How to Get Sharpie Out of Carpet? [5 Effective Ways]

Sharpies, for kids, are a creative way to show off their talent in drawing but it, most definitely, is a disaster if they start drawing on walls, furniture, and carpets.

Parents have no choice but to get down on their knees and clean those stains off of their carpet. How do you get rid of those stains? What chemicals do you use to get the stain off your carpet? How do you avoid the stain from spreading further over the carpet? You will find answers to all of these questions in this article.

Top 5 Most Effective Ways to Get Rid of Sharpie Stains on Carpets

You can never predict and prevent sharpie stains on your carpet but what you can certainly do is know the quickest and easiest ways to get them off the carpet.

The main ingredient to removing sharpie stains is alcohol. Whatever chemical you use, it must have a certain amount of alcohol to separate the stain from the fibres of the carpet. So without further beating around the bush, let’s discuss the steps to get sharpie stains out of the carpet.


Rubbing alcohol and hair spray




You will need some cotton pads or tissue. A q-tip will be fine as well. You obviously need rubbing alcohol and a can of hair spray. Follow these steps to get out tough sharpie stains.

- Take the bottle of rubbing alcohol and pour four to five drops of the liquid over the cotton pad. Never touch the cotton pad to the mouth of the container as doing so will contaminate the alcohol.


- Gently blot over the affected area. Do not press the cotton pad against the carpet as this would make the stain penetrate further deeper into the carpet. Make sure you go in circles but never out of the affected area. This will spread the stain even further.


- After noticing a slight change in the color of the stain, use the hair spray. Ensure the hair spray is oil-free as you don’t want to have oil stains on your carpet. Shake the can and direct it right above the affected area. Do two sprays.


- Use a new set of cotton pads to dab over the stain.


- If the carpet gets too fuzzy in that region, use a toothbrush instead of cotton pads. Go in circular directions.


- You will have to repeat the process a couple of times to get rid of the stain completely.


- After you are all done, use a towel soaked in clean water and blot the wet area dry.

Nail polish remover




If you don’t have a bottle of acetone lying around, you can reach out for a nail paint remover. The key components that work over the stain are acetone and alcohol. You will need a soft cloth or cotton pads. Follow these steps to get out tough sharpie stains.

- Pour a few drops of nail polish remover over the cotton pads. Do not pour the liquid directly onto the carpet. Doing so will not only waste your nail paint remover but will also seep through the carpet and damage it from down under.


- Take the wet cotton pad and dab over the stain. Do not press the cotton pad against the carpet, as this would make the stain penetrate further deeper into the carpet. Do not go outwards as the color will affect the area near the stain. Go in circles.


- You will have to repeat this process at least three to four times to completely get rid of the stain.


- After the stain disappears, take a dry cloth and separate out the fibres of the carpet from one another. This will help dry the wet area faster.

Hand sanitizer




Hand sanitizer contains sixty and sometimes even ninety percent of alcohols such as ethanol and isopropanol. But these types of alcohol are not very effective on sharpie stains. So, use them over weak and light stains only or as a last resort to get rid of the residue. Follow these steps to get out tough sharpie stains.

- Take a towel and squeeze eight to ten drops of hand sanitizer over it.


- Spread it evenly over the affected area and start blotting.


- Go in circles and try to separate the fibres of the carpet to get a deeper reach into the stain.


- You will have to repeat this process at least three to four times to completely get rid of the stain.


- Use a slightly soaked cloth to clean off the stickiness or any kind of residue lying over the stain.


- After the stain goes off, use a hairdryer or any type of hot air blower to dry the wet region.

Vinegar and baking soda




Using vinegar and baking soda is the most common method to remove almost every kind of stain. This combination works like magic over sharpie stains. All you need is a paper towel and a vacuum cleaner. Follow these steps to get out tough sharpie stains.

- Pour some vinegar into a spray bottle. A spray bottle is preferred as it helps the sprayed liquid get deeper into the carpet.


- Once your spray bottle is ready, sprinkle some baking soda over the stain.


- Spray vinegar right over the baking soda. Make sure both these components mix well. Let the mixture rest over the stain for an hour and a half.


- If there is any loose baking soda powder lying around the stain, clean it up using the vacuum cleaner.


- To make sure the mixture doesn’t damage the carpet fibres, use a damp cloth and gently dab over the region. Repeat this step until you don’t notice any trace of the mixture.

Hydrogen peroxide and cold water




Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent. It will definitely affect the color of your carpet. So, opt for this method of use only if you have a white-colored carpet. If you use hydrogen peroxide on a colored carpet, you might notice a white patch or discoloration over the stained area. Follow these steps to get out tough sharpie stains from the white carpet.

- Spread hydrogen peroxide over the stain. Make sure you don’t pour it in one place but spread it evenly throughout the affected area.


- Use a toothbrush and cover the fibres of the carpet with the liquid. Do not press the toothbrush against the carpet as this would make the stain penetrate further deeper into the carpet. Do not go outwards as the color of the stain will affect the area near the stain. Go in circles.


- Let it rest for about an hour.


- Next, gently pour cold water over the stain.


- Use a dry cloth and blot over the wet area.

We hope this article has saved you the time and effort to get rid of those stubborn sharpie stains. As a precaution, we advise you to handle the above-mentioned chemicals with care. Make sure you don’t have the chemicals open and your pets around them. Cover the affected area with a paper towel to make sure nobody comes in contact with it. Happy cleaning!

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How does vinegar remove stains?


All the credit goes to its acidity. Vinegar’s acidity enables it to interact with tough substances. Doing so, disintegrates or separates those stubborn stains from the fibres of the carpet.


Q. How does baking soda remove stains?


Baking soda, unlike vinegar, is a strong and abrasive base. It consists of similar fatty acids that you will find in soaps and detergents. These fatty acids react with oily substances found in stains and loosen their grip over the affected area.


Q. Can rubbing alcohol ruin your carpet?


Rubbing alcohol is, in fact, the most popular cleaning agent used by cleaning professionals. It does not damage your carpet but if you carelessly pour a lot of it at once, it might affect the carpet temporarily. Rubbing alcohol is highly volatile in nature. This means that it evaporated if left open. So, the answer is no, rubbing alcohol does not ruin your carpet.
https://floorsadvisor.com/get-sharpie-out-of-carpet/