A leading provider of furniture protection plans and healthy sleep products, GBS Enterprises primarily serves the hospitality, pest control, furniture, and mattress/bedding industries. Known as Protect All plans, GBS Enterprises’ furniture warranties cover most accidental damage to upholstered, leather, and wood furniture, along with area rugs.
Ballpoint ink stains, one of the many accidental stains to area rugs protected by a Protect All plan, can quickly make rugs and carpet appear dirty. When these stains occur, they should be removed as quickly as possible. If the stain is left to sit on the fabric, it becomes much more difficult to remove fully.
To remove ballpoint ink from carpeting and other floor coverings, spray the stain with some cheap lacquer hair spray. This loosens the ink on the carpet and makes it easier to remove. Carpet stain removers also help loosen the ink. Using these stain removers may be preferable if they are already on hand.
Once the ink is loosened, blot a clean cloth towel over the stain. The ink should not be scrubbed, otherwise the ink will spread around. Further, each time the stain is blotted, the cloth being used should be turned. Doing so ensures that a clean portion of the cloth is always dabbing the carpet. When the same side is repeatedly used, the removed ink on the cloth will be reapplied to the carpet.
Stain remover or hair spray must be reapplied and blotted until no more ink is transferring to the cloth. If the stain is gone and the area is dry, the area should be brushed and vacuumed to ensure all traces of lacquer or remover is gone. If not, rubbing alcohol should be added to a hidden area to test whether it reacts well with the carpet or not. Assuming it does not ruin the carpet, a soft cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol should be blotted on the stain until it’s removed.
