How to Remove Permanent Marker From a Whiteboard

Someone used a Sharpie on your classroom whiteboard instead of a dry erase marker. Maybe it was a student, a substitute, or even you when you were in a hurry.

Now what?

The good news is that permanent marker doesn’t always mean permanent damage. Teachers in the A to Z Teacher Stuff Forums have shared several tricks for getting Sharpie off whiteboards, including one that only requires a dry erase marker.

Before you start scrubbing, try these ideas.

1. Write Over the Permanent Marker With a Dry Erase Marker

This is the trick that came up again and again in our teacher forums. It sounds a little strange, but teachers have been using it for years.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Grab a fresh dry erase marker.

2. Completely cover the permanent marker writing with the dry erase ink.

3. Wipe it away immediately with a clean whiteboard eraser or soft cloth.

4. If some of the permanent marker remains, repeat the process.

Work in small sections if you’re trying to remove a lot of writing.

Why does this work?

Dry erase markers contain solvents that can help loosen permanent marker ink. When you write over the Sharpie, the solvent in the dry erase ink can make the old writing easier to wipe away.

Does It Work on Old Permanent Marker?

Sometimes!

In a 2008 forum discussion, a teacher named alilisa shared that she’d used permanent marker on laminated locker tags that had been hanging up all year. She wanted to reuse them, so she tried covering the writing with a fresh dry erase marker.

It worked! She recommended working in small sections and erasing right away.

Another teacher, RainStorm, said she used the same trick regularly to remove Sharpie.

And in a 2009 discussion, BioAngel described a fellow teacher who accidentally wrote a message on her classroom whiteboard with a Sharpie. Neither teacher knew what to do until someone suggested writing over it with an EXPO marker.

The permanent marker came right off.

The dry erase marker trick isn’t guaranteed to work on every stain or surface, but it’s a good first thing to try on a whiteboard.

2. Try Rubbing Alcohol

If the dry erase marker trick doesn’t completely remove the writing, rubbing alcohol is another option that several teachers recommended.

Teachers in the forums reported using rubbing alcohol to remove permanent marker and stubborn ink residue.

Here’s how to try it:

1. Check your whiteboard manufacturer’s cleaning instructions to make sure rubbing alcohol is suitable for the surface.

2. Apply a small amount of isopropyl alcohol to a clean, soft cloth.

3. Gently wipe the marked area.

4. Repeat if necessary, without scrubbing hard.

5. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for removing any remaining cleaner.

Both 70% rubbing alcohol and stronger concentrations were mentioned in the teacher discussions.

One teacher, sciencegurl, preferred rubbing alcohol over hairspray because it didn’t leave behind the sticky residue she associated with hairspray.

If you have alcohol wipes available, those may also work, provided their ingredients are appropriate for your board.

3. Use a Whiteboard Cleaner

Several teachers recommended EXPO whiteboard cleaner for stubborn marks and buildup.

One teacher, pwhatley, had tried a variety of cleaners on difficult whiteboards and found that EXPO cleaner worked better for her than the alternatives.

Another teacher recommended the EXPO spray in the blue bottle for removing permanent marker.

Keep in mind that whiteboard cleaner won’t necessarily remove every permanent marker stain. Some teachers reported that it helped, while others needed to try a different method.

Follow the cleaner’s directions and make sure it’s approved for your whiteboard.

What About Hand Sanitizer?

Hand sanitizer was another popular suggestion in the A to Z forums.

Teachers recommended it for removing Sharpie from whiteboards and other classroom surfaces.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer may help loosen permanent marker because it contains alcohol. However, many gel sanitizers also contain moisturizers, fragrances, or other ingredients that can leave a film on the board.

If your whiteboard manufacturer permits rubbing alcohol, using plain alcohol on a soft cloth may be a better choice.

Other Tricks Teachers Shared

You know how it goes when a teacher asks for help in the forums. Everyone has a favorite trick!

Over the years, teachers also suggested:

• Nail polish remover: Some teachers said it removed stubborn marker, but acetone-based removers can damage certain whiteboard surfaces.

• Magic Erasers: Several teachers loved these for removing marks and buildup. Because they’re mildly abrasive, though, they can wear down some whiteboard finishes.

• Hairspray: An old classroom cleaning trick. Some formulas contain alcohol, but they may also leave sticky residue.

• WD-40: A few teachers reported success, although it can leave an oily film on the writing surface.

• Citrus cleaners and Goo Gone: Teachers mentioned these for permanent marker on various classroom surfaces. They aren’t necessarily appropriate for whiteboards and may leave residue.

These are methods teachers reported trying, not recommendations that will work safely on every type of board.

Whiteboard surfaces vary. A cleaner that works on one board might damage another, so it’s worth checking the manufacturer’s cleaning directions before using anything stronger than the usual whiteboard supplies.

How to Remove Old Dry Erase Marker Stains

What if the problem isn’t Sharpie at all?

Sometimes a whiteboard develops gray shadows or colored marks that won’t erase completely, even when you’ve been using regular dry erase markers.

In a 2009 forum discussion, a teacher asked how to get her classroom whiteboard looking clean before the new school year. She’d already tried several cleaning products but still had marker buildup.

Other teachers shared their experiences.

One recommended water and a terrycloth towel. Another noticed that the type of eraser she used made a difference in how much residue accumulated.

Several preferred EXPO whiteboard cleaner for older boards that were difficult to clean.

If your whiteboard is looking dingy, start by cleaning it according to the manufacturer’s instructions with a soft cloth and an approved cleaner.

If the board still leaves shadows after cleaning, the writing surface may be worn. Older whiteboards sometimes become harder to erase as their finish deteriorates.

Quick Reference: Getting Sharpie Off a Whiteboard

Method	What teachers reported
Dry erase marker	Frequently recommended and confirmed successful by multiple teachers
Rubbing alcohol	Worked for several teachers on stubborn permanent ink
EXPO whiteboard cleaner	Helped some teachers with stains and residue
Hand sanitizer	Reported to remove Sharpie, but may leave a film
Magic Eraser	Removed marks for some teachers, but may wear the board’s finish
Nail polish remover	Strong enough to remove ink, but may damage the surface
WD-40 and other cleaners	Some reported success, but residue and surface compatibility are concerns

Keep Your Dry Erase Markers and Sharpies Separate

One easy way to prevent the problem is to give permanent markers their own storage spot.

It doesn’t take much for someone to grab the wrong marker, especially when they’re in a hurry.

And sometimes even a substitute who has plenty of dry erase markers available manages to reach for a Sharpie instead!

That’s exactly what happened to a first-grade teacher in a 2016 forum discussion. Her substitute wrote students’ names directly on their plastic desks with permanent marker, even though the desks already had name tags.

After trying different suggestions, the teacher returned to report that she’d successfully removed the writing by going over it with a dry erase marker and then wiping it with a Clorox wipe.

That happened on plastic desks, not a whiteboard, so the same cleaning steps shouldn’t automatically be used on every surface. But it was another example of the dry erase marker trick coming to the rescue.

More Cleaning Tips From Teachers

These ideas came from discussions in the A to Z Teacher Stuff Forums, where teachers have spent years sharing classroom problems and the little tricks they’ve discovered along the way.

Sometimes the best advice comes from another teacher who’s already dealt with the same mess.