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You can erase old marks from a dry erase board using many safe, non-abrasive household items. Many simple products in your kitchen pantry and under the bathroom sink can remove the toughest stains. Cleaning your board can be very simple and you won’t even need too much elbow grease.
Steps
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Try peroxide. Pour some peroxide directly on the old marks. Wipe the peroxide off with a cloth or paper towel. You might need to rub the board again with a clean cloth or paper towel to fully remove the marks.
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Use rubbing alcohol. Wet a sponge with alcohol and rub it into the stain. Dry the board with a clean, dry cloth. Use 99% or 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol for the best results. [1] X Research source- You can put rubbing alcohol directly on a paper towel or tissue and rub that on the old marks.
- Many hand sanitizers contain rubbing alcohol. Rub them directly on the old marks and wipe off of the board.
- For tough stains, rub a few drops of isopropyl alcohol around with your finger on the old marks. Use enough alcohol to leave a thin layer. Allow it to sit for a few seconds and then wipe dry.
EXPERT TIPHouse Cleaning ProfessionalMichelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Driscoll received her Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2016.Michelle Driscoll, a cleaning expert, notes: "Rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer can also be used to remove permanent marker from a dry erase board!"
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Draw over the old marks with a dry erase marker. Slowly and carefully draw over what you want to erase with a dry erase marker. A dark-colored marker will work most effectively. You might need to repeat this several times. [2] X Research source
- Erase what you've written over as you normally would.
- This will work well to erase permanent marker from the dry erase board.
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Apply neutral shoe polish. Rub neutral (no color) shoe polish onto the old marks. Buff the polish off with a clean cloth. Shoe polish provides a smooth, like-new surface. [3] X Research source
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Use toothpaste. Rub ordinary white toothpaste onto marks on the board. Wipe clean. Toothpaste contains a very mild abrasive and is water-soluble. [4] X Research source
- This method will also remove permanent marker marks from most smooth, non-porous surfaces.
- Any brand will work.
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Spray hairspray on the marks. Spray a light film of hairspray on the old marks. Let it soak in for a couple of minutes, then wipe off with a paper towel or cotton rag. Clean off any residual stickiness with soap and water.
- You can also clean off old marks with spray deodorant.
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Try muscle cream. Clean the old marks with a muscle cream like Ben-Gay. This removes permanent marker stains with only a few wipes. Muscle cream is less abrasive than toothpaste, and it contains alcohol, which makes it a great cleaning agent. [5] X Research source
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Clean the marks with acetone (nail polish remover). Pour a generous amount of acetone on a sponge or paper towel. [6] X Research source Wipe a section of the board. Repeat the process in the same section of the board using more acetone on a new paper towel. Wipe the board clean with a dry paper towel.
- Acetone is combustible. Dispose of the paper towels responsibly.
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Sprinkle a cleaning powder on the marks. A powdered bathroom cleaner, like Comet or Ajax, can easily remove dry erase marker. Just pour a little bit on a damp sponge, then scrub it over the dry erase board. Wipe the board with a wet cloth or paper towel when you’re done.
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Use vinegar and water. Combine vinegar and water to make a cleaning solution. Wipe or spray it on the old marks. [7] X Research source Next, wipe the board with a clean paper towel.
- The ratio of vinegar to water should be 1 tsp (4.9 mL) vinegar to 8 oz. (236.5 mL) water.
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Make a paste with baking soda and water. Add a small amount of water to baking soda. Rub the paste into the old marks on the board. Thoroughly wipe the paste off with a damp cloth or paper towel. This works well on marks made by permanent marker.
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Rub the old marks with coffee grounds. Rub damp coffee grounds on the board. [8] X Research source They are mildly abrasive and will remove the marks without damaging your board. Clean the board thoroughly after using the grounds. This will prevent the board from turning brownish.
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Smear margarine on the old marks. Massage margarine onto the board. You will notice that the margarine will slowly change to the color of the old marks. This shows it is working. Wipe the margarine away with paper towel.
- Be sure to remove all of the margarine so it doesn’t prevent writing on the board.
- If the stain is more than a year old, put some plastic wrap over the margarine and wait 24 hours before wiping the board clean.
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Clean the board with car wax. Apply car wax to the marks in circular motions. Wipe the wax off with a clean cloth. This method is very good for removing the most stubborn stains. Car wax conditions the board and leaves the surface like-new.
- Another good solution from the garage is WD-40. It also lubricates and conditions the board.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan you use Windex to clean a dry erase board?Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Driscoll received her Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2016.Yes, Windex is safe to use on a dry erase board. However, you want to be sure to only use a soft cloth as you wipe the Windex. Scouring pads, steel wool, or anything abrasive can damage a dry erase board.
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QuestionHow do you clean a dry erase board eraser?Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Driscoll received her Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2016.Dry erasers are easy to clean. You can mix 1 Tbsp of dish soap with 1 quart of very hot water. Let the eraser soak in the hot soapy water for 20-25 minutes and then thoroughly rinse out the eraser under warm water.
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QuestionWhat can I use to "condition" the board after cleaning it? I hear car wax work well, but are there any other methods?Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Driscoll received her Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2016.Yes, car wax works well to condition the board. WD-40 also works as a conditioner and lubricant.
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Tips
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Try scrubbing the marks with olive oil. You may still see a hint of the original marker, but only if you're looking for it.
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References
- ↑ http://cleanmyspace.com/remove-marks-stain-from-your-white-board/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7qxVzOF2vw8
- ↑ http://www.howtogetridofstuff.com/how-to-get-rid-of-white-board-markings/
- ↑ http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/community/eco-friendly-ways-to-clean-the-classroom/
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/mtm/methyl-salicylate-topical.html
- ↑ https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Acetone
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zYds27qthQ
- ↑ https://homeguides.sfgate.com/can-clean-house-coffee-grounds-104291.html
About This Article
Article Summary
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To erase old marks off a dry erase board, wet a sponge with rubbing alcohol and rub it onto the stain, wiping the area clean with a dry cloth. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, draw over the old stains with a new, dark colored dry erase marker, and erase as you normally would. It might take a few tries to remove the mark with this method. If the mark is permanent marker, use a paper towel to rub white toothpaste onto the stains. Then, use a wet towel to wipe the board clean. If you want to learn how to use other products, such as baking soda or hairspray, keep reading the article!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,120,329 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I was required to change classrooms at school. The board in my new room had a lot of dried marks from markers of years gone by. I tried regular Expo whiteboard cleaner to no avail. I found this article and started trying a few of the suggestions. I tried the hydrogen peroxide, the ink was too dry. So today I tried toothpaste, it worked. After I worked the toothpaste in, I followed up with the Expo cleaner. Now the board is white, looking almost brand-new." ..." more
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"I was required to change classrooms at school. The board in my new room had a lot of dried marks from markers of years gone by. I tried regular Expo whiteboard cleaner to no avail. I found this article and started trying a few of the suggestions. I tried the hydrogen peroxide, the ink was too dry. So today I tried toothpaste, it worked. After I worked the toothpaste in, I followed up with the Expo cleaner. Now the board is white, looking almost brand-new."
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"My dry erase board sat for 2 years. I first tried using the Expo cleaner which barely budged any of the writing. I then tried the WD-40 method, which took off most of the writing but left large smudged areas. I scrolled back through the article and finally tried the white toothpaste. I now have a minty clean, well-conditioned board to write on. Thank you!"
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"I have some signs that have a dry erase surface. At first I had to rub the writing really hard. Nothing would work. The next time the writing didn't budge. I searched the internet and came to your site. I tried the hand sanitizer before and that didn't work. I saw you listed muscle cream and I happen to have some, and it worked like a charm."
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"Excellent tips. I had a board that I just could not clean. I paid a ton of money for it. I used glass cleaner, board cleaner, soap, water, you name it. By using 95% alcohol, it came off with zero effort. It literally wiped right off with no rubbing."
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"My white board was darkened from years of use. I tried Windex in several varieties to no avail. I never thought of trying alcohol, but when I did, I was simply amazed. Thank you for your help. I will recommend this site to my friends."
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