Kids and permanent marker are a parent’s nightmare. This is especially true if your two-year-old fancies coloring anything that has a paintable surface. So when permanent marker makes its mark on your floors, furniture, clothes, etc. here is a simple guide on how to get it out.Getting It Out Of Hard, Non-porous SurfacesIf you have indelible marker stains on walls, countertops, tiles or any other hard surface, do this:Use alcohol that is above 80 proof. Pour a little of the alcohol on a clean towel and use it to wet and rub off the marker stainsMix one part toothpaste and one part baking soda in a small cup and apply the mixture to the indelible marks. Allow it to stay on for several minutes then rub it off using a wet cloth till the stains are off.
Get a magic eraser, wet it and scrub off the marker stains
Spray WD-40 on the stain and scrub it off with a wet cloth
Draw with a dry erase marker over the marks and then wipe the area to remove the stains
Try rubbing the marks off using a pencil eraser; this may work in some cases
Dampen a piece of cloth with some acetone nail polish and use it to scrub the marker stains off.
Getting Permanent Marker of FabricsFor fabric material, it is best to get permanent marker stains off as soon as possible. Do this quickly because if the stains set in some fabrics, it might never come off. Some ways that can remove indelible marker stains from clothes and fabric include:Bleach for white fabrics – dip the stained part in dilute bleach and wash the item immediately the stain is offVinegar, borax, lemon juice and milk mixture for satin fabric – mix a teaspoon of white vinegar and milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice and borax in a small cup, apply directly to the fabric and leave it for 10 minutes. Use a sponge to dab the fabric till the stain comes off.Rubbing alcohol or Acetone for sturdy fabric – pour a little of the liquid on a cotton ball and dab the stained area till the stain disappears. Wash the fabric immediatelyCitrus juice for regular clothing – freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice can applied directly to the stain and a cotton ball used to dab it off.Rubbing alcohol or hairspray for carpets – apply the compound to the stain and dab with a clean cloth.Cleaning Permanent Marker Stains From the Skin and Furniture80 or 101 proof liquor, rubbing alcohol and turpentine will get the marker off skin when applied on a cloth and the cloth used to gently rub off the stains.For stains on furniture try using:• Aerosol hairspray on leather upholstery• Hydrogen peroxide followed by rubbing alcohol on microfiber upholstery• Rubbing alcohol, Windex or nail polish for other furniture
