How to Get Felt-Tip Pen Out of a Curtains

Getting felt-tip pen out of a curtains is very doable at home with the right order of steps. The short version: dab — never rub — with surgical spirit on a constantly turned cloth. Because a curtains is moisture-sensitive, keeping everything sparing matters as much as the product choice.

What you’ll need

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Start at the care label sewn into the heading or a side hem: many curtains are dry-clean-only, lined, interlined or heat-pleated, and none of those survives casual wet cleaning. If it is dry-clean-only, limit yourself to the smallest spot treatment or take the curtains to a cleaner.

2. 2

   For an in-place spot, support the hanging fabric from behind with a towel-wrapped hand so you can blot the felt-tip pen without pushing it through into the lining.

3. 3

   Dab the mark with COLD water on a white cloth and keep blotting: most children’s felt-tips are washable water-based inks, and cold water alone lifts a surprising amount.

4. 4

   Mix a teaspoon of mild washing-up liquid into 500 ml of cool water, dab it on and blot dry, swapping cloth faces as colour transfers. Repeat until no more lifts.

5. 5

   For the colour that remains — typically the purples, blacks and reds — switch to isopropyl alcohol (surgical spirit) on a cotton pad and dab, turning the pad constantly.

6. 6

   Finish with a plain-water dab to clear detergent and alcohol, and blot as dry as you can.

7. 7

   For anything larger than a small spot, take the curtains down and work flat, then rehang only when completely dry so damp fabric does not stretch out of shape under its own weight — a lined curtain wet-cleaned in place can dry with the face and lining shrunk to different lengths.

Why this works

Don’t do this on a curtains

• Start with water, not alcohol — on a washable ink, alcohol first can set the very dyes that water would have flushed out.
• Never rub: felt-tip sits in a sharp line, and rubbing turns a line into a cloud.
• Check the pen if you still have it — if it says permanent, treat the mark as a permanent marker stain instead, alcohol first.
• Never wet-clean dry-clean-only or lined curtains beyond the smallest spot — the face and lining shrink at different rates.
• Never use bleach on curtains; it destroys most curtain dyes and linings.
• Never scrub sun-weakened curtain fabric, which tears and fuzzes, or machine-wash anything with a buckram heading or thermal backing.

Fresh spill vs dried-in stain

Most children’s felt-tips are washable water-based inks — the opposite chemistry to ballpoint — so cold water and detergent do the real work and alcohol is only the backup. Fresh marks flush out well; dried marks have bonded further and the darker colours can leave a tint.

A dried felt-tip mark has lost its water carrier but the dye is still water-receptive — rehydrate it with a cold, barely damp cloth laid over for a few minutes, then run the detergent stage. Expect the darker colours to need the alcohol pass once dry.

Felt-Tip Pen on curtains FAQs