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Remove marker pen marks

Permanent marker is easier to remove than you would first think. So read on for a few ways to remove permanent marker.

Permanent marker on hard surfaces.
You can either use simply a pencil eraser. This will remove the marker pen marks. It will not leave an eraser mark. Another method is toothpaste. Just rub the mark with toothpaste. Saves a lot of scrubbing and chemical smells.

Permanent marker on fabric.
Hairspray will remove permanent marker from fabric. Simply spray the mark with hairspray, when the mark starts to dissolve, rinse through with water. Rubbing alcohol will work in a similar manner.

Using these two methods as a guide can get some great results. I have had letters reporting success using a combination of both of these tips. Depending on the type of fabric you might want to try toothpaste, or even hairspray on a solid surface. As with all the tips on the TipKing website, these are guides giving you the information for a trial and error approach.

Visitors comments

eraser-nothing; toothpaste-miracle Comments By: Mike The eraser did nothing but the toothpaste combined with a little muscle worked like a charm. THANKS!   Brilliant Comments By: Anon I would never have thought to use toothpaste to remove black marker stains, but it worked like magic!   down with hairspray Comments By: The man with the dirty shirt All I can add is that I tried to remove a small permanent marker mark from a shirt using hairspray. It wound up spreading into a HUGE mark. Absolutely ruined the shirt. Hopefully you'll be luckier - just beware.   wow who would have thunk it Comments By: Marcey The eraser worked on my craft desk. No harsh fumes. Awesome!!!!   both worked awesome! Comments By: Sharon My son got sharpie all over my pine kitchen table. I started with an eraser which worked but wore out quickly, then I tried the toothpaste (Crest Whitening) and that finished the job! You cant even tell. Now if I can get my son clean...   removed marker from my refrig Comments By: Donna My daughter got a hold of a blue permanent marker and wrote all over my refrig. dishwasher, stove and one cabinet- the can work fast at 22 months! Toothpaste worked wonders and tooth it all away. I used Crest Whitening/   2 yr old turns kitchen into Sharpie mural Comments By: CaptainLysol My 2 yr old got loose with a permanent marker (Sharpie) and the entire kitchen was her personal whiteboard. I tried several cleaners without much success. I guess that's why they are called "permanent markers". In desperation, I turned to the web looking for grandma's old tips and found this tip. The toothpaste (much to my surprise) was indeed the best. It worked on the walls, stove, fridge, dishwasher, kitchen table, cabinets. And yes, depending on the type of surface, a certain amount of elbow grease is required.   BRILLIANT! Comments By: niecie My 2 year old sister wrote on the computer .the toothpast got the marker off and other particales of dirt.   thanks Comments By: James Rees hi, im james i was drunk and scrawled all over the walls with whiteboard marker, needless to say my housemates were'nt best impressed. the toothpast and a bit of muscle work helped get it off, thankyou!   It didn't work Comments By: WJN There's a marker stain on my shirt & it won't come off   Marker in shirt Comments By: Margieh The hairspray tip worked for me on a rayon shirt that got marked with a black sharpie. took several sprays and scrubbing, but it came out.   Thank you. Comments By: Stephanie I tried the eraser but it didn't work. I was losing hope fast. Then I tried the tooth paste and it worked like magic. Thank God for you and google :]   Unbelievable! Comments By: Dee I thought there'd be much more elbow grease required! Very easy absolutely delighted with this one thanks!   Worked a dream Comments By: Matt toothpaste is a good one. i should have known about it already as i regularly use it to clean my underwater slates that I use when scuba diving. I wouldn't have thought it would have remove a large amount of blue scrawl from a concrete table though...but it did. Anyone got any tips for sore elbows?   Insect repellant Comments By: Anon Insect repellant (I used Cutter) sprayed on Sharpie marks got it out of carpet and off the kitchen table. Use on inconspicuous spot first on furniture.   Toothpaste works! Comments By: Trish Tried it on unvarnished battered old pine and it's coming up a treat - thank you!   Toothpaste v. felt tip pen on a toilet seat Comments By: Anon The toothpaste won. A little elbow grease added in for measure and its all gone, thanks!   Lifesaver!!! Comments By: Leah My 2 tear old got hold of a sharpie pen and drew all over his newly remodeled bedroom, and new wood flooring. The eraser worked wonders!!! Thank God for Google!   felt pen on counter top Comments By: anon it work beautifully, i took a wet rag and spreaded toothpaste on the mark and it came right off.   try this instead of hairspray Comments By: april Rubbing alchool works better than hair spray and put a paper towel under the stain to prevent it from spreading.   Lacquer thinner Comments By: Erik Lacquer thinner removes permanent marker quickly. test before applying. it may damage some surfaces.   Toothpaste vs. Sharpie! Comments By: Bob WOW! I had my doubts, but I rubbed toothpaste on to a 15 year old marker stain on an old Mac, a couple applications and some warm water, and it's gone! THANKS a TON!   What is with the Two Year Olds and Distruction??? Comments By: Taura Thanks for the toothpaste. Worked on the wood chair, table. Thanks!!! Didnt have rubbing alcohol. tried toothpaste in the bedspread, didnt work so well.   felt pen showing through paint. Comments By: scrubs I have tried to remove black felt pen by painting over it several times. Obviously it hasn`t worked. Will the toothpaste solution work now?   top tip Comments By: the scouter great idea that toothpaste together with the eraser for moving stubborn marker stains from dining room tables saved us £££s   thanks Comments By: Peter toothpaste method works..thanks for the tips..   Toothpaste!!!!!????? Comments By: Ricardo Marker pen on table. Methylated spirits wont work! Toothpaste does!!! What do they put in that stuff?? If i had know that sooner i never would have had to wrestle that tramp!