5 Easy Ways to Erase Marker From Walls

If your child is a budding Van Gogh, he or she has probably proudly created works of art on your walls. After all, why would they use a chalkboard when there’s a lovely expanse of painted wall for a canvas? But don’t despair – you can even remove permanent marker from your walls!

Test your walls before attempting to remove marker

Stain removal success depends on the texture of your walls. It’s much easier to remove marker scribbles from smooth, non-porous surfaces. It is much more difficult to remove marker from wallpaper. Other porous surfaces you should not try to clean with the methods in this article include unfinished wood, plaster, and fabric or leather furniture.

This is because some cleaning solvents may cause the ink to penetrate even deeper into these surfaces, making the stain impossible to remove, and abrasive cleaners could scratch the surface. Therefore it’s essential that you test your chosen method of marker ink removal on a small, inconspicuous area.

Magic Eraser

The easiest method is to use a Magic Eraser, such as the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Wet the magic eraser and wipe the walls. This is very effective, but if you prefer not to use chemicals like melamine foam, you can probably find useful stain removing ingredients in your home.

Rubbing alcohol

Pour rubbing alcohol on a microfiber cloth. Use this to scrub the marker ink. This will at first spread colour onto the wall, but don’t worry. Get a bowl of warm water and use a sponge to wipe the colour off. You might need to scrub with the abrasive side of the sponge. If any ink remains, repeat the process.

Pencil eraser

A regular pencil eraser may even work for marker, depending on the finish of your paint. Ensure the eraser is perfectly clean – rub it over a clean piece of paper to ensure there are no pencil led remains on it. Rub it over the marker stain. This is most effective if the wall is perfectly smooth.

Dry erase marker

Carefully draw over the marker scribbles with a dry erase marker. Wait until the dry erase marker’s ink dries completely. This attaches the original marker to the dry erase marker, which can be picked up with a microfiber cloth – do NOT use a paper towel. You may need to repeat this process several times.

Toothpaste and baking soda

This is a popular eco-friendly stain remover. Mix toothpaste with baking soda, rub the mixture over the marker, and let it dry. Scrub the area with an old toothbrush and voila! A wall that’s as clean as new.