Permanent markers or sharpies as it is known in some places can be an incredible little tool to vent out your creativity or mark out any stuff. But, what certainly isn’t fun is having a permanent marker stain on your clothes! If you work with permanent markers, it is destined to happen with you once in a lifetime. So whether you just want to know in advance or have already gotten a messed-up cloth, here are some handy methods to get permanent markers out of your clothes!
What will you need to get a permanent marker stain out of clothes?
How to remove permanent marker stain from cotton fabric or other fabrics? Although it looks intimidating, removing permanent marker stains is quite easy. Most important of all, you don’t even need anything other than a few things that can be found in your house or over the counter. So here is a list of things and a step-by-step process you will need to go through to get permanent marker stains out of your clothes.
- Get a paper towel to blot out the ink. Once you put the paper towel underneath the stain, it will help you to reduce the chance of the ink spreading deep into the fiber.
- You will need a sponge as well. The sponge is necessary to use the solvent you will use on the cloth to wipe out the stain.
- Pick the solvent you want to use to get rid of the sharpie stain from your cloth. One thing about sharpie stains is that there are quite a handful of solvents you can use to get rid of them. Anything that has a high concentration of alcohol in it, is good to use for removing sharpie stains. You can use rubbing alcohol, hairspray, or even nail polish as well!
- Do remember to test the solvent you intend to use to get rid of permanent marker stain out of clothes on a small material. Because depending on which solvent you want to use on the cloth, it may or may not damage the fabric of the cloth. So it will be wise to check out the solvent beforehand.
How to remove a permanent marker using Rubbing Alcohol?
Rubbing alcohol is the most commonly used method to get rid of sharpie stains from your cloth. It is quite easy to use and very effective to remove the stain marks from the cloth.
Here is how you need to use it to remove permanent marker stain using Rubbing Alcohol:
- Put the paper towel directly underneath the stain mark. It will prevent the stain from spreading to other parts of your clothes.
- pour some rubbing alcohol onto the sponge and soak it. Now start dabbing the sponge into the stain and around it. Dab carefully and wait till the stain starts to wash away.
- Now you can put the cloth into your washing machine for regular cleaning.
How to remove a permanent marker stain using Baking Soda?
Don’t be surprised to see baking soda on the list of permanent marker removers! Baking soda is very helpful to break down stains due to its alkaline properties. But best of all, it doesn’t leave any strong odor and is not toxic at all. But baking soda works best when the stain is fresh.
Here is how to remove a permanent marker stain using Baking Soda:
- First, get two tablespoons of baking soda in a cup and mix it with a tablespoon of water or lemon juice. Lemon Juice is preferable as high acidity will help to break down the stain faster,
- Now, put the paper towel or cardboard beneath the stain.
- Spread and smear the baking soda paste you have made over the stain and wait for an hour
- Put the cloth under tape or any source of running water. The sharpie stain should wash away quickly. If not, repeat the previous steps and continue till the stain disappears.
- Once it’s properly stain-free, you can put it into the washing machine.
How to remove permanent marker stain using vinegar?
How to get a sharpie stain out of white clothes? Vinegar is one of the best solutions and here is how to use it for removing permanent stains from white cloth.
- First, restrict the stain by using a paper towel or cardboard.
- Get your sponge and soak it well into the vinegar.
- Now start rubbing into the stain. Do remember to start rubbing outside the stain and then gradually moving into the stain.
- Now you need to wait for about half an hour
- After waiting for about half an hour, now start to rub the stain again. Only this time start rubbing right from the edge and then run towards the center.
- Repeat the process until you don’t see any trace of the stain. Now put the cloth into running water
How to remove permanent marker stain using Hand Sanitizer?
How to remove permanent marker stain from colored clothes using hand sanitizer? Well, it’s very easy to use hand sanitizer to get stains out of your clothes or even other things like wooden furniture and metal stuff. All due to its high concentration of alcohol! But do keep in mind to use only the plain sanitizers, not the fancy colorful ones!
Here is how to get permanent marker out of clothes with hand sanitizer:
- Get a paper towel or tissue and pour some sanitizer into it
- Now start rubbing the paper towel or tissue from the edge of the stain to the inside.
- You should keep enough paper towels or tissue in stock as you will need more than a few depending on how bad the stain is
- As the stain goes away, rinse it with cold water
How to remove permanent marker from clothes with nail polish remover
Don’t be surprised to see the nail polish remover on this list! As nail polish is made with a high amount of acetone, it can dissolve any stain and remove it. But the problem with nail polish remover is that it is way too strong. So beware of using too much of this solvent into your cloth as it may damage the fabric.
- Pour some nail polish remover into a cotton ball and start rubbing the stain.
- You have to use a cotton ball or a tissue as applying directly to the stain will only make it worse. Also, make sure to put a paper towel or cardboard under it.
- Once the stain has vanished, wash it properly and put it into the washing machine.
How to remove permanent marker from clothes with lemon juice and toothpaste
Do you have none of the above-mentioned solvents near you? Still, need to get permanent markers out of clothes? Simple kitchen items like lemon juice and toothpaste can be your best bet for it. Here is what you need to do
- Make a paste of toothpaste and lemon juice by mixing them well. Make sure they are thick
- Now rub the paste in the stain. Start from the edge of the stain to the center to make sure it doesn’t spread even more.
- As you cover the stain well with this paste, wait for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Now wash it with cold water and see whether the sharpie stain remains or not. If there is still some stain left, repeat the process above until there is no stain.
- Once there is no stain left, wash it with regular detergent.
How to get a permanent marker stain off couch fabric?
Method 1
It may seem daunting to even think to get the sharpie stain on your couch fabric but is quite easy. All you need is a toothpaste that is non-gel and also some baking soda! Mix them well in a ratio of 1:1 and make a paste. Now rub the paste into the stain. Rub it till you cover all of it. Now let it sit for some time so that the fabric absorbs the paste. After 20 to 20 minutes, start washing the couch fabric in cold water. You will see the stain is washing away. If there is still some mark remaining, repeat the process.
Method 2
This method is a bit time-consuming but it is worth a try as it is very effective. But do keep in mind this process is multistep and you are likely to need more than one product for it.
Get a spray bottle and fill it up with a mixture of vinegar and dish soap. Mix one tablespoon for each of them well before putting it into the spray bottle.
Spray the solution into the stain without making it soaking wet.
Now rub it with a paper towel or a rag or even a sponge
You need to wait for about 30 to 40 minutes. But keep rubbing it for once in a few minutes. Then clean out the sprayed collusion with a wet rag.
Now get some rubbing alcohol and pour it into a paper towel or a rag. Now rub it till all the stain vanishes.
Wash it in cold water once you are done!
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Does a sharpie wash out of clothes?
You need to clean the sharpie stain out first with some strong acidic solution before. Otherwise, it won’t be cleaned out of your clothes with regular washing machine cleaning.
Why is a permanent marker stain bad for clothes?
Permanent markers don’t directly harm the fabrics or leave any harmful residue on them. But the question is whether the cloth that has got the stain is expensive or something you want to wear at your office? If so then it is a problem. Because you don’t certainly want to go to your office or meetings wearing something that has sharpie stains on it. It will make you look unprofessional and someone who isn’t serious about himself.
How to remove permanent markers from clothes without rubbing alcohol?
Well, WD40 can be a great solution if you don’t want to use rubbing alcohol or any other chemical on your cloth. But the downside of using WD40 is that this oil is a bit risky as it may create other stains instead of removing it!
How do you remove permanent marker stains from the skin?
Getting rid of permanent marker stains from the skin is relatively easier than it is from fabric. There are lots of things you can use for removing it from your skin. You can use coconut oil or olive. If these don’t work, rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover which can bring you quick results.
Final Words
As we have shown you already, one can use different solvents and different methods to get the permanent marker stain out of the clothes. The process is all the same as we have detailed above, just the use of solvent will be changed.