Drawing with markers, we feel satisfaction from the result – the picture is bright, clear and stable. However, as soon as the marker hits the clothes against our will, all its positive qualities turn into negative ones: the pluses become minuses, and the advantages become disadvantages.
If you are unsure of how to get the marker off your clothes, read the helpful tips below.
Choosing a solvent
Fresh stains are the easiest to remove, so take action right away without delaying the unpleasant process.
First, you need to determine what type of ink the culprit has – oil, alcohol or water. There is a solvent for each of them:
The oil marker dissolves vegetable, baby, or cosmetic oil.
The alcohol marker can be removed with glycerin, cologne, vodka, shaving lotion, or pure alcohol. Stain removers, vinegar, baking soda, and hairspray are also effective. These kind of solvent can also be found by the stationery providers.
Water (chalk) markers are less durable and can be removed with a salt solution, dishwashing detergent, or regular stain removers.
The paint marker is removed with acetone or refined gasoline.
Before removing the marker from clothing, find out the composition of its ink.
After you know what exactly you need to display the marker, be sure to test the solvent on an inconspicuous area of clothing. The purpose of the experiment is to make sure that the procedure does not harm the structure of the tissue, does not change its color and does not leave unaesthetic marks.
How to remove permanent marker from clothing
Before starting to wash the marker from clothes, carry out the following manipulations with the stain:
Moisten the edges of the stain with water to stop the ink shedding.
Start processing the fabric from the wrong side, first placing a towel or napkin under it, folded several times.
Use a cosmetic cotton pad or non-woven cloth to apply the solvent instead of to a cloth.
Treat the stained surface not with rubbing, but with blotting movements, changing the disc or napkin until no more traces of marker paint appear on it.
If you are treating pigment with vinegar, dab some baking soda on both sides of the fabric and let dry. Then rinse with cold running water.
If the stain is treated with hairspray, act quickly without letting the jet dry, otherwise the effect will be exactly the opposite – the pigment will fix. Spray varnish on the stained fabric and blot with a sponge, tissue or cotton pad.
Apply the solvent to a cotton pad and tampon the stain until it disappears completely
After cleaning the stain, wash the clothes as usual: with soap, detergent or gel, by hand or in the washing machine.
If the clothing is leather, it must not be washed. Therefore, after removing the marker, gently treat the area with a thick foam of a solution of laundry soap. After the end of the procedure, remove the remaining foam and wipe the skin dry with a napkin. To keep the skin from drying out, apply a little special cream or cosmetic oil.
How to remove a marker from colored clothing
If you’re looking for a gentle and effective way to wipe the marker off your clothing, try a marker remover, a marker that erases marks of marker ink like an eraser. The principle of its action consists in a special composition, which, after entering into a chemical reaction with colored ink, destroys the pigment.
A remover will help you delicately remove the marker from your clothes.
The method of using the remover is as follows:
Place the fabric on a flat, stiff backing and stretch it slightly.
Treat the stain with a remover in a circular motion from the outer edges to the epicenter.
Shake off your clothes and wash them as usual.
When it comes to denim, there is a high risk that it will fade, so we recommend using rubbing alcohol or professional stain removers for colored fabrics, not forgetting to test the products beforehand.
How to remove a marker from white clothing
Before removing the marker from white clothes, look at the composition of the fabric – cotton and silk will be cleaned without yellowness using hydrogen peroxide, wool – with a few drops of lemon juice, synthetics – with a mixture of salt and vinegar.
Before starting the procedure, place a towel or napkin under the stained cloth
Saturate the ink stain with clean peroxide or solution. Swab with a tissue until the paint is completely gone, then wash in warm water and rinse several times.
Another option is to use oxygenated bleaches and new generation oxygenated stain removers according to the instructions on the package.
