Parents around the globe have at one time or another, felt immense frustration at the makers of Sharpie Markers and Crayola products at the discovery of ill-fated ‘artwork’ on their fine leather sofa. Kids have a natural tendency to draw on things. And often, the things that they draw on – are pieces of furniture. The good news is that these murals can be removed if you follow a few simple rules about how to remove maker from furniture.
Luckily, one of the easiest ways to remove marker from furniture uses a product that is likely found in your bathroom. Toothpaste!
- First, choose an all white toothpaste (not a gel). This will be your scrubbing agent.
- If you are trying to remove the marker from wood furniture, use a fine bristle toothbrush or soft rag and rub the toothpaste in a circular motion on the spot of the marker. (You may want to test this on an inconspicuous place first to ensure it doesn’t take away the finish on the furniture)
- If the culprit was left by a sharpie or permanent marker, you will likely have to rinse and repeat several times.
- Each time you apply the toothpaste, the white toothpaste will begin to take on the color of the marker. This is how you know it is working.
Additionally, WD-40 (Needs to be tested first) is also useful in removing the marker from wood furniture. Many people find that baby wipes also do a superb job in removing the stains.
If this method doesn’t seem to be working, don’t fret – there are other things that you can try. Your local department store will likely sell products such as Goo Gone, or Magic Erasers which can work wonders in eliminating marker stains. Before you use them on furniture, make sure that the product is labeled for the particular type of wood that you are trying to remove the stain from.
If the furniture that you are trying to remove the stain from is made of leather, you may not have much luck with the products mentioned above. One nice trick for removing marker stains from leather is to use some spray on sunscreen. Make sure to test the sunscreen on an inconspicuous place on the furniture first to make sure it doesn’t alter the color of your leather. Insect repellent, rubbing alcohol and even nail polish remover can work as well. The trick is applying a very small amount of the product on the marker stain and them removing it with cotton balls or very soft clothes. Hand sanitizer is also another useful product to use to remove marker stains from leather furniture!
Marker stains can be pesky and hard to remove completely. With persistence, and the right product you should be able to find some success. The best advice is to make sure that you get to the stain as soon as possible. The longer the dyes of the permanent marker stay on the surface area, the more difficult they will be to remove.
