Expert Q&A for How to Remove Marker from Wood

Yes, you can remove permanent marker from wood. If the wood is unfinished, you can use a baby wipe to help get rid of the marker stain. Be sure to wipe with the grain. If some of the stain still remains, you can sand the stain starting with 80-grit paper and finishing with 100-grit.

For maker stains on painted wood, you can apply toothpaste to the stain. Once the toothpaste is on it, dampen a rag and use it to rub the toothpaste in. If the stain still remains, you can add some baking soda to the stain and reapply the toothpaste. Clean the wood to get all the paste off.

You can start by following the steps listed for removing permanent marker from finished wood. Because the wood door will be vertical, you will need to work quickly as the toothpaste used to scrub the stain will flow down with gravity. You may need to reapply more toothpaste if it drips too much.

The methods listed above only take a few minutes. You can try to scrub the marker stain for less time and see if it is enough.