Ink stains on a fabric sofa can make an awful mess no matter how they get there – a pen burst, accidentally drops or writes on the sofa, purposefully creates “sofa-art,” etc.
What you’re left with is wondering how to remove ink stains from a fabric sofa.
Fortunately, there are solutions available – you just have to figure out which solution will work best in your situation – and the majority of them are using everyday household items that you probably already have on hand.
Are you ready to learn some effective options?
Let’s get started!
Items You’ll Need
In this section, we’ll list and discuss the items you’ll need to remove ink stains from a fabric sofa.
We’ll provide any alternatives as options for each item, when applicable.
- Water
- White paper towels or clean white cloths or cotton balls
- Rubbing alcohol
- Hairspray
- Liquid dish soap, white vinegar, and warm water solution in a small bowl
- Hand sanitizer
- Nail polish remover with acetone
- Soap and water solution in a small bowl
Water
Cold water is used to rinse away various stain-lifters and to wash your upholstery fabric after the ink stain has been removed.
Cool water is used in the various solutions and combinations mixed to remove the ink stains.
White Paper Towels Or Clean White Cloths Or Cotton Balls
White paper towels, clean white cloths, cotton balls, and alternatives are used to blot up excess ink from the stain, to apply various stain-lifters, to rinse off various stain-lifters, to wash, and to dry your fabric sofa – all at various stages of the stain removal process.
I love to use these microfiber cleaning cloths for the job.
Acceptable alternatives are white towel, cotton swabs, white washcloth, white cotton cloth, absorbent white towel, etc.
Rubbing Alcohol
High quality rubbing alcohol is used as a stain-lifter as it’s an effective ink stain remover from upholstery fabric.
Hairspray
Hairspray, with high alcohol content and few (preferably none) additives like oils and conditioners, is used as a stain-lifter as it makes an alternatively effective ink stain remover from a fabric sofa.
Liquid Dish Soap, White Vinegar, and Warm Water Solution
Liquid dish soap, white vinegar, and warm water solution is a combination used as a stain lifter because it’s an effective ink stain remover from a fabric sofa due to the acetic acid properties in vinegar.
Mix well, swirling together evenly, in a small bowl:
- 2 cups of cool water
- 1 Tablespoon of liquid dish soap, like Dawn Original
- 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar
Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is used as a stain-lifter as it is another effective ink stain remover from upholstery fabric due to its alcohol content (60%-90%).
Nail Polish Remover With Acetone
Nail polish remover with acetone is used as a stain-lifter as it is another effective ink stain remover from a fabric sofa due to its acetone, so make sure you get the nail polish remover that does contain acetone.
Soap And Water Solution
Soap and water solution is a combination used to wash the residue left on the upholstery fabric by the various stain-lifters, solvents, and ink during the ink stain removal process.
Mix in a small bowl and stir to form lots of soap suds on the surface:
- ½ teaspoon liquid dish soap
- ½ cup cool water
Step By Step Instructions For How To Remove Ink Stains From A Fabric Sofa
#1 Remove Any Excess Ink
It’s important to tackle an ink stain immediately, or at least as soon as possible.
It’s much easier to remove ink stains from fabric sofas or anywhere when they are fresh or wet than when they are set-in, old, or dried up.
- Blot the ink stain with a dry clean cloth or white paper towels, applying pressure to the spot, to soak up any excess ink.
- Just dab at the ink, DO NOT rub the ink stain, as rubbing can cause the ink stain to push deeper into the fabric or spread.
- Work the ink stain from its outside towards its center, blotting as much of the ink as possible until the ink stain is dry.
- Use a new area of the cloth or paper towels each time you blot to avoid spreading the ink further around on the fabric sofa.
#2 Check Your Fabric Sofa’s Manufacturer Label
Before using any solvents, products, remedies, or laundering solutions on your fabric sofa, make sure you check its manufacturer label to see what type of solvents or products can be used, if there are any special care instructions, and to double-check the makeup of the fabric.
This way, you’ll know which stain-lifters, products, remedies, and laundering solutions should be safe for use on your fabric sofa, as well as which stain-lifters, products, remedies, and laundering solutions are unsafe and shouldn’t be used on your fabric sofa.
If there is no manufacturer label on your fabric sofa or you have any questions as to whether a product is safe for use on your fabric sofa, then always contact the sofa or upholstery fabric manufacturer for their advice on how to care for the fabric sofa.
Removing ink from fabric sofas without following the manufacturer’s recommended directions and guidelines could void your warranty, if applicable.
(See Commonly Asked Questions for an explanation of manufacturer label tags and meanings)
#3 Preparing Your Fabric Sofa For A Stain-Lifter
- Remove the upholstery cover, if at all possible, as this will make it easier to work with and removing the ink more effectively, but be careful not to let clean areas touch the stained area while you are removing and working with it.
- Blot the stain with a cloth saturated with plain water, enough to be wet but not dripping, to flush the ink out of the upholstery fabric, followed by blotting with a dry cloth until it dries.
- Before using a particular stain-lifter, test it on a spot in a hidden area fabric sofa to check for any possible color transference, discoloration, or fabric damage.
- Choose one of the stain-lifter methods listed in steps #4-8.
#4 Stain-Lifter Rubbing Alcohol (Optional-Choice Of Method)
Rubbing alcohol, as the #1 DIY ink stain removal remedy for fabric sofas, is an effective method to remove almost any type of ink stain from upholstery fabric.
Rubbing alcohol is particularly effective on oil-based ink stains because the alcohol breaks down the oil in the ink, enabling the ink to be lifted from the fabric sofa.
- Moisten a cotton ball with a small amount of rubbing alcohol and gently dab it around the stained area and then directly on the stain.
- Continue to dab small amounts of rubbing alcohol on the stained area with cotton balls, replacing them as they lift the ink to avoid dabbing the ink right back onto the fabric.
- Repeat dabbing with rubbing alcohol until the cotton balls aren’t absorbing any more ink.
- Clean and rinse the area thoroughly using a cloth dipped in water to get rid of the rubbing alcohol residue.
- If the ink stain persists or if you’d rather not use rubbing alcohol, choose another stain-lifting method from steps #5-8.
Pro Tip:
Rubbing alcohol has vapors that are extraordinarily strong and can be harmful, so be sure to use it in a well-ventilated area.
Pro Tip:
Rubbing Alcohol is highly flammable, so DO NOT use it near a heat source or open flame.
#5 Stain-Lifter Hairspray (Optional-Choice Of Method)
Hairspray is a long-time common ink stain removal technique, often referred to as an ‘old wives’ tale.’
However, it does work – and it’s easy.
Hairspray used to contain a lot of alcohol, the secret ingredient which made it an effective ink stain-lifter method (just like rubbing alcohol).
However, as formulas advanced, the amount of alcohol in hairsprays has been greatly reduced or eliminated, mostly because it can dry out or damage your hair.
Also, look for a hairspray with very few, preferably none, additives such as oils or conditioners.
Fortunately for ink stain removal, you can still find higher alcohol content in some hairsprays, though they’ll mostly be among the cheaper hairspray products, such as one I found on Amazon, Aqua Net Professional Hair Spray.
- Apply hairspray to a clean white cloth or cotton ball and let the hairspray sit on the ink stain for 30 seconds.
- Dab the ink-stained area with the hairspray-soaked cloth or cotton ball, replacing them as they lift the ink to avoid dabbing the ink right back onto the fabric.
- Repeat dabbing with hairspray until the cloth or cotton ball isn’t absorbing any more ink.
- Wipe any remaining ink away with a clean damp cloth.
- Clean and rinse the area thoroughly using a cloth dipped in water to get rid of the sticky hairspray residue.
- If the ink stain persists or if you’d rather not use hairspray, choose another stain-lifting method from steps #4, 6-8.
#6 Stain-Lifter Liquid Dish Soap/White Vinegar/Water Solution (Optional-Choice Of Method)
White vinegar is a safe, natural cleaning method ideal for removing ink stains from a fabric sofa.
This solution is used as a stain-lifter to be applied to the ink stain until it’s gone.
- Mix a solution of liquid dish soap, white vinegar, and water (see items list) in a small bowl:
- 2 cups of cool water
- 1 Tablespoon of liquid dish soap, like Dawn Original
- 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar
- Dip a clean cloth into the solution and dab it onto the stained area, being careful not to soak the stain with the solution.
- Allow the solution to sit on the stained area for about 30 minutes, reapplying by dabbing with the cloth every 5 minutes to keep the stained area moist.
- Rinse the area with another clean cloth dampened with cold water, blotting away any excess water with another dry cloth.
- If the ink stain persists or if you’d rather not use this solution, choose another stain-lifting method from steps #4-5, 7-8.
#7 Stain-Lifter Hand Sanitizer (Optional-Choice Of Method)
Another household product effective at ink stain removal on fabric sofas is hand sanitizer.
Hand sanitizers contain alcohol (most have 60%-90%), which like rubbing alcohol and hairspray, allows it to break down the oils in any ink stains enabling you to wipe them away.
- Moisten a cotton ball with a small amount of hand sanitizer and gently dab it around the stained area and then directly on the stain.
- Continue to dab small amounts of hand sanitizer on the stained area with cotton balls, replacing them as they lift the ink to avoid dabbing the ink right back onto the fabric.
- Repeat dabbing with hand sanitizer until the cotton balls aren’t absorbing any more ink.
- Clean and rinse the area thoroughly using a cloth dipped in water to get rid of the hand sanitizer residue.
- If the ink stain persists or if you’d rather not use hand sanitizer, choose another stain-lifting method from steps #4-6, 8.
#8 Stain-Lifter Nail Polish Remover With Acetone (Optional-Choice Of Method)
Acetone is the ingredient in nail polish remover, which makes it an efficient ink stain remover for a fabric sofa, so make sure you have the kind of nail polish remover that does contain acetone.
- Apply a small amount of nail polish remover to a clean white cloth and dab at the ink stain working from the outside inward.
- While blotting, turn the cloth to a fresh area with another small amount of nail polish remover to avoid reapplying the already lifted ink right back onto your upholstery fabric.
- Repeat dabbing with nail polish remover until the cloth isn’t absorbing any more ink.
- Clean and rinse the area thoroughly using a clean cloth dipped in water to get rid of the nail polish remover residue.
- If the ink stain persists or if you’d rather not use nail polish remover, choose another stain-lifting method from steps #4-7.
Pro Tip:
Nail polish remover has vapors that are extraordinarily strong and can be harmful, so be sure to use it in a well-ventilated area.
Pro Tip:
Nail polish remover is highly flammable, so DO NOT use it near a heat source or open flame.
#9 Wash Stain-Lifter Residue Off Of Upholstery Fabric
If rinsing with water on a cloth isn’t enough to get rid of the residues from the different stain-lifters or solvents used in the treatment of the ink stains on your fabric sofa, use a soap and water solution instead.
- Mix a solution of soap and water in a small bowl:
- ½ teaspoon of liquid dish soap
- ½ cup of cool water
- Stir up the solution until lots of soap suds are formed on the surface.
- Dip a clean cloth into just the soap suds from the solution.
- Lightly dab the ink-stained area with the sudsy soap cloth.
- Repeat applying suds to the cloth and to the stained area until satisfactorily cleaned.
- Dampen a clean cloth to rinse the suds from the fabric sofa, being careful not to get the sofa soaking wet, but making sure the area is thoroughly rinsed.
#10 Dry The Fabric Sofa
After using any number of stain-lifters required to have fully removed your fabric sofa’s ink stain and then washing the area, it will need to dry.
- Use a clean, dry cloth or towel to blot the cleaned area dry, or as dry as possible.
- Let the upholstery fabric air dry.
Pro Tip:
Run a fan or a hairdryer on a low setting to help speed up the drying process.
Commonly Asked Questions
What are the different fabric sofa manufacturer labels, and what do they mean?
-This is a great question!
In Step #2 Check Your Fabric Sofa’s Manufacturer Label (in the Step By Step Instructions For How To Remove Ink Stains From A Fabric Sofa section), we mentioned checking your manufacturer’s label on your fabric sofa to see which cleaners, stain-lifters, etc. should be safe to use on your fabric sofa and which ones are not safe to use.
There are several different tags you will find on a fabric sofa; they are:
- ‘W’ – only water-based cleaners can be used on a sofa with this label.
- ‘S’ – only solvent-based cleaners can be used on a sofa with this label.
- ‘S-W’ – both water-based and solvent-based cleaners can be used on a sofa with this label.
- ‘X’ – a sofa with this label needs professional dry cleaning to remove stains and spots and can only be treated by vacuuming and brushing.
Are there any good commercial ink stain removers for use on a fabric sofa?
-Luckily, there are a few stain-lifters we found on Amazon getting great reviews, which are effective on ink stains and fabric sofas, such as:
- Amodex Ink and Stain Remover – Cleans Marker, Ink, Crayon, Pen, Makeup from Furniture, Skin, Clothing, Fabric, Leather – Liquid Solution – 4 fl oz Bottle
- Works on all types of ink, including ballpoint, felt tip, fountain pen, permanent marker, etc.
- Offers a family, eco-friendly line of the most effective ink and stain removal products on the market.
- Will save you money and your treasured items.
- Recommended by the world’s leading ink manufacturers to remove their ink marks.
- Follow instructions as laid out on the product label.
- Motsenbocker’s Lift Off Pen, Ink, Marker Stain Remover – 22 oz., Pack of 1
- Formula #3
- Removes most inks, including permanent marker, ballpoint pen, highlighter, stamp pad, and fountain pen inks.
- Designed to work on hard surfaces but can be used safely on clothes and upholstery as well.
- A biodegradable and water-based cleaner.
- Follow instructions as laid out on the product label.
Conclusion
Have you enjoyed learning how to remove ink stains from a fabric sofa?
It doesn’t take a lot of effort, product, or money to do it yourself – it just takes knowing what to do and what to use!
All of that is better than having to stop keep your fabric sofa covered or hidden because of unsightly spots – or worse yet, having to replace it completely.
Make your fabric sofa appear new again!
