First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot with a clean white cloth, starting at the edge of the stain. Don't rub, which spreads the ink.
- Treat it while it is fresh, since laundering may set felt-tip ink.
- Keep heat away until the marker is gone; heat sets stains.
Marker ink is a dye, and the permanent kind is made to resist water, which is why a Sharpie can seem to stay on a shirt forever. Washable marker rinses out easily, but permanent ink needs solvent and patience, and once it has dried or been heat-dried, the odds drop. Your best chance is while the mark is still fresh.
Work out which kind of marker you're dealing with, since a Sharpie and a paint pen can need different handling. A dry-cleaning solvent spot remover is what usually lifts permanent marker, so test it on a hidden seam first. Dry-clean-only pieces belong with a pro, and the item should stay out of the dryer until the ink is gone.
7 items
What you'll need
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- White paper towels or a clean white clothSoaks up the ink without moving it back into the fabric, and shows you when color transfers. (opens Amazon)
- Cotton ballsLet you blot the stain without rubbing it. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl or 90% denatured rubbing alcoholThe main solvent, as long as it has no added color or fragrance. (opens Amazon)
- Pure acetoneAn optional stand-in for the alcohol on fabric that can take it. (opens Amazon)
- Prewash stain removerLifts what is left after the solvent work. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid laundry detergentUsed in the wash after the prewash. (opens Amazon)
- Color-safe or oxygen bleachFor colored clothing in the wash, when the care label allows hot water. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
How to get marker out of clothes
Step 1 of 6
Rinse the stain with cold water
Hold the spot under cold running water, from the back of the fabric so the ink pushes out instead of deeper into the weave. Keep rinsing until no more color comes out. Cold water keeps the ink from setting before you start.
Tip. Put a clean white towel under the stain so color doesn't transfer to the other side.
Step 2 of 6
Soak the stain with rubbing alcohol
Lay the fabric on paper towels with the stain facing up, and soak the spot with rubbing alcohol. Blot with a cotton ball, working from the outside edge toward the center, and replace the paper towels as they pick up color.
Tip. Use 70% isopropyl or 90% denatured alcohol with no added color or fragrance.
Careful. Pretest on a hidden spot first, and stop if color transfers or changes.
Step 3 of 6
Keep blotting until the color stops
Keep sponging with rubbing alcohol, or with acetone if the fabric allows it, until no more color bleeds out. Let the fabric dry, then repeat the soak if any color is still there.
Tip. Switch to a clean cotton ball often so you aren't moving the ink around.
Step 4 of 6
Rinse, then apply a prewash remover
Rinse the fabric thoroughly with plain water to clear out all the alcohol and acetone. Then work a prewash stain remover into the spot and leave it on before the wash.
Step 5 of 6
Wash in the hottest safe water
Wash in hot water with laundry detergent, adding a color-safe or oxygen bleach for colored clothing. Only use hot water if the care label allows it.
Tip. Keep the stained item separate from the rest of the load until it has been checked.
Step 6 of 6
Check the stain before drying
Look at the spot in good light while the fabric is still damp. If any color remains, go back to the alcohol soak and wash again.
Tip. Once nothing shows, the item can be dried as normal.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for marker
Pick plain rubbing alcohol with no added color or fragrance, and a prewash stain remover labeled for the fabric you're treating.
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover and Color Booster Powder, 49.2 Ounces
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Marker on every material
Kitchen & bath5
Walls1
Skin & hair1
Carpet & rugs1
Leather & suede1
Furniture & upholstery1
Shoes & accessories1
Bedding & linens1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
Each round, the color on the paper towel under the fabric should get lighter and the cotton ball should come up cleaner. When the alcohol stops picking up color, the stain is ready for the wash.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton and linen take the full steps as written, including the hot wash when the care label allows it. Check the spot after each round, because leftover ink is easiest to see on white.
If a faint mark is still there after a hot wash, that is the one case where the diluted chlorine bleach option is worth trying, after every trace of alcohol is rinsed out.
Colors and denim
Colored clothes and jeans follow the same steps, with a few changes. Test the rubbing alcohol on a hidden seam first, because untested dyes can bleed, and test oxygen bleach on an inconspicuous area too.
Use color-safe or oxygen bleach in the wash and skip chlorine bleach on colored items. If the color fades or changes during any step, stop and take the item to a cleaner.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk, wool and other protein fibers need a gentler route: skip the alcohol, acetone, enzyme detergent and every bleach. Blot gently with cool water on a white cloth, because agitation makes wool felt and shrink.
If the marker doesn't lift after that, stop and take the piece to a professional. On velvet, don't iron it, and skip water-based cleaners on S-coded velvet.
Dry-clean-only items
Dry-clean-only pieces shouldn't go through the home steps, including the detergent wash and any oxygen bleach. Take them to a cleaner as soon as possible and tell them it is permanent marker.
Blot any wet ink with a clean white cloth on the way, and don't add water or solvent yourself. Mention how old the stain is and whether it has been through the dryer, since that changes what the cleaner can try.
Old, dried or set-in stains
For an old felt-tip stain, apply liquid detergent and let it stand overnight if you need to, then work in a prewash stain remover and launder as usual. Old stains need time more than strength, so start with this before reaching for anything harsher.
A stain that has been through the dryer or has dried fully is harder, and permanent marker that has been heat-set may not come out completely. Washable marker is more forgiving: repeat laundering usually removes what's left, as long as you never heat-dry between washes.
If color is still there after several rounds, white cotton or linen labeled bleach-safe can take diluted chlorine bleach, 1/2 cup in 2 cups of water, but only after every trace of alcohol or acetone is rinsed out. Keep chlorine off silk, wool and spandex. Expect partial results on permanent ink, since some of it may stay in the fabric.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on marker?
Plenty of home remedies get suggested for marker, so here is where each one fits. Rubbing alcohol, acetone and oxygen bleach are the ones that suit marker, and the rest are a poor match.
Works3Skip4
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Rubbing alcohol
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't start with hot water.
Hot water is for the wash, not the first rinse. Start cold so the ink lifts instead of setting into the fabric.
Don't use acetone on acetate, triacetate or modacrylic.
Acetate dissolves in acetone, so check the fiber label before you reach for it. If you don't know the fiber, skip the solvent steps and take the item to a cleaner.
Don't use chlorine bleach on washable marker.
Chlorine is only ever an option for permanent marker on bleach-safe white cotton or linen, so keep it away from washable marker entirely. Detergent and the alcohol route are the right tools for that ink.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar, or alcohol.
Bleach mixed with ammonia gives off toxic fumes, and it should never meet vinegar, other acids or rubbing alcohol. Rinse everything out with plain water before any bleach goes on.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
Color keeps bleeding after several alcohol rounds
Let the fabric dry completely between rounds, then continue until fresh paper towels stay clean. Some felt-tip inks may be impossible to remove completely, so a faint shadow can be the realistic end point.
You don't know which marker it was
Start by checking the cap or the box if you can find the marker. If you cannot, test a hidden spot with cold water and rubbing alcohol before committing to either route.
The fabric is acetate, triacetate or modacrylic
Leave acetone out entirely. Use rubbing alcohol or a prewash soil-and-stain remover, and wash at the temperature the care label allows.
When to call a professional
Take the item to a professional if the ink has been dried or heat-set, or if it is silk, wool or dry-clean-only. Tell the cleaner it is permanent marker so they can choose a suitable solvent method.
Questions
Does the same method work for marker pen and Magic Marker?
Yes, the same route works for permanent marker pen and Magic Marker: cold rinse, rubbing alcohol, prewash, then a wash in the hottest water the label allows. The fabric and how long the ink sat decide how much comes out, so the steps stay the same whichever pen it came from.
What about paint markers and alcohol markers?
These steps are written for felt-tip and permanent marker, and paint or fabric markers may need a different approach. If you can't tell which ink it is, don't guess; a cleaner can identify it and choose a safe method.
Do I need to wash it more than once?
It can take more than one round, so repeat it if color remains. Each round should lift a little more, so stop once nothing shows.
Can permanent marker really come out of clothes?
Often partly and sometimes fully, depending on how fresh the stain is and what the fabric is. Permanent ink is not made to wash out in water, so the solvent steps do most of the work, and old or heat-set marker is the hardest to remove.
Can I get marker out without rubbing alcohol?
Yes, acetone can stand in for rubbing alcohol while you blot, if the fabric allows it. A prewash stain remover can then lift what's left, and the wash comes last, with no chlorine bleach in the standard steps.
Will permanent marker come out in the wash or at the dry cleaner?
A regular wash alone usually isn't enough for permanent ink, so do the solvent steps first and wash afterward. For dry-clean-only pieces, a professional is the better choice, and you should say it's permanent marker when you drop them off.
Which stain remover should I buy for permanent marker?
A prewash stain remover is what lifts the last traces after the alcohol, so it's worth keeping on hand. Check its label for fabric limits, and use an oxygen bleach only where the fabric can take it.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.