How to Remove Newspaper Ink Stains on Carpet and Upholstery

It’s a newspaper. It has news, sports, and weather updates. You love reading it because it keeps you up-to-date on the latest happenings in the world around you.

But wait!

What about all those newspaper ink stains? They’re everywhere: your clothes, furniture, carpet… it’s enough to make anyone crazy!

Luckily though, there are some easy ways to get rid of newspaper ink stains from any surface they’ve touched. Read our guide for simple tricks that’ll remove newspaper ink stains from your carpet in no time flat.

The Problem

If you’re reading this then there’s a chance that some dark spots have appeared on the arms of your sofa or carpet due to ink stains from newspapers.

Newspaper stains are like a lifelong commitment. They may not be as obvious at first, but if you read your newspaper in the same place over time, those dark ink spots will build up on all sorts of surfaces – from sofa cushions to carpet fibers!

You’ll start noticing them more and more until one day it’s impossible not to. What were those blackened patches doing there?

The Solution

In order to eliminate the newsprint stains and smudges out of your newspaper, you need a two-step stain solver approach. The first step is to remove any petroleum-based components using solvent and then water-based cleaner for dark pigment stains.

The key with this method is patience because it can take a while until all trace elements have disappeared, depending on how long the messy newspaper ink has stayed in your carpet.

How to Remove Newspaper Ink From Carpets With Commercial Stain Cleaning Supplies

Step 1: Use Hair spray or De-Solv-it spray. It is your best friend when it comes to dissolving the oil in the stains. 

Step 2: Lightly spray the solution in short bursts at the newspaper ink area.

Step 3: After spraying a small area at the target with the cleaner, take a clean cloth and blot the area immediately with it.

Step 4: If you work quickly from the outside toward the center, you will have better control over the stain, and you will not have to worry about it bleeding or spreading forward.

Step 5: Keep the stain from becoming saturated

Step 6: Continue to do this until you have removed all of the dark colors from the stain.

Step 7: Now, use a carpet and area rug stain remover spray like the BISSELL Professional Power Shot Oxy Carpet Spot and Stain Remover. You can get one at your local Home Depot store or online like Amazon or Walmart.

Step 8: In one fluid motion, spray the area you have just cleaned with your carpet stain remover and blot using a clean, dry cloth.

Step 9: Once again, work your way from the outside of the stain to the middle of it.

Step 10: You should avoid rubbing or scrubbing the carpet fibers.

Step 11: Blot thoroughly by firmly pressing the clean cloth into the carpet.

Step 12: Allow the patch to dry, and you are done.

How to Remove Newspaper Ink From Carpets With Homemade Stain Cleaning Supplies

Step 1: Rubbing alcohol is a great way to clean and disinfect anything. Now take a clean white cloth and wet it with rubbing alcohol.

Step 2: The next step is to blot the stained area. Starting at one edge and working your way towards the center, wetly rub away any ink with an alcohol-soaked cloth until no more dark stain can be seen. This may require rewetting with more rubbing alcohol before proceeding further (depending on the severity of the stain).

Step 3: Next, leave the area for at least 30 minutes so that any excess liquid will be absorbed by fabric and stains are weakened.

Step 4: Mix ¼ cup of white vinegar with 1-quart warm water and rinse the stained area. It may seem strange at first, but this will help remove any dirt or stains from the fibers while not damaging them in any way.

Step 5: Once the stain has been removed, rinse thoroughly with clean water and allow it to dry. You may need to cover the stain with shaving cream and let it sit for 15 minutes if you can still see some faint color.

Step 6: Repeat the process by rinsing the area with the vinegar and water solution.

Step 7: Step 12: Air dry the patch, and you are done.

How to Remove Newspaper Ink From Upholstery

Step 1: Squeeze some anti-grease liquid dish soap onto your finger and gently rub it into the stained area.

Step 2: Focus on the discolored region since newspaper ink readily transfers.

Step 3: You should now wash away the stain remover.

Step 4: After blotting the stain with a white cloth and cold water, you can use an electric hair dryer or air-dry the upholstery.

Conclusion

Common sense may tell you to use a wet paper towel, but it is not effective in completely removing newspaper ink stains.

The best way to clean is by using commercial carpet stain remover spray that will not only remove the ink from the carpet, it will also disinfect and deodorize them as well. Otherwise, common home ingredients like rubbing alcohol work well too.

You might think that you need to give up your favorite daily because of a few newsprint ink stains. But with our cleaning advice, you can keep reading without any worries about ink rubbing off on the furniture or carpeting.

And if it does happen, don’t worry! Just follow these easy steps and enjoy newspapers guilt-free no matter what mess they make.

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