Cleaning and Stain Removal - Purple Marker on MicroSuede Couch

My 2 year old son got a hold of a purple RoseArt marker and decided that the couch needed re-decorating. Although purple is my favorite color - I don't want it on the couch!!! Any ideas on what to use to clean it up? I have used plain water which took off some of the stain but when the couch dries you can still see the stain.

As a preventative measure I recommend removing all children from the house. Since you probably don't want to do that a good fabric cleaner or carpet cleaner even might get it up. If it's permanent marker then it's probably, well permanent

try applying rubbing alcohol to a rag and blotting the area. if you see color transfer continue to do so..

only apply the alcohol to the rag..test any DIY method on a hidden area of the couch ie: skirting or back

I have actually been wanting to post here, or in some other think tank forum dealing with atomic and molecular configurations, etc., as to why a permanent marker can get into vinyl and you can't get it out. Wondering how it locks in where even a solvent that removes the marker ink cannot get it out of the 'maze' of molecules of the vinyl. Why this material behaves this way.

I took a neighbors nice cabbage patch like doll and drew hair, a moustache and a goatee onto it, and after the child took it home to show their mom what I did to their doll, I could not get it off with solvents, oven cleaner, alcohol, vinegar, concentrated cirtrus cleaners that take out ink, etc., etc. I got out the black, but the black then became this still fairly dark purple color.

Also, certain stains cannot be removed from vinyl flooring, such as cigarette smoke, or the stain caused by those anti-slip rubber backed rugs.

Maybe studying why vinyl traps stains could lead to some profound understanding regarding this maze networking (a theoretical presumption on my part) of the vinyl material, or something.

there are some chems out there that will remove permanent marker from some surfaces..but they do it by damaging the surface..causing either the wall or floor to be refinished or repainted

liquid petroleum gas does the trick

now for the mat deal...from the basic understanding i have of it

the polymers that are found in the vinyl or rubber backing of the mat... are attracted to the same kind of polymers found in the floors. so they tend to migrate over..once they do that...thats it

Alcohol is the solvent for ink, so Docduck's suggestion is the way to go. Permanent ink can sometimes be removed with a different solvent, but I don't think that's what you're dealing with here.