If you want to learn how to get tattoo ink out of carpet you’ve come to the right place.
The best way to get tattoo ink out of the carpet is to get to it immediately while it is still wet before it has sunk down into the carpet fibers or dried to become set in.
Use household items like rubbing alcohol, hairspray, vinegar, or baking soda. If all else fails, it’s time to call in a professional to get the job done.
Why Is Tattoo Ink Difficult to Remove?
It doesn’t matter how it got there, we won’t ask questions. Maybe your wrap slid off before its time and landed on the carpet staining it with ink. Or, maybe you’re running a tattoo artist parlor with carpeting and daily opportunities for spills and stains.
No questions asked, you have a stain on the carpet with tattoo ink that is difficult to remove because it’s meant to be injected underneath human skin, and it’s meant to be permanent. Because the tattoo ink is meant to last forever if allowed to set up, you need to act fast to get the stain out of your carpet.
Any kind of ink that gets spilled onto carpeting is going to be tricky to remove without causing discoloration to the flooring. However, tattoo ink is especially difficult to remove since it is intended to be permanent. So, acting quickly could save your carpet, that is, if you remember to do two things. Respond as fast as you can, and use the proper stain-removal method.
As mentioned, the best way to tackle a tattoo ink stain is to act fast to clean it right away rather than leaving it to dry. As with any stain, the quicker you get to the stain to clean it up, the easier it will be to remove.
If the ink is still wet, use a dry cloth to absorb any wet ink that has not yet soaked into the carpet fibers. Or, use a paper towel that you can throw away as the stain transfers from the carpet to the paper towel.
The next step is going to be to attempt to dissolve the bond that is forming or has already formed between the ink and the carpet fibers. Rubbing alcohol works great for this. There are a few other products to try as well.
5 Ways To Remove Tattoo Ink From Carpet
Using the proper method to remove tattoo ink from the carpet is very important. Since you will be acting fast to get the ink out, thankfully there are a lot of options that require only the use of household items you probably already have on hand ready to grab.
Here are five ways to remove tattoo ink from carpet that work:
1. Rubbing Alcohol
First, blot the area using a clean cloth, and then use rubbing alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol, to wipe off the remaining ink stain from the carpet. Apply the alcohol to the stain, and wait for a minute or two to let the alcohol sink into the stain.
Use a separate clean cloth to blot the remaining pigment away. If you don’t have any isopropyl or rubbing alcohol on hand, or nearby, try hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizers use alcohol as the main ingredient, so it can act as a quick solution to grab if necessary.
2. Hairspray
This seemingly magical spray in a can does more than just make ‘80s hairstyles look big and tall to stay in place all day long. It is actually a surprisingly great stain removal tool. Just make sure that the hairspray you use is not an oil-based spray, or it will add a new oily stain to the already stained carpet.
Tattoo ink is hard enough to get out on its own let alone adding an oily mess to clean up besides. Before you begin with this method, be sure the area is well ventilated. Spray a good amount onto the stain. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
When you come back after 10 minutes, the stain should be in the process of dissolving. Use a paper towel to blot the hairspray. Every time you blot, use a new part of the towel or an entirely new towel, so you don’t spread the stain even more.
Apply the hairspray one more time if there is still any ink residue after you have blotted. Let it air dry and then vacuum the area so that any remaining hairspray doesn’t create a gummy, sticky mess bonding with the carpet fibers.
3. Baking Soda
Baking soda is nature’s little secret that is great for so many cleaning jobs and works great at eliminating household odors.
To get tattoo ink out of carpet is no exception. Pour some warm water onto the stain, and dampen it using a towel to dilute the stain. Drizzle a generous amount of baking soda onto the carpet over the ink stain. Sit back and let it go to work for about 5 minutes.
The next step is to add some diet ginger ale to the baking soda. Use diet and not one with corn syrup or sugar so that you avoid a sticky sugary mess on the carpet. Gently scrub it into a paste with a toothbrush.
Blot the excess liquid with a paper towel. The ink should begin dissolving. Sprinkle little drops of cold water onto the stain, and blot it with a towel to soak up excess liquid. One more time, sprinkle water and remove the final particles of the baking soda and diet ginger ale. Allow the carpet to completely dry.
4. Carpet Cleaner (carpet cleaning machine)/Professional Carpet Cleaning service
Break out the big guns and go professional using commercial cleaning machines. Or, call in a professional to get the job done. Most carpet cleaning machines use steam, and steam is a great way to disinfect while cleaning stains.
If you hire a professional carpet cleaning service, make sure you ask first if they have experience with getting tattoo ink out of carpets.
5. White Vinegar
Vinegar works best if the stain is fairly fresh. Pour some white vinegar onto the stain as soon as you notice that the ink is there. Choose white vinegar over apple cider vinegar since the white vinegar is clear and will not leave a brown color behind.
Working quickly really helps with this method. Be sure to get to the stain before it dries. If you have no vinegar, a few drops of lemon juice or essential oil may do the trick. You can even add the essential oil to the vinegar to freshen up the strong vinegar smell for a more pleasant aroma. Always remember to first test a small area of the carpet with whatever stain removal method you choose before using it on a wider area to be sure it won’t change or remove the color of the carpet.
Additional Methods Not Recommended
Additionally, there are other suggested methods to get tattoo ink out of carpets, but they are not recommended if you want to keep your carpet color intact, or if you don’t want to create a smelly, overly wet carpet. If you do use these methods, make sure you know exactly what you are doing to avoid mishaps or creating a worse problem.
Methods that are not recommended include:
- Some claim that applying boiling milk to the tattoo ink stain on the carpet will get the ink out after a few rubbings. While this may get the color out caused by the tattoo ink, it may also leave behind an odor of rotten milk if not done properly. It also has the potential of oversaturating the carpeting.
- Others suggest using bleach, though this is not recommended if you want the color of the carpet to stay intact. It may be a feasible option for white carpets, but even with the colorless carpet that has become stained, the bleach is too harsh for the carpet backing and can cause damage to the fibers and glue or padding below.
- Ice is another method. The idea is that the coldness of the ice turns the liquid tattoo ink into a solid chemical state and weakens the chemical bonds. This one may actually work, but since you have to work quickly it may just give the ink time to set up. Also, if you leave the ice cube to melt, it could create a water or mold issue.
- Nail polish remover is another method that is not recommended for carpeting. For many of the same reasons that bleach is not recommended, nail polish remover is not the best first choice. It may take out the tattoo ink, but it will also take the color out of the carpet as well. Also, the acetone can be damaging to the carpet backing or the sub-floor below.
Removing Dried Tattoo Ink From Carpets
If the tattoo ink has already dried onto the carpet fibers, it is going to be more difficult to remove. First, you will need to moisten the ink before attempting to remove it.
Try the hairspray or the isopropyl alcohol method first. You may also want to try to use Oxi Clean, a more natural, non-bleach solution, with water to saturate the stain. Wait for 5 minutes, and use a cloth to rinse with cold water while blotting the area.
Always let the carpet completely dry once the stain is out regardless of what method you use. If none of these suggested methods work, it may be time to call in the professional cleaner especially once the ink has dried, and the stain has had time to set into the carpet fibers.
Final Thoughts
To get tattoo ink out of carpets, the secret is going to be acting as fast as possible and using the best stain removal method. Remember that if the ink is allowed to dry, it will set into the carpet and be even more difficult to remove.
After all, a tattoo is meant to last forever. So, if the ink ends up where it’s not intended, on the carpet, it’s time to go to work cleaning it up before it becomes permanent.
