How to Get Sharpie Out of Carpet (5 Easy Tips)

How to get sharpie out of carpet

If you are looking for how to get sharpie out of carpet, then your kids must have done some awful decoration on your beautiful carpet using sharpie or their favorite permanent marker, this is often as a result of the games they play using these markers.

Yes, your kids were busy displaying their creativity on your carpet, but permanent markers stains can be almost impossible to remove from carpets. That said, don’t let the word “permanent” scare you, while this can be overwhelming, there’s absolutely no cause for alarm.

We’ve got you covered on how to get permanent marker out of carpet. The use of rubbing alcohol and hair spray works wonders in getting sharpie or permanent marker from your carpet. Hydrogen peroxide and cold water is yet another effective alternative.

Remember, don’t let the word “permanent” scare you. These tips mentioned below takes off these stains in no time.

I also have numerous carpet stain removal tips on my site, do check them out too.

How to Get Permanent Marker Out of Carpet

There are various ways on how to get sharpie out of carpet, the popular method is rubbing alcohol and hair spray which requires just a few gentle blotting. Vinegar and Baking soda do wonders too, check out detailed guide on how to get sharpie out of carpet using these chemicals.

Using Rubbing Alcohol and Hair Spray to Get Sharpie Out of Carpet

Rubbing alcohol is an ethanol-based liquid also known as surgical spirit or Isopropyl alcohol. It is the best cleaner to use when it comes to removing permanent marker stains from carpet. Vinegar and baking soda works great too, as well as

It loosens the marker’s bond with the carpet brings the carpet back to its clean state.

Before proceeding, while some fabrics are known to take damage from specific methods of cleaning, test inconspicuous part of the carpet or if you have an extra piece of carpet, test it with the rubbing alcohol to see the carpet’s reaction before using it on the affected area.

Get a sponge and soak with rubbing alcohol, gently blot the affected area of the carpet with the soaked sponge to saturate the surface of the stain.

Get a paper towel and blot the rubbing alcohol and stain off from the carpet. Ensure to blot only and avoid scrubbing so the marker stain won’t spread to other areas of the carpet.

Once you’re done blotting, the marker stains should be faint now. Apply a reasonable amount of hair spray on the faint stain and blot the area, this will completely take off the marker stain from the carpet. When using a hair spray, make sure to use an oil free hair spray, this will help bring the stain to the surface.

If there are still signs of marker stains on the carpet, repeat the entire process and you should be good.

Read: How to get maggots out of carpet

Using Vinegar and Baking Soda to Get Sharpie Out of Carpet

The white vinegar and baking soda technique have been a very effective method of removing stains from carpet, it’s everyone’s favorite.

A combination of these two has a powerful reaction. Removing sharpie and other permanent marker stains using this technique works like magic.

To achieve this you will need a cup of vinegar, baking soda, paper towels, and a vacuum cleaner.

Baking soda comes in handy when it comes to cleaning stains from carpet. Sprinkle baking soda over the stained area.

Pour the vinegar in a bottle and spray it over the baking soda until the affected area is wet and the vinegar reacts with the baking soda. Allow to sit for an hour before proceeding to the step below.

At this stage, the stain would have almost disappeared. After this mixture has sat for about an hour, get a vacuum cleaner to clean out the remaining baking soda from the surface of the carpet. Get a clean absorbent towel and water, dab the surface to completely clean the carpet.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Cold Water to Get Sharpie Out of Carpet

Before we proceed with this step, please note that hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent which may ruin the dye of your carpet.

It’s also advised to use this cleaner on only light colored carpets, using these cleaners on a white carpet gives the best result.

Spray enough amount of hydrogen peroxide over the stained area, an amount enough to properly saturate the stained area.

Blot the area evenly using a paper towel, Once this is done, cover the stained area by putting a paper towel above it and allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Within this period, you will notice the marker stain fading off. The hydrogen peroxide will isolate the marker stain from the carpet and the next step is to wash it out with cold water. Pour an appropriate amount of cold water over the affected area and let it soak.

Once soaked, blot dry with a paper towel, this will completely remove the sharpie or permanent marker stain off from the carpet. This method is very effective and usually doesn’t require repetition.

Read: Tips on cleaning floors with hydrogen peroxide

Using Hand Sanitizer to Get Sharpie Out of Carpet

Most hand sanitizers are alcohol-based, containing 90% ethanol, its alcohol is enough to remove the marker stain off the carpet.

Squirt the hand sanitizer directly on the marker stain on the surface of the carpet. Get a cotton ball and gently dab the surface, rub the cotton on the surface of the sharpie stain gently, keep blotting continuously until the stain is completely removed

Read: How to get soot out of carpet

Using Acetone to Get Sharpie Out of Carpet

A nail polish remover has 100% acetone so using this to remove sharpie stains from carpet goes a long way. For this procedure, you’ll need cotton balls or cotton rounds  as well as a bottle of acetone.

Get a cotton ball or cotton round and soak it up into acetone, blot the sharpie stain repeatedly, reapply the acetone on the cotton and continue blotting.

Once the cotton is soiled with the sharpie stain, change to a new cotton and repeat the process until the stain is completely gone.

Quick Notes on Removing Sharpie Stains from Carpet

After cleaning sharpie stains from the carpet, make sure to dry the carpet. This avoid more dirt and the growth of mold in carpets.

Always test an inconspicuous part of the carpet before using any cleaner or chemical on the affected area. With this step, you’re sure of the carpet’s reaction with the chemical.

For a better finishing touch, steam clean your carpet to keep the entire carpet all sparkling, although this can be optional.

While there might be a thin gap between blotting and scrubbing. Blot only and avoid scrubbing stains on the carpet, this will keep the stain from spreading further. Only scrub when necessary.

Read: How to get glitter out of carpet

Conclusion

Seeing sharpie stains on your carpet might seem tiring, the thought of removing it alone is overwhelming.

Out of hundreds of methods out there, the above-mentioned tips are the most effective on how to get sharpie out of carpet, these methods make cleaning sharpie and other marker stains seem like a simple task.

I’m glad this post has been beneficial to you, and it might to a friend out there. Many are looking for tips on how to get sharpie out of carpet, share this post with them and save them the stress.

Have you had sharpie stain on your carpet before? What method worked for you?

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