Crayon, Colored Pencil, and Permanent Marker Stain Removal

Has your little artist used your carpet as their canvas? This is a very common problem when you have children or even when you have adults who enjoy expressing their creativity. Children do not seem to understand that you draw on paper only, so they use the walls and carpet to create their masterpiece as well. How do you get rid of crayon, permanent marker, and colored pencil stains?

How to Remove Crayon, Colored Pencil, and Permanent Marker Stains

Here are some great crayon, colored pencil, and permanent marker stain removal tips for you.

Prevention: A.K.A. Heading Your Little Artist Off at the Pass

The best way to keep your carpets art and stain free is to set up an art area just for creating their masterpieces.

They may not always stay in this area, but if they have a place where you do not have to worry about them getting marks on the furniture, walls, or floor, then you may be able to encourage them to stay in this area.

Another thing that you may want to look at is using washable crayons and markers. They will still take some time to clean out of your carpet, but it will be much easier. They also have markers available that only color when used on special paper. If you have a younger child this may be a viable option. Use your imagination to come up with ways to encourage your budding little artist to use paper instead of your home as their canvas!

Supply List For Removing Stains

There are a few items to make sure you have on hand to take care of any of those little carpet art projects as soon as they occur.

• Rubbing Alcohol
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Non-oily Hairspray
• Dish Detergent Liquid
• WD 40
• Iron

Crayon Stain Removal

There are many different ways to try to remove crayon marks from your carpets. The best thing is to pick the one that you want to try or that you have the supplies for and if it does not work, then try a different method. Before trying any method, however, you need to remove any excess crayon with a knife.

One of the methods involves taking a paper bag folded over a few times or a white towel folded over a few times and placing it on the stain. Then you will run a warm iron over the stain a few times. This should remove some of the crayon wax and transfer it to the towel or bag. It is very important to change out your bag/towel or you will transfer the crayon back to the carpeting.

Another method is to take a damp sponge and sprinkle baking soda on it. Wipe the crayon marks with the sponge until the stain is gone and then blot gently with a wet white towel.

Colored Pencil Stain Removal

Colored pencils can leave a stain on your carpeting as well. You first need to scrape any excess colored pencil out of your carpet with a dull knife. Then you can try this stain removal tip!

Spray the area lightly with WD 40 and let it sit for a few minutes. Then take a stiff brush, brush the stained area, and then wipe with a white paper or cloth towel. Re spray the stain with WD 40 and then apply some liquid dish detergent to the stain. Work in well with the brush and then wipe the area with a damp sponge. Blot with a clean, dry towel.

The above method can also be used to treat crayon stains as well.

Permanent Marker Stain Removal

Permanent markers are just that – permanent – so they may not be able to be removed completely from your carpets. You can lighten the stain significantly though, and may be able to lighten it enough that it will be hardly noticeable.

One of the first methods that you can try involves using the rubbing alcohol or a non-oily hairspray. Moisten the stain lightly with the alcohol or hairspray and lightly blot with a white towel. You should see the marker marks being transferred to the towel. You may have to do this several times to get all of the marker stain. Once the stain is gone, moisten the area with water and then blot with a clean, dry towel until the carpeting is dry.

Place white paper towels beneath the stained area . Place the article face down, and start working from the back of the fabric, behind the stain, which will help to put the stain out and not force the permanent marker ink stain further into your stained clothing. Whatever stain removal method you select, there are two basic rules: test it first on an area that will not show, to verify that the solution will actually help and ensure it will not stain or damage the fabric/color, and the other rule is to air dry the clothing after you have laundered and remove the stain, because if the stain is not completely gone, and needs to be treated again the heat from the clothes dryer will set the stain and make it almost impossible to remove.

Some of the stain treatments methods used for ballpoint ink stains might also to help remove it. Try also sponging the stain with rubbing alcohol and launder as usual.

If the permanent marker stain is on your carpeting, remove it with hairspray or rubbing alcohol. Put a small amount of hairspray or alcohol on a cloth and dab at the stain. The ink stain will come off onto the wet cloth, then blot the stain again with a dry cloth. Repeat this process in steps as wet blot, dry blot, etc, until all the ink has been removed. Then rinse the spot off with clean cold water.

If All Else Fails…

If all of your stain removal methods fail and you are still left with artwork on your carpet, then you may want to get advice from a professional carpet cleaner. The last resort is to cut the stain out and then cut clean carpet from an inconspicuous place (like a closet), glue it where the stained carpet was, and then vacuum it to fluff it into the other carpet. There are ways to work around a stain, unless it is a particularly large stain, so that you do not have to purchase a whole room of carpet.

Keep in mind that the best stain treatment is to prevent it from ever occurring. Offer your children a place where they can express their artistic side and you may keep them from using your carpeting as their huge sheet of paper. If a stain does occur, keep your cool, and then treat it as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult it may be too remove! So hand your little artist some paper and let them create some art for your walls-in a frame, that is!