Removing Permanent Marker From Whiteboards

If you use a whiteboard on a daily basis, you understand how easy it is to use a permanent marker instead of the correct whiteboard markers by mistake. When you use a permanent marker on a whiteboard, you have a few options for removing it, depending on how long it has sat on the whiteboard and the amount of marker that you need to erase.

Basic method

Use a traditional dry eraser to attempt to remove the permanent marker from the board before using any other household supplies. Since whiteboards are slick and non-porous, you can often wipe the dry eraser over the permanent marker in a scrubbing fashion to rub away the marker entirely.

Alternative methods

If you are not able to get the permanent marker out with your whiteboard eraser, try using the eraser of a traditional pencil to rub away permanent marker. You also have the option of wetting a paper towel with water and using rubbing alcohol on the surface to erode the permanent marker. Using rubbing alcohol with a wet paper towel allows you to easily spread and rub the permanent marker stain. Then, you have the option of using a water-soaked paper towel to wipe up the remaining permanent marker. Lastly, if the permanent marker still does not come out of your whiteboard, try using nail polish remover or even a deep-pore face cleanser with slightly-damp paper towels to rub against the marks, allowing them to erode entirely.