Have you accidentally written paint markers on surfaces that absorb its ink well? If you do, I’m sure you’re well aware of how hard it is to remove.
Paint marker spots are one of the toughest stains you will ever encounter. Without knowledge on how to remove paint marker and how their ink works, you might be spending forever removing just one speck of stain.
That’s why knowing a few things about removing a marker’s stain can be a real life-saver. All you need is a few house objects like nail polish, a soft towel, and paint thinners.
Table of Contents
Prepare the Following
Before you start removing every stain on the wall, gather these things first so you will focus solely on eliminating marks.
- Paper towel or washcloth
Every surface comes with different needs. That’s why I will mention each specific home remedy for you.
- Vegetable oil for countertops and kitchen cabinets
- Aerosol hairspray for clothing
- Baking Soda for chair cushions
- Lemon with essential oil for walls
- Vinegar for leather
- Makeup Wipes or Alcohol for skin
- Nail Polish Solution or Remover for carpets
- Alcohol-based marker for whiteboards
- Hand sanitizer for plastics
However, if the stain is a bit stubborn, you can make use of the following:
- Denatured Alcohol
- Paint thinner
If you have a bit of cash to spend, then check out this product that removes paint marker stains on almost all surfaces, the EZ Strip All Purpose Remover.
How to Remove Paint Marker in Simple Ways
Now it’s time to remove the paint marker by following these few steps.
Step 1: Dampen the Paper Towel using the Ideal Item
First, moisten the paper towel or the washcloth using ideal home remedy ingredients. Different things are available for various surfaces. So, make sure to follow the specific guides below.
Laminated Surfaces – it takes dedication and patience to remove paint marker stains from laminated surfaces, such as countertops, without damaging the finish or causing a cloudy deposit in the end.
To ensure a harmless finish with no cloudy residue, just reach your kitchen pantry and get some vegetable oil to dampen the towel.
Kitchen Cabinets – Though kitchen cabinets are also a target for paint marker stains, you can easily save them using vegetable oil.
Clothing – it sucks when our favorite clothes are stained. Thankfully, you can remove the spot before thinking of tossing it straight into the trash.
Dab a bit of hairspray with alcohol in your cloth. It helps loosen the stain bonds and break them down aggressively compared to a typical laundry detergent. However, you have to keep the solution in the stained cloth for a few minutes.
Sofa and Chair Pillows – there are always instances that we stain our couch and pillows with our favorite drink. And although it may look like a complete disaster, you can solve it by sprinkling baking soda on the affected area.
Walls – painted walls are your kid’s favorite canvas when scribbling. But paint marker stains on the wall are pretty easy to remove using lemon or a lemon essential oil.
The lemon’s pH level or acidity, together with oil, works together to remove marker stains on painted walls. It softly coaxes the mark without damaging the walls’ paint. You will also love its fresh citrus scent!
Leather – apply distilled vinegar and let it sit on the affected area for minutes to allow effective penetration.
Whiteboard – the most common mistake we get with paint markers is using it on a whiteboard, without knowing that it stays permanent. However, you do not have to fret anymore because it is simple to fix.
To remove the stain, overwrite the paint marker stain with a dry erase marker, which is alcohol-based and removable in whiteboards.
Whiteboard markers weaken the bond of the stain when mixed with paint marker stain. This allows you to easily remove stubborn stains on the whiteboard.
Skin – getting stains on our skin is common, especially when we are doing creative stuff. For this one, you can use makeup remover wipes to eliminate the marks on your skin.
Rubbing alcohol is also effective, but I do not recommend it for people with sensitive skin because it may cause irritation.
Carpet – even though cleaning a carpet seems like a tedious chore, removing a paint marker stain is surprisingly easy with the help of a nail polish solution.
Plastic – removing the plastic marker writings on our Tupperware and others has never been easy with a hand sanitizer. A tiny squirt of sanitizer effectively removes any paint marker stains.
Step 2: Blot the Mark with the Damp Paper Towel or Scrub with a Toothbrush
Gently splotch the paint marker stain using a paper cloth or towel. It is better to blot the stain than wipe it so you would not smear and further spread the unwanted mark, rather than completely removing it.
It is more convenient to use a toothbrush in scrubbing off stains that use baking soda, like couches and pillows.
Step 3: Repeat Step 1 and 2
Repeat steps one and two until the stain is completely removed.
However, there are instances that the stains are hard to remove. In this case, you can use denatured alcohol for harder stains on clothing and carpets. You can also use paint thinner for a metal surface.
Step 4: Clean off the Residue
Once done removing the paint marker stain, ensure that you cleaned the residues properly.
The All-in-one Product
Remembering all those things that can remove paint pen stains can be tedious for some of us.
So, if you want to remove paint pen marks with a single product you can reach out from your pantry or below the sink, it is best to invest in the all-rounder EZ Strip All Purpose Remover.
Simple Step
Apply the product to the stain and let it sit for a while. Afterward, you can wipe it off with a towel and warm water.
Pro Tips:
- Wipe in a circular motion.
- When using a nail polish remover, ensure you dab the solution into the affected area and not smear it all over. This will prevent the stain from spreading even more.
- Change your cleaning towel with a new one when eliminating spots to avoid returning the paint marker stain to the surface you are cleaning.
For more tips, you can check out this video.
Conclusion
Knowing how to remove paint markers will do you great in preserving things. Thanks to it, mine lasted for years. Plus, we can rest easy even when using risky paint markers because we are now prepared for anything that comes our way.
Remember to use the appropriate home remedy for a specific surface. But if you want an all-rounder, try the EZ Strip All Purpose Remover.
Did you like the tutorial? We would like to hear your experience in the comments. Telling your friends about it also means a lot to us.
I am a former art teacher, so it is evident to me the importance of art in educating the new generation. We also want to help parents who plan to teach their children and desire the best tools and tips for them.