I now have, in my bedroom, a big, red, railroad track...in red permanent marker. On my light grey carpet. :tears

I will have to pay an extra several hundred dollars upon move out if I can't get this out. I've tried Folex, which has worked for me on everything from motor oil to blood, but no luck this time.

Does anyone know a magic remedy? I'm desperate. Also, I'm selling Liam to the circus.

I read alcohol is good for permanent marker. ( a tip on a sight I read was hand sanitizer if you were out of alcohol.) :hugs
:edit blot don't rub.

hairspray is what I always used to get pen and permanent marker off things. it may work!

Make sure you vacuum over the stain before applying anything to it. Usually a non oil hairspray will lighten it a bit, but I'm pretty sure since it's permanent it's staying :(

I have a tiny tube of travel sanitizer, and a $26 bottle of hairspray. :sigh

I'm off to try. At least I know it can't make it any worse at this point.

OxyClean got sharpie off of my couch!

Victoria's son did this a few months ago. I'll try and dig up the thread to see what worked for her.

laundry detergent and a toothbrush its how we got blood out fo the carpet when my brother accidentally shot his hand..dont ask long story but it worked:D

Can you try a carpet scrubber?

http://forum.militarysos.com/showthread.php?t=142552
she did hand sanitizer and spot remover to get a good portion out, but she didn't say if the alcohol worked or not.

I'm willing to try anything. The thing is, Folex has never failed me. So now I'm not so sure anything will work. :(

http://forum.militarysos.com/showthread.php?t=142552
she did hand sanitizer and spot remover to get a good portion out, but she didn't say if the alcohol worked or not.

Thank you!

I'm willing to try anything. The thing is, Folex has never failed me. So now I'm not so sure anything will work. :(
folex is my end all be all too. I can say may trying using it straight from the bottle ( not sprayed) and letting it soak for a bit. then blotting it up. :thinking def try rubbing alcohol ( you cant get it any worse. lol)

Also if you have non acetone nail polish remover I hear that works like a charm! It didnt work too well for the flat paint on our walls, though. Removed the paint altogether. :shock

I always do the hairspray / handsanitizer then ZEP carpet spray. You can find it at Lowes.

You can also try peroxide, although it might fade the carpet a bit.

Just so everyone knows what I'm delaing with:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/Six_shooter_Sick/Man%20Fashion/000_00821.jpg

The smeared stuff is what I tried to clean with Folex.

Hairspray worked on my couch, but I don't know about carpet.

Could you cut it out? if it's a high-pile carpet and it's only on the top 1/16th or whatever, maybe that might work? I wouldn't do that until you've tried everything else, but it might be enough for your landlord.

Just so everyone knows what I'm delaing with:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v375/Six_shooter_Sick/Man%20Fashion/000_00821.jpg

The smeared stuff is what I tried to clean with Folex.

With something that large, I'd call a professional carpet company. It would be cheaper than paying the damage / security.

If you can't get it out, don't worry. Just get a piece of carpet large enough to fit in there that's the same color, cut out the piece that's ruined, and replace it. I have had to do that many times!! You can't even tell, except that the new is usually cleaner so if you hire a steam cleaning company to come in they will clean it and it will all look exactly the same. Seriously. I've done this 3 times.

With something that large, I'd call a professional carpet company. It would be cheaper than paying the damage / security.

:agree

is there a Stanley Steemer Company?

Try the Yellow Pages, I know there is a carpet cleaning place right off of Bragg Blvd.

Goodluck

I have an AWESOME cleaning company that I use at my house in NC all the time (well when I'm home) If you're interested let me know.

i second the cutting out of the carpet and replacing it! we had to do that in our last apartment because my dogs felt the need to see what carpet tasted like.

How do I know I'm getting a match if I opt to replace that section, though? Do any of you know of a good place around Ft. Bragg that sells carpet?

You can cut a little piece from the corner in the back of a closet, use a box cutter. it's really easy. Then take it to a carpetting company and ask for that color (make sure to compare). You may have to check a couple different ones. Usually they have remnants, which is even better because you probably only need 3 or so 1'X1' square sections right?

I had to go to a few different ones to find the 80's brown that my old place had. I don't remember their names, but they were all in the phonebook.

You can cut a little piece from the corner in the back of a closet, use a box cutter. it's really easy. Then take it to a carpetting company and ask for that color (make sure to compare). You may have to check a couple different ones. Usually they have remnants, which is even better because you probably only need 3 or so 1'X1' square sections right?

I had to go to a few different ones to find the 80's brown that my old place had. I don't remember their names, but they were all in the phonebook.

Thanks! I bought a rug last night to cover it since we have houseguests coming tomorrow, but we are going to replace it in a few weeks.

Alex colored in a HUGE spot one day into the light cream colored carpet at our old house when he was 3.... Hairspray was what got it out.

Alex colored in a HUGE spot one day into the light cream colored carpet at our old house when he was 3.... Hairspray was what got it out.

Yeah, I tried but it smeared. I have the generic marker, not a sharpie, so most of the remedies won't work because this one is alcohol based ink. I"m resigned to replacing that patch of carpet, but the carpet was so worn down when we moved in I'm afraid it will look ridiculous:lol

hahaha... I hope you get that fixed Loretta.. but I still find it funny :D
gotta love 3 year olds :D

We use Shout. It has gotten paint out. IDK if it would work.

Yeah, I tried but it smeared. I have the generic marker, not a sharpie, so most of the remedies won't work because this one is alcohol based ink. I"m resigned to replacing that patch of carpet, but the carpet was so worn down when we moved in I'm afraid it will look ridiculous:lol

Have a steam cleaning company come in (truck mounted cleaner is best) and have them do your carpet either before or after you replace it. You'd be surprised how much that does to restore the carpet. Ours looked like new after we did that, and it was totally downtrodden/faded looking before that. :grin: You can get that done for like $80 or so. I'll try and find the company we used for you.

910-424-3668 Brighter Image

Bummer. I hope the replacement option works.

How much does a Liam go for these days? :D

Bummer. I hope the replacement option works.

How much does a Liam go for these days? :D

At this rate? 50 bucks. :lmao

Thanks, Schaele! I'll be calling them:yes

Yeah, I tried but it smeared. I have the generic marker, not a sharpie, so most of the remedies won't work because this one is alcohol based ink. I"m resigned to replacing that patch of carpet, but the carpet was so worn down when we moved in I'm afraid it will look ridiculous:lol

If the carpet was old when you moved in, you might not even want to bother with all of this. They can only charge you the depreciated value for the carpet based on how old it was. For my home the depreciation is 7 years (i.e. they assume you have to replace the carpets every 7 years). So when my renters totally trashed my house (I mean really trashed it) I could only charge them for the depreciated value of the carpet. It was about 5 years old when they moved out so I could only charge them 25% of the cost for replacement.

He certainly can't charge you the full cost of replacement. Just something to keep in mind...

At this rate? 50 bucks. :lmao

:rofl

Take Paypal?

If the carpet was old when you moved in, you might not even want to bother with all of this. They can only charge you the depreciated value for the carpet based on how old it was. For my home the depreciation is 7 years (i.e. they assume you have to replace the carpets every 7 years). So when my renters totally trashed my house (I mean really trashed it) I could only charge them for the depreciated value of the carpet. It was about 5 years old when they moved out so I could only charge them 25% of the cost for replacement.

He certainly can't charge you the full cost of replacement. Just something to keep in mind...

The rental agreement I signed when I moved in says otherwise:arg

Aww that bites :( I hate when they sneak in things like that.

Aww that bites :( I hate when they sneak in things like that.

Yeah. I also have to pay professionaly to come in and clean. I knew I was getting suckered, but after driving cross country, I did not have the cash for a huge deposit and they were running a $1 special. :lol I HATE how you have to wait a few months for reimbursement for travel, that screwed us.

They're supposed to give you 2k BEFORE you move or something from what I understand. (I'd have to look it up of course to be sure) We only got 300 before we PCS'd. It was ridiculous.

They're supposed to give you 2k BEFORE you move or something from what I understand. (I'd have to look it up of course to be sure) We only got 300 before we PCS'd. It was ridiculous.

If that's the case, we got had. We did receive about $2700, but that was only a few weeks ago.

My friend's little girl did this to their carpet last week... big, black smiley faces in permanent marker... she took a sharp razor and shaved the carpet... can't even tell

My friend's little girl did this to their carpet last week... big, black smiley faces in permanent marker... she took a sharp razor and shaved the carpet... can't even tell

Ours it too worn down. i tried, but it wore down about ten razors and barely faded it:lol

You guys are full of good info, though, we should make a list of carpet remedies and sticky it!

:wow that's some art job...i agree with the cutting and comparing...there's supposedly some iron trick you can do with kool-aid but i don't know how well it would work with marker...

also i can't believe you didn't get your move money before you left...we got ours about 10-14 days after he turned in the paperwork...that really sucks...i'm glad you did end up getting it though..