Sharpie on Carpet!

Updated on May 15, 2007
S.H. asks from Madison, AL
13 answers

I woke up Friday morning to find my daughter, carpet, and walls covered in black Sharpie! I got the ink off of her face and hands easily with rubbing alcohol, and I used a Magic Eraser on the walls. My problem now is the carpet! I have a Bissell steam cleaner, Bissell stain remover spray, Resolve spray, and Bissell's Oxy GEN2 spot remover. Those only faded it a little. I also tried rubbing alcohol, which also only faded a little. My husband's shaving gel worked WONDERS, however, it bleached the carpet a little!

I think I'm going to try Coke or Pepsi tonight (I'm desperate!), and maybe if I just repeat everything I've done (except the shaving gel...) and see if it just continues to fade. Does anyone else have any other tips??? We are only renting this house and I would love to get our deposit back whenever we leave!!

(PS. I've heard about using hair spray, but my mom said that works because of the alcohol, so I just went straight to alcohol!)

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C.P.

answers from Huntsville on

I have to agree with the one that suggested Greased Lightening. I don't have any right now, but when Ashleigh was little I could have bought stock in it!

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S.S.

answers from Biloxi on

Sorry to laugh about this but it brought back memories of a few years back when it happened to me, I had good luck with some stuff called Greased Lightning, it is sold at walmart and it WILLNOT BLEACH..give it a try and let meknow if it worked for you...
MUCH luck

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L.W.

answers from Birmingham on

Hmm, I've heard that club soda works on stains, I'm not sure about sharpie thought, that's a tough one. Hair spray does work. It's not the alcohol, I went to cosmotology school and if we got hair dye on our clothes, we'd spray hair spray on the spot until we could get home to keep it from staining. However, hairspray only works if you spray it on BEFORE you treat it with anything else. You could also try oxyclean. It works great. I'm still not sure about sharpie. You could google it..okay, I got curious and googled it myself. It said pump hairspray, and acetone. I'd definatly try the acetone. You can get it at Salley's or any local beauty supply shop, you might even be able to find it at a local drug store, but I'd lean more toward the beauty supply. I'd test a small, out of the way spot before I did a large spot just to make sure it didn't discolor the carpet. Hope this helps.

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K.P.

answers from Huntsville on

Welcome to the wonderful world of children! Somehow, they always find the markers and crayons when you're not looking. With 3 mischievous boys, we just can't keep our carpet and walls nice anymore. I'm amazed the sharpie came off of your walls. We have yet to be able to get sharpie off the wall (with anything, including the magic eraser). I just painted their room with a semi-glossy finish this time to make it easier to get stuff off of it.

Try Windex. It works better on the carpet for most things than anything else we've ever tried, but honestly, It's permanent marker, especially for fabric, so I just don't think you're going to get it. Nothing's ever worked on Sharpie for us (not coke, either), but good luck. Let me know if you get it all out.

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B.C.

answers from Mobile on

One day my daughter got ahold of a tube of "play lipstick" that of course was hot pink.. Try using Clorox 2 (color safe bleach) I'm not sure if it will fade your carpet so just try a little spot first.. When my daughter did her episode i had a blonde moment and couldnt think of anything to use (we rent too and it was all over the living room carpet) so i went to bleach mixed w/ water.. it worked but of course bleached the carpet.. the spot that i didnt use it on (once i realized it was bleeching the carpet) has just continued to fade.. maybe you could keep doing it once a week (using something thats not bleeching it but working) and hopefully that will work good enough.. I'd give the clorox 2 a try.. let me know if you find something.. good luck!!!

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H.R.

answers from Memphis on

this happened to me when my son was younger, he drew all over the tables couches and carpet and I had more trouble getting it off the table than the floor what I used was finger nail polish remover. pour a little on a rag and dap it up or pour some on the stain and dab it up it may take a few times but it came up without bleaching and I also got this off sharpie.com for you but i didn't try their product just another suggestion

"The successful stain removal of ink stains differs from case to case because of the many types of fabrics, colors, inks and time elapsed before stain removal. We cannot guarantee stain removal since many variables can be involved. Testing first is always recommended as well as following both the stain remover and clothing manufacturer's instructions. Following these steps should result in partial or complete removal. good luck

General Rules:

1) Treat stains as soon as possible. Fresh stains can be removed more easily than old ones.

2) Check manufacturer's labels as to fabric content and any special instructions

3) Always test stain removal solution first on a hidden part of the article or on swatch of fabric taken from seam allowance to insure no color loss or damage will occur.

4) Where possible, lay stained article face down on paper towels or clean white cloth and apply stain removal solution to underside of stain so that stain can be removed from the surface instead of pushing it through the fabric. Replace towels or cloth as they absorb stain to prevent stain transfer.

5) If enlisting the aid of a professional laundry or dry cleaner, be sure to indicate what the stain is and the type of fabric.

6) Do not iron stained garments or put in dryer as this may set stain.

* Also try AMODEX STAIN REMOVER for permanent ink: Amodex Products, P.O. Box 3332, Bridgeport, CT 06605, Phone:###-###-#### or go to www.amodexink.com

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.M.

answers from Biloxi on

When my son got ink all over a slipcover I used hairspray. I had a bottle of the pump stuff and poured it on. It worked like a charm. Good luck.

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K.S.

answers from Hattiesburg on

Try SpotShot. You can by it at Wal-Mart. I think this will work unless your carpet is white.

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E.W.

answers from Chattanooga on

S.,

Use the hairspray. However, you need a pump spray not the aerosol. The pump works better and it does take stains out after you have used other things. Sometimes you need to do it several times for it to complete the job.

E.

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T.

answers from Chattanooga on

Try Goop Hand Cleaner. Mechanics use it to get the grease off. You can get it in the automotive section at Wal-mart. When I was a kid, a friend's son wrote on her newly upholstered furniture with a sharpie and it got it out. It make take several applications but hopefullly it will work. Good luck!

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B.S.

answers from Memphis on

Hey S.,

Try this before you start over. You will need to make sure that your daughter is out of the house when you do this and make sure you have the windows or doors open. I know this works on kool-aid but not sure about sharpie. You will need a white hand towel (no colors), a spray bottle of ammonia, and an iron. Spray the spot with the ammonia, then lay a wet white hand towel over the spot and Iron it. Make sure the towel is wet and make sure the iron is on high. A carpet guy showed me this trick when my son dropped a gallon of red kool-aid on light tan carpet. It took every bit of the kool-aid out of the carpet. Do a little at a time so that your not breathing in the steam of the ammonia. Good luck and let us know if you find something that works.

B.

J.B.

answers from Memphis on

I got permanent red marker out of a light blue carpet that had been there three weeks (another toddler) with Melaleuca's Sol U Mel and it is totally non toxic. It does not bleach the fabric, either.

The gal earlier that told you to order it at www.melaleuca.com has inaccurate information. You cannot just go there and order - you either have to be a customer yourself OR you can order on a customer's account by giving their sales number when you call. So..you may want to ask her to give you her sales number (SN plus the ten digit phone number) to try it...and you only need the little bottle...for it only takes a little. Plus there are 101 other reason you can use this spot removing, super cleaning, deoderizing, germ killing product around your house - safer than any thing else in those categories. If you would like to have a list of ideas on how to use it around your home...email me (____@____.com) and I'll send it to you.

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L.G.

answers from Hattiesburg on

S.,
Melaleuca has a wonderful product called Sol-U-Mel that will get it out. It is a Non-Toxic degreaser. You can purchase it at www.melaleuca.com
If you like it and decide to become a preferred customer, please let me refer you ;)

L. G

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