How To Clean Ink Out Of Carpet

Need a solution for tough Ink Marker Stains? Click here for BISSELL Rental's top recommendations for each type of ink stain.

With school back in session, the chances of stains on your carpet from an ink pen or marker increase, especially if your kids love to stretch out on the floor and do their homework. Don't banish your kids from your carpeted rooms when they have pens or markers in hand – just know how to get ink out of carpet, or how to clean carpet stains, in case an accident happens. Purchase the right carpet cleaning formulas and pretreat sprays and keep them handy so you can take action as soon as a stain occurs.

Spot Cleaners to Remove Carpet Stains

Choosing the right kind of pretreat spray or spot cleaner can be tricky. You need a cleaner with the right formula to get ink out of carpet.

The Best Carpet Cleaning Formulas for Each Type of Ink or Marker Stain:

For water-soluble ink, non-water-soluble ink and felt-tip marker

Use an enzyme-based product, such as Pet Urine Stain and Odor Pretreat and Spot Cleaner. This might seem like an odd choice, but enzyme-based products can work for up to 48 hours to remove organic stains if a damp cloth is kept over the top of the stain.

For ballpoint pen ink

Use an oxygen-based product like Oxy Deep® Pretreat and Spot Cleaner. Oxygen-based products change the color of stain molecules, so you no longer see the stain.

For crayon

After you scrape off as much as possible, use rubbing alcohol on a white cloth. Rub the cloth in one direction at a time to remove the stain. Using circular motions could wreck the carpet texture. And, be careful. You don't want the alcohol to get into the carpet backing.

Of course, no matter what type of stain remover you use to get the ink out of your carpet, the process is still the same. Spray the stain and surrounding area generously with the formula and work it in with light strokes, moving from the edge of the stain to the center. Be very careful not to apply too much pressure--you may push the stain further into the carpet fibers. When you reach the center of the stain, gently pinch in an upward motion. For particularly tough stains, you may want to let the formula sit for a few minutes first.

Rent a BISSELL Big Green carpet cleaner to Deep Carpet Clean

If the stain persists, try using a deep carpet cleaner. After the stain has been sprayed with a pretreater, go over the area using the carpet deep cleaner as you normally would. If you want more information on how to deep clean carpet, go to our instructions here or watch our how to video.

Where to Find a Carpet Cleaner Rental Near Me

Next time you think that your carpet needs to be cleaned, look for a store near you that carries BISSELL Rental. Just go to our Location Search Tool and type in your zip code (or postal code if you are in Canada). You can choose a 10-, 25-, 50- or 100-mile radius to find stores in your area.