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Ink on Carpet in Vancouver: What You Are Dealing With
“Ink” covers a lot of different products, and they do not all behave the same way on carpet.
Not all ink is the same
Ballpoint pen ink is oil-based and thick. Gel pens, rollerballs and many washable markers are water-based. Printer ink, stamp pad ink and felt-tip markers fall somewhere in between, and they are often loaded with dye. Water alone will not touch some of these, and the wrong product can spread others into a much bigger spot.
Why it spreads
Ink is made to flow and to stain. On carpet it travels along the fibers, and rubbing pushes it wider and deeper. A dot from a pen can turn into a smear the size of your palm after a few hard scrubs.
First steps at home
- Blot, do not rub. Use a white cloth and work from the outside of the spot toward the middle.
- If a pen broke open, lift any pooled ink with a paper towel before it soaks in.
- Test any product, including rubbing alcohol, on a hidden piece of carpet first. Some products can take color out of the carpet.
- If the spot gets bigger as you work on it, stop. That usually means the ink is spreading instead of lifting.
Have a different kind of spot? Our Clark County carpet stain removal page covers more of them.
What We Do
How Rich Treats Ink Stains in Battle Ground, Ridgefield and Vancouver
With ink, knowing what made the stain matters more than with most spills. If you still have the pen or marker, keep it handy so Rich can see it.
- Identify the ink. Rich asks what made the stain and what has been tried on it so far.
- Spot treatment first. Ink usually needs focused work on the spot itself, with a product suited to the type of ink, before the rest of the carpet is cleaned.
- Hot water extraction. Truck-mounted equipment then rinses the area and pulls out what the spot treatment loosened.
- Post spot treatment. Any spots still showing after the rinse get another treatment.
- Walk-through. Rich shows you the result and explains anything that is left.
To be honest about results: small ballpoint marks often come out. Large spills, dye-heavy markers and ink that has been in the carpet a long time may only lighten. Rich will tell you what he expects before he starts. We stand behind our work and will make it right if you’re not satisfied.
