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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..   OH MY GOD, THANK YOU! Comments By: thankful mom Thi saved my hide. In our brand new remodeled house, my two year old got ahold of a sharpie and marked all over our WAY expesive mill work, with the WAY expensive paint job.... I about had a heart attack. I was able to google, find the tooth paste tip, fortunately had the Crest whitening on hand, and fix before hubby even came home to see... PHEW!!!! Thanks SO VERY MUCH!   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!   Tryed , and worked Comments By: Katherine Kat Stamper I did the hairspray one , it worked :D , way better than that dryeal stuff i got the never drys XD   saved a vintage doll trunk Comments By: Sue I purchased a doll trunk that had a price written with what look like a Sharpie. The eraser worked some it made the price lighter. Colgate Total worked great. I couldn't beleive someone would write with a marker on a beautiful white trunk like that. Thank you so very much Ü   Sharpie on Marble Comments By: Anon None of the tips got it out completely UNTIL this: I used a steam iron on the wall. The heat combined with an electric toothbrush works   Luminous green highlight pen on white sweatshirt Comments By: Sue The toothpaste tip really worked - it just took a bit of elbow grease with a toothbrush and the whole lot came out eventually. No smelly bleach or anything else needed. Thanks a bunch   a humble eraser Comments By: amazed Wow! I' tried everything to get a magic marker stain off a new whiteboard - An annoying scribble across the middle. I couldn't believe that a rubber would work but thought I'd give it ago and 'Hey presto' ! A brilliant result. Thanks.   was great help Comments By: jerry ford my grandson took a black marker to my computer screen Oh Boy .my monitor computer company says clean with soft cloth and water only. I tried this for two hours with no help. then i knew I was facing buying a new monitor . I look up cleaning black markers. read about using toothpaste So I tried this first it did a great job in 15 min of cleaning thank you for your help   Toothpaste worked for me! Comments By: Jen A child scribbled on a wall in rented accommodation with a felt tip pen, I tried alot of cleaning fluids for weeks then gave up.. well, my tennancy is up and I wanted to give it another try, (can u imagine how much of the bond they'd keep for scribbling on walls!!) I googled it and toothpaste came up.. I'm astonished! It came off pretty easily, its amazing.. thanks whoever invented this tip x   very good Comments By: diane toothpaste worked very good i let it settle for about 1 minute then scrubbed not hard but hard enough so i knew it would come off i would recommend toothpaste   Toothpaste saved my couch!! Comments By: Michelle I thought the toothpaste & toothbrush would only really work on a hard surface but i gave it a go on my couch anyway and the permanant marker came straight out!!   OMG!!!! Comments By: kenny Stepson scribbled on computer monitor with a red pen. This idea is great!   help Comments By: missylou my 2 yer old had great fun drawing her daddy a great big picture on our living room wallpaper how can i remove this please help   need help fast! Comments By: julie does toothpaste work on leather?