Sometimes, it’s normal to get clumsy and spill a liquid on a surface that requires tremendous effort to clean. Or, that could happen by pure accidents. Ink stains are the least type of spills you’d want before your eyes, and here’s how to get an ink stain out of carpet.
How to Remove Water-Based Ink From Carpet
Water-based ink is usually light and less cohesive, so removing it should be a walk in the park. Apart from containing a special pigmentation, they usually shouldn’t bother you much if they spill on your carpet. However, it’s best to act fast before it dries up and creates a nagging spot that may require extra effort removing. Here are the steps you should follow:
What You Need
- Light-colored rags
- Rubbing alcohol
- Wet vacuum
- A toothbrush or soft bristle brush
Procedure
Blot the Ink Stain
It’s best to act fast, removing it before it dries up after spills. Therefore, grab your cloth, soak in water and dab the stain gently. Don’t apply too much pressure since that may push the ink further into the carpet’s fabric. Ensure that the cloth is clean to prevent making the spot more challenging to remove.
Add a Few Alcohol Drops
Remember that rubbing or denatured alcohol can be bad for your carpet if you apply it in excessive amounts. Hence, it’s good that you only add a few drops, enough to cover the stain. That can work best with dried stains, which have settled for a long. Please let the alcohol soak for about a minute or two before dabbing the stain to remove it.
Use a Wet Vacuum Cleaner
While you can still use a dry vacuum cleaner, a wet vacuum cleaner works better. It clears any remaining pigment and nagging hues that might still be visible with a keen eye. Besides, it’ll dry the spot to prevent dampness that can create a mold-growing medium.
How to Remove Oil-Based Ink From Carpet?
Oil-based inks are usually incredibly sticky and adhesive, and a spill on your carpet can be worrying. However, you can still remove it with some little extra effort without leaving any aggravating stain. Although that won’t be a cup of cake as removing water-based oils, you still have the chance to restore your carpet’s initial glitter. Here’s what you should do:
What You Need
- Clean pieces of cloth
- Detergent
- Vacuum cleaner
- Cornstarch
Procedure
Immediately Apply Cornstarch on the Spot
With oil-based ink spills, it’s best to act before it dries up, making it an uphill task and a more strenuous process. However, if you aren’t too numb or need to gather cleaning material, you can apply some cornstarch to prevent quick drying. That way, the ink won’t penetrate deeper into your carpet’s fabric.
Dab with a Soft Cloth
If you’ve applied some cornstarch before, you might need to vacuum it out. Then, use a clean, soaked cloth to dab in the stain in slow, gentle taps. Don’t apply too much pressure since that may increase the ink’s absorption in the fabric.
Use a Soft Bristle Brush to Clean
A mild detergent can also come in handy. Therefore, drop a few drops of powder in the wet spot and use a brush, perhaps a toothbrush, to clean. Use rounded movements, and be sure not to apply excessive pressure to prevent pushing the pigment deep into your carpet.
Vacuum
A dry vacuum cleaner will seal the deal, removing any remaining ink visible. Besides, it’ll dry the carpet, leaving no traces of moisture to create a damp mold medium. If the stain is more significant, you can take the carpet out in the sun to dry it completely.
How to Tell Oil-Based Ink and Water-Based Inks Apart?
There are numerous ways to tell oil- and water-based inks apart. However, that can be a challenge when it spills and dries on your carpet.
The best way to ascertain the type is to find out if it’s still wet. One typical method is to test how much it sticks by putting a tiny drop on a piece of paper.
If it’s water-based, it’ll soak up the patch and perhaps absorb instantly. Oil-based inks usually take time to wet the surface but get absorbed to form permanent stains.
Conclusion
Removing ink stains isn’t challenging, but you must act quickly, whether dealing with the oil- or water-based types. That makes it a simple process and only takes a few minutes to clean. Hopefully, this article will help you clean up your ink-stained pretty easily.
