Tile has been chosen by a lot of families because there seem to be no limits to its colors, patterns, and textures. As long as you can think of a design, your desire will be satisfied.
Getting rid of permanent markers on ceramic tiles is easy thanks to its non-porous surface. However, removing stains on porous surfaces is much more challenging as it requires being treated with lots of care.
What is worse, you have to remove permanent markers from the tile grout, and you don’t even know how to do it. Well, this article is made for you!
No matter which tile you have, I believe it is possible to clean that surface. Hence, I’m introducing five different methods you can apply to remove that Sharpie from tile floor:
- Toothpaste and Baking Soda – A Perfect Couple: Apply some toothpaste mixed with baking soda to the affected area, and wipe it off along with the stain after a couple of minutes.
- Using Dry Erase Marker: Trace the old stain with a new dry erase marker and wipe them all together. This trick is only applicable for smooth tiles.
- Using “Magic Eraser” and Hairspray: Wet the “Magic Eraser” sponge, and use it to remove permanent markers along with your hairspray until all markers are removed.
- Making a DIY cleaning solution: Create a mixture of washing soda, liquid soap, hot water, and white vinegar. Apply it to the painted tile and wipe it off afterward.
- Hydrogen Peroxide and Whiting Powder Combination: Mix equal parts of the two ingredients together, leave it there for an hour, and rinse the tile gently.
In addition, note that whichever methods you choose, you will need to prepare some paper towels, a damp cloth or rag to clean it up after everything is finished. Additional materials will be written in each method below.
Now, let’s get started with this tutorial on how to remove permanent marker from tile!
Table of Contents
5 Tricks to Remove Permanent Marker from Tile
Test Your Technique in Advance
Always test your method before applying it to the whole tile surface so that no tears are shed! It depends on the type of your tile that determines whether there will be any reaction occurring on the surface.
Therefore, to ensure that you will not accidentally ruin the tile surface, try a small amount of whichever products you are going to use first. Ideally, find an inconspicuous area of your tile, for example the corner of the kitchen or room.
Test the method on that hidden area by applying the product to the surface and wait a few minutes to see if there is any reaction. Immediately remove the product using a cloth or paper towel if the tile starts to be damaged, such as discoloration, etc.
Keep on trying other suggested ways until you can find the correct method. Proceed to the following sections for full instructions of each method.
1. Toothpaste and Baking Soda – A Perfect Couple
Mixing toothpaste and baking soda is the classic combination to remove permanent markers easily.
If your toothpaste already contains baking soda as an ingredient, that is perfect! You can directly use it without operating any mixing step. However, in case you don’t have it, pick the ordinary white toothpaste, not the gel one.
Also, prepare a bowl or anything else that is large enough to contain your mixture. Furthermore, you might want to use a toothbrush for an optimal effect. Yet, it is optional. Once you’ve had everything ready, proceed with the following steps.
- Mix equal parts of white toothpaste and baking soda nicely in a bowl. Skip this step if you have baking soda toothpaste.
- Use a toothbrush to scoop the toothpaste mixture and generously apply it to the stained area. Make sure the permanent marker stain is all covered by this mixture.
- Let the combination penetrate into the stain for a good amount of time. The longer you leave it there, the more effective it will be. Let it sit for at least five minutes or more.
- Once the time is over, scrub the mark with your toothbrush until you can see all markers are faded.
- Wipe the residue product with some paper towels or a damp cloth.
- Repeat the process if there are any permanent markers left on the tile floor.
2. Using Dry Erase Marker
This method is applicable for non-porous tile textures, such as ceramic, porcelain, or glass tiles. So if you own a porous tile, then refer to other methods since using this technique on these surfaces will only make the stains even worse.
Like the previous method, if you aren’t sure whether to use this method or not, try it on an inconspicuous area as instructed above to decide.
Additionally, choose dark-colored dry to erase markers for the best result. Light-shaded ones will not have the same effect.
- Write over the old permanent marker with a new dry erase marker. Trace along the old mark so that you don’t waste your marker ink on places that don’t need to be cleaned.
- Immediately wipe the area you’ve just drawn on with a cloth or paper towel. Do it in small areas at a time because otherwise, the new marker would dry and unwashable.
- Repeat the steps if the stain remains until all the marker is got rid of.
3. Using “Magic Eraser” and Hairspray
This method is super easy to conduct if you, by chance, have a Magic Eraser sponge and some hairspray at home.
- Spray a moderate amount of hair spray onto the painted area. Don’t spray too much since the products may spread to the surrounding area, creating a bigger stain than before.
- Let it sit for some minutes and wipe it off using some paper towels.
- If the hairspray doesn’t have much effect, repeat the previous two steps but don’t wipe it off with paper towels.
- Instead, rub the permanent markers with your Magic Eraser sponge in circular motions for one or two minutes.
- Use a damp rag to remove any residue product, and your tile will be clean as new.
4. Making a DIY cleaning solution
Don’t feel desperate if all of the above tricks didn’t work. It’s time to make an effective cleaning agent on your own. Let’s gather all the necessary ingredients for this recipe!
- A quarter cup of white vinegar, or approximately 60 ml.
- A quarter cup of washing soda, or about 35 grams.
- A tablespoon of soap, or 15 ml.
- Some warm water depends on the size of the painted area.
If you feel like the recipe above is too much compared to the permanent marker stains, decrease all ingredients according to the same ratio. After you have mixed them all in a bowl, start to clean the marker stain following the instructions:
- Soak a cloth or rag into the solution and then scrub the marker stains.
- Pour more solution onto the cloth if the affected area is too large.
- Repeat until all the markers are cleaned.
5. Hydrogen Peroxide and Whiting Powder Combination
Now you have tried all techniques, even making your own cleaning product, but the stain is still there. Don’t panic because I have one method left to introduce – hydrogen peroxide mixed with whiting powder.
In addition to hydrogen peroxide and whiting powder, you will need some plastic wrap to do this trick.
- Mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and whiting powder.
- Apply this mixture to where the stain hasn’t come off.
- Place some plastic wraps over that area so the mixture penetrates better.
- Let it sit for about one hour and wash it with a damp rag. Wipe the stained area again with a dry clean towel.
Conclusion
Having your beautiful tile floors painted with permanent markers can be frustrating as it distracts you from the true beauty of the tile. Hence, learning how to remove permanent marker from tile through this article can be so helpful.
I hope you have found the best way to remove permanent markers from the tile. Let me know the final outcome in the comment section. Please share this article with your friends and family so they can also know how to handle the situation.
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.