Removing Ink From Carpet

School's back in session and for many of you that means it's time to reclaim your house (at least for a few hours every day).   It also means homework, tests, and lots of running errands and to school functions. Sometimes when it hasn't been that long since our carpets have been cleaned we get that pesky spot that we just want to go away. This week I will tell you how to use common household products to get rid of one spot out of your carpet that's very common, ink. Be sure to read  ALL the below instructions before you try this. It never hurts to first try in a closet or somewhere nobody will see with any spot cleaner you try.

Removing Ink (Ballpoint) From Your Carpet   Remove as much of any foreign material as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife.   Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to a clean white cloth, white paper towel or cotton ball. If the spot extends deep into the pile use a blotting motion until the spot is removed or no color is transferred to the cloth. Do not allow the alcohol to penetrate into the backing as this will destroy the latex bond. If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time. Never us a circular motion to remove spot as this may destroy the texture. Stop if spot is removed. If not, go to the next step.   Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn and Joy.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.   Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.   Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.   If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick. Important - ALWAYS read and follow the care instructions and any warnings provided by the carpet or upholstery manufacturer. Carpeting and upholstery with natural fibers and/or certain dyes or finishes may require special treatment. If in doubt contact Overturf's Cleaning for advice/service first. NEVER PROCEED with any stain removal instructions without knowing the exact nature of the stain involved. NEVER USE any retail products to remove stains from carpet or upholstery without seeking the advice of the manufacturer or you could void your warranty.

Why Spots on Your Carpet Keep Coming Back

Have you ever wondered why spots return after having your carpet cleaned?

There are two reasons that spots return:

Reason # 1: Wicking. Wicking is the upward migration of moisture or other substances during drying.  

Many times, the spots in your carpet have seeped into the backing of the carpet. This is common with liquids such as pet urine, beverages, and anything that is spilled in “volume”. The substance dries in the backing and the cushion (pad) of the carpet. When the spot is cleaned, only the material in the “pile” of the carpet is removed. However, moisture is introduced to into the backing of the carpet. As the spot dries, the material that is in the backing of the carpet “wicks” back into the pile of the carpet and comes to the surface much like a candle wick.

Even traffic area soil that is embedded can wick back. This is especially common in glue down carpet that is heavily impacted with soil. When the carpet is cleaned, it looks good. When it dries, the spots and traffic areas come back.

The good news is that if a spot actually wicks back, it can be removed. When spot cleaning yourself, place a folded white terry cloth towel over the spot just after you clean it while the spot is still moist. Place a heavy object on top of the cloth. Be sure to use something non porous that won’t transfer color onto the carpet (like a paper book cover). Use a brick, a planting pot, or something like that.

When you have your carpet cleaned professionally, be sure to point out spots that have wicked back in the past, so they can be treated properly.Often, getting the carpets dry quickly will help prevent wicking. Your carpet cleaner can do this by running air movers to help dry the room (one of Overturf's Cleaning's steps in our 12 step process). You can assist in your carpets dry time by running any available fans like ceiling fans, along with turning your air conditioner on to about 70 degrees. The sooner the carpet dries, the less chance for any substance on the backing of the carpet has to wick up to the surface.

We will discuss reason number 2 for spots returning in a future post.

You'll Get the Cleanest Carpets in Bradenton

You’ll love this exclusive deep cleaning process. The system is designed to go WAY beyond what most cleaners think of doing.

Your carpet will be cleaned by experienced, honest, IICRC certified technicians who excel at pleasing you.

GUARANTEED

If you're not happy, we'll re-clean the area for FREE. And if you're still not pleased, you don't pay for that room. 

This is Jeremy Overturf with Overturf's Cleaning. My wife Stefanie and I have built our family business on reputation. Several homeowners in Manatee County recommend our service. Call us for references.

Here's the multi-step process we go through with every standard carpet cleaning:

Step 1...Dry soil removal with commercial vacuum.

Step 2...Pre condition fibers to break down dirt and oil in traffic lanes.

Step 3...FREE spot cleaning to remove stubborn stains like gum, spills, ink, food, mud, mystery spots, etc.

Step 4...Your carpet will be as clean as possible with our deep steam cleaning truck mounted system while our special formula removes odors.

Step 5...Any remaining spots get extra treatment with specialty spotters.

Step 6...Your carpet is groomed to remove footprints and accelerate the drying process.

To see what we can do for your carpets, visit our website: Bradenton Carpet Cleaners

BONUS GIFT: For a limited time, get a FREE bottle of professional spot remover with lifetime refills.

Call 941-301-9555 for an honest, friendly phone estimate with no bait and switch. 

You’ll be glad you did.

One last thing: Trust is a big issue when hiring a carpet cleaning service. I’ve been in the carpet cleaning business for over 12 years. And in that time, I've learned that carpet cleaning can be confusing. In fact, people have so many misconceptions about carpet cleaning that I decided to offer educational information so when you select a carpet cleaning company, you can make an informed decision. It's available to read or as a free PDF download at our Bradenton Carpet Cleaning website, www.CleaningManatee.com. 
 
Thank you, 

Jeremy & Stefanie Overturf

Overturf's Cleaning