How to get printer ink out of carpet: the best techniques to try
When fountain pens were popular, ink stains were more frequent than they are now. Nevertheless, ink pens can leak and damage our clothes, carpets, and floors. What’s worse, ink is designed to be hard to get rid of. That is why it can be very challenging to remove ink stains on your own, particularly from carpets.
But don’t worry! By using the cleaning products and implementing the techniques we’re about to share with you, even the most horrible stain won’t be a problem for you. Read this article and learn how to get printer ink out of carpet!
The type of ink: is it important?
To ensure that you apply the right cleaning agent, it is essential to understand the sort of ink you are working with. Every type of ink is different chemically, so the cleaning solution you use should be able to dissolve the ink and remove it from the carpet fibers.
The basis of printer ink is the dye.
An additive that is dissolved and suspended in a liquid is included in the special ink.
There are two different kinds of printer ink: powder ink and liquid ink. To get rid of ink stains made of powder, first vacuum the powder from the surface. If the ink is liquid, begin by carefully wiping it up.
Tips & precautions
Before getting to using one of these techniques, you need to be aware that putting chemicals and solvents on your carpet runs the risk of causing more harm.
Numerous factors affect how well the results of removing the stain will be, such as the type of your carpet, the printer ink and the cleaning product used, how wet or dry the stain is, and the amount of time it remained on the carpet. Therefore, if you are having trouble getting rid of the stain, consider using the services of a professional.
Additional tip: we recommend you test a small hidden part of your carpet first before spraying the stain fully in case the solvent causes the carpet’s color to fade.
How to get printer ink out of carpet: number-one method
There are numerous techniques you can try in this situation, and here’s the quickest, easiest, and most effective way to do it.
1. Clear the spot
If you operate quickly, and the ink stain hasn’t dried out yet, blot as much of it up as you can with a light-colored cloth or a paper towel. Take caution! Avoid pushing the recent stain deeper into the carpet.
2. Use alcohol
Denatured alcohol must be applied to a dried ink stain and left on for at least five minutes.
Alcohol will remove the stain with no problem.
However, if you are careless, it may also go deeper and damage the padding under the carpet. After the alcohol has soaked for a minute, start blotting ink off the spot again with another clean cloth or paper towel.
Follow this procedure several times. Add the alcohol, wait, and then blot.
3. Utilize a toothbrush
Use an old toothbrush to gently massage the alcohol into any fibers that appear to be resistant to the alcohol’s penetration. After allowing the alcohol to settle for five minutes, start blotting the ink again.
4. Apply a vacuum cleaner
Even after blotting and rubbing, you might not be able to completely remove all of the ink from the carpet.
This procedure can be completed considerably more quickly and efficiently with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. Five minutes after adding the alcohol, use the wet/dry vacuum to remove the ink stain.
Make sure your vacuum doesn’t contain a filter. Filters should only be used for dry cleaning; taking them out will allow the vacuum to capture liquids. Professional carpet cleaners utilize a method of soaking and vacuuming quite similar to this one.
5. Repeat
Removing ink stains means a lot of elbow grease. Usually, the stain disappears completely only after multiple applications of alcohol along with blotting or vacuuming.
If you’re dealing with some stubborn stains, consider calling in a professional cleaner to finish the task.
Additional effective methods to remove printer ink stains
Here are some other great ways you can try to use in a situation when you need to get printer ink out of carpet.
WD-40
Before using WD-40, test it on some inconspicuous area of your carpet or a piece of an old carpet with a similar texture. Otherwise, you can leave a stain or harm the fabric’s fibers. Spray WD-40 on the stain after that, and allow it to set for a few minutes.
After that, fill a sponge with warm, soapy water and squeeze away the excess. Use the soapy to blot the WD-40 until the ink comes out. Then, use a rag to wipe away any remaining water and soap.
Hydrogen peroxide
Although hydrogen peroxide is an excellent way to remove ink stains that already dried out, it could damage the carpet.
Before using, put the product to a test: pour some on a small insignificant spot to determine if it eliminates color.
When you are satisfied with the outcomes, apply some hydrogen peroxide to a cotton pad. After then, dab at the stain until it goes away. Wet the area after removing any remaining ink and allow it to air dry overnight.
Shaving cream
Shaving cream is especially effective when it comes to permanent ink stains, but it also works great for removing printer ink stains. Shaving cream is gentle, so it’s good for carpeting.
Shaving cream should be sprayed in a heavy layer over the ink stain. After that, use a moist sponge to blot the stain. Shaving cream foam should be wiped away. Continue blotting until the ink stain disappears.
Rubbing alcohol
This cleaning product must be used right away, while the blot is still fresh. First, dab some alcohol on the corner of a clean paper towel. Gently tap the mark several times and leave it for 30 minutes.
The fiber may get dry by rubbing alcohol. Use a warm water and vinegar solution to ensure that your carpet stays in good condition. Take a quarter cup of vinegar and combine it with a quart of water to make the mixture.
After erasing the ink stain, rinse the area with water to remove any remaining agent residue.
Isopropyl alcohol
For easy ballpoint ink, permanent ink, and, most importantly, printerstain removal, use isopropyl alcohol.
In case rubbing alcohol is not available for you at the moment, you might try using an alcohol-based hairspray or a product containing acetone, such as a nail polish remover.
After spraying the stain with hairspray, use an old toothbrush to gently massage the area as many times as necessary to remove the ink.
Ammonia
With ammonia, cleaning ink from the carpet will be quite simple. However, ammonia by itself is not effective. You will require the aid of another cleaning product, such as vinegar and laundry detergent.
Add a spoonful of ammonia and a few drops of detergent to one cup of water. Apply the solution with a spray bottle to the ink stain, then blot with a dry, white towel.
Repeat the procedure a few times.
If the stain remains on the carpet, prepare a one-cup vinegar and one-cup water solution. Continuing to blot, then wash the mark with distilled water and let it air dry.
Commercial carpet cleaner
Visit any big box or home improvement store, and look for any commercial carpet cleaner with an ink reference on the label. Apply the product to your carpet according to the directions on the label.
Normally, all you need to do is spritz the cleaner on the affected area, wait a few minutes, and then wipe it down with a rag or paper towel.
Hair spray
A hair spray is superior since it contains more ingredients that will smoothen your carpet out rather than damage it.
Take the spray bottle and apply the product to the ink stain. Use a white, spotless cloth for blotting. Finally, wash off any residual hairspray with water.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get dried ink out of carpet?
Of course, you can!
There are numerous ways to do this, and some of the best techniques were described above. They include using such cleaning products as WD-40, isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and commercial carpet cleaner.
When it comes to removing dried ink stain, one of the best of those products is hydrogen peroxide. Firstly, pour some of the product on a tiny, inconspicuous area to see if it removes color of the carpet.
When you are happy with the results, dab a cotton pad with some peroxide. Dab at the stain after that until it disappears. Remove any last traces of ink, moisten the surface, and let it air dry for the entire night.
What other types of ink can stain carpet?
As we’ve already mentioned, there are several other types of ink out there. Let’s see how printer ink differs from them.
Other types of ink
Almost every gel pen, fountain pen, washable marker, and rollerball pen uses water-based ink. Water-based inks have water-soluble dye, but they don’t contain alcohol or petrochemicals. This makes water-based inks the easiest to remove: you will only need some dish soap, warm water, and paper towels.
Oil is the primary component of ballpoint ink. The ink itself is thick and sludgy, and even if a very small amount of ink would seep out, you would find that it’s exceedingly tough to clean off of anything.
Permanent marker ink can be found in permanent whiteboard gel pens. These inks also dry quickly, so getting rid of the stains requires a lot of elbow grease. Luckily, a spill of the permanent ink pen is uncommon. A whiteboard marker cannot be opened, unlike a ballpoint and a fountain pen, and a permanent ink stain is possible only in case the gel pens break.
Does rubbing alcohol remove ink from the carpet?
As it was already mentioned, rubbing alcohol is a wonderful solution you can use in the situation when you need to remove ink stains.
First, dab some alcohol on the corner of a clean rag. Gently tap the mark several times and leave it for 30 minutes.
Your carpet’s fibers may become dry from using rubbing alcohol. We suggest you use a water and vinegar solution to ensure that your carpet stays in good condition.
Take a quarter cup of vinegar and combine it with a quart of water to make the mixture. After erasing the ink stain, rinse the area with water to remove any remaining agent residue.
How do you remove printer ink stains?
There are several cleaners you can utilize and techniques you can implement to remove printer ink stains. With such an abundance of useful information, you have nothing to be concerned about.
Many guidelines, including ours, recommend using one of the following cleaning products to get ink out of carpet:
• rubbing or isopropyl alcohol
• shaving cream
• hair spray
• ammonia
• WD-40
Keep in mind that a stubborn ink stain can harm the carpet to the extent that you would need to hire a pro to clean it.
Will WD-40 remove printer ink from the carpet?
Yes, it will. WD-40 is a great choice of cleaner in a situation when you need to get printer ink out of carpet.
First, test out WD-40 on a small piece of carpet in some hidden area. Otherwise, you risk damaging the carpet’s fibers. After that, apply WD-40 to the stain and let it sit for a few minutes.
Then, blot the stain with a sponge that has been dipped in warm, soapy water. To completely remove the ink from the carpet, use the soapy to blot the WD-40. Wipe away any remaining water and soap with a paper towel.
Conclusion
What can you do if printer ink somehow ends up on your gorgeous, soft carpet?
With the abundance of different techniques to follow and cleaning products to use, stain removal is not that difficult or terrifying to do. Most of these cleaners can be certainly found in every home, like shaving cream, or hair spray.
Most importantly, don’t panic. If you follow our recommendations, you can be sure: your carpet will be as good as new!
Read also our guide: How Long Should Carpet Smell After Cleaning
Hi, I’m Anna Jeffery, an experienced author and cleaning expert. I strive to share my knowledge with everyone by writing useful guides and tips to keep their living and working spaces clean and healthy. I believe everyone deserves to live in a clean and organized environment, and I take pride in knowing that my articles are helping people achieve that goal. Stay tuned for practical and useful cleaning tips!
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