How to get ink out of carpet: ballpoint, gel and marker

Step by step: how to get ink out of carpet

Safety first. Rubbing alcohol is flammable: open a window, keep it away from flames and candles, and put the cap back on between uses. Never mix alcohol, ammonia or vinegar with bleach.

1. 1

   Work out what kind of ink it is

   Ballpoint pen ink is oil-based and responds to alcohol. Felt tip, gel pen and washable marker inks are mostly water-based and respond to detergent and water. Permanent marker and India ink are the hardest; try the alcohol method, and stop if it spreads.

2. 2

   Blot fresh ink and leave dry ink alone

   If the ink is still wet, press a white paper towel straight down on it to lift as much as you can. Do not rub or scrub: that pushes ink deeper into the pile and frays the fiber tips. A dried ink mark has nothing to blot, so go to the next step.

3. 3

   Test your cleaner in a hidden spot

   Dab a little rubbing alcohol on carpet inside a closet or under a sofa, wait 5 minutes, then press a white cloth on it. If any carpet color comes off on the cloth, use only the detergent method. Wool and acrylic carpets need extra care, so always test.

4. 4

   Dab ballpoint ink with rubbing alcohol

   Dampen a white cloth or cotton swab with rubbing alcohol (do not pour it on the carpet) and press it onto the ink, working from the outer edge toward the center. You should see blue or black ink moving onto the cloth. Turn the cloth to a clean area each time so you are not putting ink back.

5. 5

   Treat felt tip and gel ink with detergent

   Mix 1/4 teaspoon of clear dish soap into 1 cup of cool water. Dab the solution onto the mark, wait 2 to 3 minutes, then blot with a clean white towel. Repeat until no more color transfers.

6. 6

   Try an oxygen stain remover for stubborn marks

   If a shadow remains on a colorfast synthetic carpet, mix an oxygen stain remover as the label directs, dab it on, leave it 1 to 5 minutes and blot. Do not let it dry on the carpet. Skip this on wool and silk.

7. 7

   Rinse out the cleaner

   Dab the spot with plain cool water and blot until the towel comes up clean. Leftover soap or cleaner is sticky and attracts dirt, which is why a cleaned spot can look gray a week later.

8. 8

   Weight the spot and let it dry

   Lay a folded stack of white towels over the damp spot and put something heavy on top, like a pile of books in a plastic bag. Leave it a few hours or overnight so the towels wick up the last of the moisture and ink, then fluff the pile with your fingers.

Which cleaner works on which ink?

Match the cleaner to the ink: alcohol for ballpoint, detergent and water for felt tip and gel, and a professional for permanent marker or large spills. Using the wrong one usually just spreads the mark.

The University of Georgia Extension stain guide lists a dry-cleaning solvent and then alcohol for ballpoint ink on synthetic carpet, and an all-purpose household cleaner followed by vinegar for felt tip ink, and warns that alcohol can damage acetate and acrylic fibers. OxiClean’s carpet instructions say to let its solution stand only 1 to 5 minutes and not to let it dry on the carpet.

How to get ink out of a wool carpet or rug

On wool, dab ballpoint ink with rubbing alcohol on a lint-free cloth, use very little liquid, and skip ammonia, bleach and oxygen cleaners. Wool takes dye easily and is damaged by strong alkalis, so gentle and slow is the rule.

The Woolmark Company recommends dabbing ballpoint stains with surgical spirit or rubbing alcohol, pressing with an absorbent cloth, and working from the edge of the stain to the center. UGA notes that ammonia damages wool and silk. If your rug is a hand-knotted wool or silk piece, or the ink is permanent, treat it as a job for a rug cleaner: Nourison’s rug care chart lists permanent ink as a stain to send to a professional. For the full routine on wool, see our guide on how to clean a wool rug.

What not to put on ink in carpet

Avoid bleach, hairspray, heat and heavy scrubbing. Each one either damages the carpet or makes the stain permanent.

• Bleach strips carpet dye and, as Shaw’s carpet care guide explains, can delaminate the backing. Shaw also warns that mildew removers and other strong household chemicals can discolor fibers.
• Hairspray is an old trick that relies on its alcohol, but it also leaves sticky resins behind. Plain rubbing alcohol does the same job cleanly.
• Hot water and steam can set ink. Use cool water until the stain is gone.
• Soaking the spot lets ink wick down into the backing and pad, where it can bleed back up as the carpet dries.

Ink on clothing or upholstery needs a slightly different approach; see how to remove ink stains.

Mistakes to avoid

• Scrubbing the ink back and forth, which spreads a pen mark into a smear twice the size.
• Pouring rubbing alcohol straight from the bottle, so it soaks the backing and carries ink down into the pad.
• Reusing the same patch of cloth, which puts ink back on the carpet.
• Skipping the water rinse, so leftover soap pulls in dirt and the spot turns gray.
• Using bleach or a mildew remover on a light carpet, leaving a pale patch that cannot be fixed.