Out of Carpet?

Alright, let’s dive deep into how you can get ink out of carpet quickly and efficiently. 

Step 1: Blotting

The first step to remove ink stains is blotting the stained area in order to soak up as much ink as possible. Use a white cloth or rag to do this part. You may need to use several rags, since you don’t want to risk having the inky parts of your rag get your carpet even inkier. If you’ve got highly absorbent blotting paper on hand, even better. 

No rags or specialty blotting paper on hand? Don’t sweat it. Even paper towels can be used to blot out your carpet’s ink. In an absolute worst-case scenario, you may want to sacrifice that torn-up T-shirt you’ve still been wearing — yes, your carpet really is that important. 

Step 2: Soaking

Next, use denatured alcohol (or rubbing alcohol) to do some soaking. Pour a little bit of this alcohol over the permanent ink stains and let it sit for several minutes. In fact, letting it sit for 10+ minutes isn’t a bad idea. Be patient — this step is important.

If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can also use lacquer-based hairspray. (For obvious reasons, don’t use colored alcohols like red wine. Save that for drinking, especially if it helps you relax as you clean!)

Step 3: Scrub, scrub, scrub (gently)

Next comes the most fun part of the entire process: scrubbing. Use a scrub brush or even a toothbrush to gently scrub the ink stain from your carpet’s loops and piles. The thicker your carpet is, the more you’ll probably need to scrub.

Separate your carpet’s piles by hand if you need to. The important thing is that your scrub brush is able to reach down to the carpet’s base. You don’t want any pesky hidden ink escaping your reach!

Step 4: blotting (again)

For the next step you’ll need to once again blot with a clean hand towel. With the towel slightly wet with lukewarm water, proceed to rub the towel into the ink that remains and try to blot everything out. Use several towels if you need to. Repeat the process until you remove the stains from the carpet.

Removing Ink from Carpet

OK, that about covers the spot removal process of removing ink from carpet. Many people have followed these steps to successfully remove even the scariest stains, both water based ink and permanent ink stains. Oftentimes they just vanish without a trace. 

To be honest, though, the above process doesn’t always work — at least not perfectly. You might’ve already read similar instructions after that initial google consult, anyway.

Deeper Stains

Some types of ink stain more deeply than others, and some carpets seem to hold onto ink more stubbornly than others do. (Believe it or not, removing ink from carpets is equal parts art and science.)

So if you’ve done all you can and your carpet still holds a painful reminder of that inky incident (ink-cident?)…don’t get stressed out. That just means it might be time to take a different approach entirely. After all, some things are better left to the professionals. 

How to Remove Ink From Carpet (The Easy Way): Call the Professionals

Figuring out how to get ink out of carpet doesn’t have to be difficult. Carpet cleaning professionals have access to advanced carpet-cleaning tools that remove virtually any stain. Using carpet-specific solvents and powerful vacuums, they’re able to lift up stains that otherwise seem impossible to remove. 

So if you’ve been struggling with how to remove ink from carpet and happen to be in the Denver area, give the experts at MSS Cleaning a call. Our process includes things that other companies gloss over, and we go the extra mile by using safe, non-toxic cleaning solutions. We’d be happy to help you get ink out of your carpet today!