How to Remove an Ink Stain from a Couch
http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-an-Ink-Stain-from-a-Couch
Your beautiful couch has an ink stain! That could be very frustrating. Ink is one of the toughest stain to remove especially if the stain is on your leather or vinyl couch. That's why it's best to deal with the stain as soon as it happens. An older ink stain will be almost impossible to remove. But if you have the patience to do the simple methods in this article, you can effectively remove that ink stain from your couch.
Steps
It is important to deal with the ink stain immediately. Blot the spot with a clean cloth or paper towels and apply a little pressure on it. Just blot and don't rub as rubbing might spread the stain. Work from the outside going towards the center and try to absorb as much ink as you can. Change the cloth or paper towels when needed. The method you apply to remove the ink stain will depend on the material of your couch.
Method 1 of 2: Cloth Couch
You can remove the ink stain from your cloth couch easily by using any of the methods below.
Alcohol Method
Ink stains often come out with rubbing alcohol. Use 90% isopropyl alcohol but you can also use 70% if that's the only one you have. First, test the alcohol in an inconspicuous place of the couch to make sure that it won't damage the material.
- 1Apply rubbing alcohol on a clean white cloth. Do not pour alcohol directly on the stain.
- 2Dab the ink stain with the cloth carefully. Do not rub or wipe. Rubbing will cause the stain to spread. Repeat the process until the cloth is not absorbing any more of the ink. Make sure to change the cloth when it is saturated with ink.
- 3Clean and rinse the area thoroughly with clean water until the solution is gone from the couch.
- 4Dry the area with a towel.
Vinegar Method
Vinegar works wonders on ink stains. Its acetic properties allow it to remove stains effectively. Plus, it's safe to use, gentle on hands and environment friendly.
- 1Combine 1 tablespoon of dish washing soap, 2 teaspoons of white vinegar and 1 cup of water in a small bowl.
- 2Dab the solution on the stained area using a soft cloth.
- 3Rub gently. Rubbing too hard will cause the stain to spread. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- 4Clean and rinse the affected area with a soft cloth damped with cold water.Rinse the affected area thoroughly until the solution is completely gone.
- 5Use a dry towel to absorb the moisture.
Method 2 of 2: Leather or Vinyl Couch
Leather and vinyl (often called "fake leather") have almost the same qualities. They are both porous and have delicate surfaces. That is why taking out ink stains from leather or vinyl is tough especially when the ink has already set into the couch.
Dish-washing Soap and Water Method
If the stain is still fresh, warm soapy water can do the trick.
- 1Mix 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish washing soap with a small amount of hot water in a small bowl to make a solution.
- 2Stir the solution until lots of soap suds are formed.
- 3Dip a soft cloth on the soap suds.
- 4Gently wipe the ink stain with the soapy cloth. Repeat the applying and wiping process when necessary.
- 5Use a clean damp cloth to rinse off the solution. Make sure to rinse the area thoroughly.
- 6Dry the area with a towel.
- 7Follow up with a leather conditioner (for leather only). This will help prevent future stains and seal some added moisture into the leather to prevent it from cracking over time.
Alcohol Method
Rubbing alcohol, preferably Isopropyl alcohol can remove the ink stain from your soft leather or vinyl couch. It works easy on fresh ink but with old ink stains, you might need to repeat as needed. Test first the alcohol in an inconspicuous place of the couch to see if the leather or vinyl can handle the alcohol.
- 1Damp a white cotton cloth with alcohol. Do not pour directly on the leather or vinyl.
- 2Blot the stain with the cloth. The ink will start transferring to the cloth. Do not rub, just blot the cloth. Repeat the process until the ink stain is gone. Make sure to change the cloth when it becomes saturated with ink to prevent re-staining the couch.
- 3Clean and rinse the stained area using a soft cloth damped with cold water.Rinse the affected area thoroughly. Repeat until the solution is completely gone.
- 4Dry the area with a towel.
- 5Follow up with a leather (for leather only). This will help prevent future stains and seal some added moisture into the leather to prevent it from cracking over time.
Tips
- You can use hairspray instead of alcohol to remove the ink stain from your couch.
- For really stubborn stains, using powerful cleaners may eventually remove the stains but there is also the possibility that the material of your couch will discolor.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels
- White cloths
- Cloth towels
- Small bowl
- Rubbing alcohol
- White Vinegar
- Dish-washing soap
- Leather conditioner
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