How to Remove Dry Erase Marker From Carpet? – Step-by-Step Method

Have your artistic kids ever left you in a dilemma wondering how to remove dry erase marker from carpet or you mistakenly stained your carpets with a dry erase marker and you are wondering how to clean it?

The lockdown made a lot of us work and school from home, and dry erase markers can be a handy tool and are very likely to be used.

And so the possibility of getting stained marks from the markers on the carpet can be high especially when there are little kids at home.

Although due to the nature of dry markers they can be difficult to clean it isn’t impossible or left permanent.

In this article, we will be discussing the numerous ways by which one can get marker stains off carpets that won’t require the help of a professional cleaner.

To remove the dry erase marker from the carpet, make a mixture of hair spray and rubbing alcohol, baking soda, and vinegar, then add hydrogen peroxide and cold water.

Dry Erase Maker And Its Effect On Carpet

Dry erase markers as the name suggests are different from wet-erase markers which can be easily cleaned should they stain your carpets.

A wet-erase marker is made of water-soluble dye and can be easily cleaned with water should it get on your carpet.

Unlike permanent markers, they are made from color pigments that use an oily silicone polymer and also consist of alcohol which makes them dry up so easily.

Due to the nature of these markers, they are made for the purpose of writing on non-porous surfaces such as whiteboards and mirrors and will easily get cleaned off even with your fingers.

But that isn’t the case with porous surfaces such as carpets and garments, once the marker stains get on porous surfaces they are not easily cleaned up.

Are Carpets Resistant to Marker Stains?

Carpets are not so resistant to marker stains as compared to other flooring types such as hardwood, ceramic tiles, or vinyl.

These other floor types are mostly non-porous surfaces and marker stains can be cleaned off them easily with a water-based cleaning solution.

Carpets can come in different makes, textures, materials, colors, and pattern designs which can give your home an overall beautiful look and a cozy feel.

Certainly, this is why marker stains and other stains can be quite defacing and takes out the overall beauty of the carpet.

While some stains can be easily cleaned off such as water-based stains, others such as marker stains would need a far more technical approach or even the service of a professional cleaner but they are not impossible to remove.

Are Carpets Generally Resistant to Dry Erase Marker Stain?

Each type of carpet has a different resistance to stain based on the material used as certain stains will be more easily cleaned in some carpets than they will be in others.

And the reaction of cleaning techniques differs for each carpet type.

This is why it is advised and a common practice that you test a cleaning solution on a little part of the carpet that isn’t visible and observe if there will be any adverse reaction.

Solutions For Getting Dry Erase Marker Off Your Carpets

There are quite a number of home-based solutions we can use to remove dry erase markers from carpets.

But also there are already made solvents that we can purchase that will help in removing marker stains from carpets but for the purpose of this article, we will be discussing the home-based solutions.

But before we get to it let’s discuss some helpful tips that we should know as regards cleaning our carpets;

Always Test the Solutions

As stated earlier on in this article it is a good practice that we test the solutions we intend to make use of on little hidden parts of our carpets or on leftover parts of the carpets.

As this will help us in determining how the carpets will react to the solutions. That way we can know if the solution is the right one for the carpets.

Don’t Use Detergent and Water Mixture

Many times, at the sight of stains a lot of people use the first option that comes to mind which is using detergents and water to clean their carpet.

While that isn’t a problem it is advisable that you find out what type of stain you are dealing with before using the solution.

As in the case of marker stains, it is a bad practice to use detergent and water to clean them, because the solution can spread out the stains even more and make them even worse than it initially was.

Avoid the Use of Bleach

Another common mistake people make is using bleach to clean their carpets. While bleach might be a good solvent for removing stains on white and other surfaces.

It is bad to use bleach on your carpets as chlorine can be very strong and could cause possible damage to your carpets. Bleaching out the color and reducing the quality of the carpet.

Always Wear Gloves

 It is a good practice to wear gloves when cleaning our carpets.

Although this might not apply to a lot of individuals, the residue of the marker stains, and at times the cleaning solutions could cause allergy for some people, come in contact with our eyes or even stain our outfit.

How to Remove Dry Erase Marker From Carpet – Home Based Cleaning Solutions

Below are some of the useful home-based cleaning solutions and steps you can use in cleaning dry erase markers from carpet:

Hair Spray And Rubbing Alcohol

The use of rubbing alcohol as a cleaning solution is an excellent choice as it is a degreaser for removing oil-based stains such as dry erase markers.

Combining rubbing alcohol with a non-oil-based hair spray is a good solution for cleaning stains off carpets.

Here are the steps to take;

1. First, pour a decent enough amount of rubbing alcohol onto the stained area of the carpet.
2. Then using a clean rag or paper towel, dab out the alcohol, and dab till it is almost dry.
3. Afterward, spray the non-oil-based hair spray onto the affected area.
4. And then blot out with the rag until the stain is gone.
5. Wait till the carpet is fully dry and repeat the process if the stains aren’t gone.

Tip: As with other carpet cleaning methods, ensure to dab or blot when cleaning and not scrub the carpet to avoid the stains spreading across.

Baking Soda And Vinegar

Another good home-based solution for cleaning marker stains off your carpet is the use of vinegar and baking soda.

Although a good solution, it requires a careful procedure as being rough on the carpet can damage the quality of the carpet. Below are the necessary steps;

Step #1: Pour out a lavish amount of vinegar onto the stained area of the carpet till you are satisfied that the vinegar has penetrated the carpet.

Step #2: Then using a towel, dab out the vinegar.

Step #3: Afterwards pour the baking powder on the affected area, then use a small brush to lightly work the baking powder into the vinegar.

Step #4: Allow the mixture to sit for two hours or more to dry, the stain should be out by the time you check back.

Step #5: Finally use a vacuum cleaner to clean off the baking powder residue.

Tip: Ensure that you use the toothbrush to work the mixture with care as it could be damaging to the carpet if done without care.

Hydrogen Peroxide And Cold Water

Hydrogen peroxide is best used for light-colored carpets as hydrogen peroxide can serve as a bleaching agent.

Because of the bleaching property of hydrogen peroxide which can permanently lighten dark-colored carpets and possibly degrade the overall quality, it is a good practice to test it on a hidden part of the carpet.

1. Begin by pouring a little amount of hydrogen peroxide into the affected area.
2. Using a rag, dab the area as you aim to evenly spread the hydrogen peroxide on all affected areas.
3. Cover up the area with a towel for 30 minutes to an hour.
4. Ensure that the marker stain has been separated from the carpet.
5. Finally using water and a sponge clean off the rest of the stain.

Tip: It is normal for hydrogen peroxide to fizzle when they come in contact with the ink.

Conclusion

And there we have it, the solutions on how to remove dry erase marker from carpet.

As stated earlier there are solvent and cleaning devices that can be used for the cleaning of tough stains from carpets or you can hire the service of a professional cleaner.

But with the solutions discussed above, your carpets should be clean as new. As the solutions have proved to be effective and are cost-effective.

Ensure to try out the above-stated solutions and be sure to have your carpets back, but if after trying out the solutions the stains have refused to go then you can hire the service of a professional cleaner.