How to Removing Permanent Marker Stains from Fabric

Using permanent markers can be fun, but at the same time, it can cause serious damage to your fabric. Getting permanent markers out of fabric is a question that may come up in your mind when you are working with it. It is one of the tough stains, and you may need some elbow grease to remove it permanently from your clothes.

However, there are some easy methods you can use that will work for most fabrics. The best thing about these methods?

They require the use of basic ingredients that everyone has around the house. So let’s check out these stain-removal methods!

Method 1: Using Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is one of the most effective methods to remove permanent marker stains. People often use it for treating cuts and scrapes, but it is an incredible solution for removing marks as well.

Interestingly, it not only removes stains but also helps to fix dried-out markers.

However, in this case, you have to use rubbing alcohol very carefully as fabric quality may vary.

To use it on fabric, first, fold a paper towel twice and put it underneath the fabric. It will work as support. Now, soak a clean cloth or cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and use it to blot the marker stain. If needed, change the towel and use a new one.

Now turn the fabric around, putting the stain face down. Place it over a new folded paper towel. Continue using rubbing alcohol with the cotton ball to rub the other side.

After that, take a washcloth and pour some laundry detergent or liquid dish soap over it. Then continue rubbing the ink stain. If the paper towel gets too wet, replace it with another one as many times as necessary.

Keep rubbing until the stain disappears. In the same way, you can remove highlighter from clothes.

Applying that much rubbing alcohol on tougher fabrics won’t be a problem. But be careful with delicate or synthetic fabrics since it’s a strong stain remover.

Finally, clean the clothes in the washing machine using detergent at a hot temperature. But make sure it is not too hot. Otherwise, it could ruin the fabric. After it finishes, the stain should be off.

Sometimes the rubbing alcohol may leave a stain mark on poly blend clothes. So, you may need to rewash the clothes. You need to be careful enough while handling white cloth.

Rubbing alcohol can also be used on dry erase boards to remove permanent ink. You’ll get a complete guideline on our website.

Method 2: Using Baking Soda

Baking soda is yet another substance every household has stored somewhere. It has been used as a household cleaning agent for years. It can easily remove any type of stubborn stain as it acts like alkaline. That’s why it also removes marker stains from walls efficiently.

However, to get markers off fabrics, first, take a paper towel and press on the stains to blot out the ink. Try to remove as much ink as possible. In this step, you may need to use a few paper towels.

Now take a small amount of baking soda and sprinkle a little of this stain remover on the stained area. Then use a brush to gently rub over the stain in a circular motion so that it dissolves and removes ink effectively. Be extra gentle while rubbing for more delicate fabrics.

Allow some time for it to dry, then dust it off using paper towels. Using a vacuum to remove it works as well.

After that keeping a towel underneath, spray an equal amount of water and white vinegar right on the stain. You can also apply this solvent using a cotton swab. Let it soak as much as needed. The estimated time for this step is 15 to 30 minutes.

Finally, throw the cloth into the washing machine and wash it, usually using laundry detergent. Hopefully, after one wash, you’ll be able to get rid of the stain forever.

Method 3: Using Hair Spray

Hairspray is a versatile product that also works as an effective solvent for removing permanent marker stains from clothes. It will work great on any fabric, and it’s safe to use since it does not contain anything that could damage the clothes or your skin.

Similarly, hairspray is useful for removing stains from metal surfaces. But in both cases, you will need an aerosol-based hairspray.

Using hair spray to remove marker ink from fabric is interesting because there are plenty of people who consider it works, while many more think it does not.

Either way, when in a dire situation, using this stain remover is a possible solution that could get you out of trouble. The process is quite simple too.

Firstly, take an aerosol-based hairspray and use it to directly spray on the stain. Then wait for 30 seconds or a minute before wiping the stain off.

After that, take a cotton ball and press it on the ink stain to get the markers off. Similarly, you can use it to remove permanent markers from plastic.

If it takes more than that, consider using a soft cloth. Then soak the cloth with the spray, and press it against the entire stain. If the stain starts transferring to the cloth, it means it is working.

You have to continue doing the operation until it the mark disappears. Then, wash the fabric with cold water.

Method 4: Try Using Hand Sanitizer

Permanent marker stains are known as tough stains because they’re hard to remove. However, you can use alcohol-based hand sanitiser on your clothes, and it’ll work wonders!

The alcohol in the sanitiser will get rid of any leftover ink. And not only from fabric, but hand sanitiser also works efficiently to remove ink stains from glasses. It works similar to rubbing alcohol, though it’s not that strong.