First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot fresh ink with a clean, dry white cloth or paper towel.
- Treat it while it's fresh, since laundering can set felt-tip ink.
- Pretest any remover on a hidden spot first.
- Keep heat away until the stain is gone, since heat sets it.
Permanent marker on a whiteboard is a dye stain that water alone won't lift, which is why it can look hopeless. Washable marker is made to come out in water, but permanent ink needs a solvent, and once it has dried it can stay put. Fresh ink lifts far better than marker that has been sitting, so note when it went on.
When you're removing permanent marker from a whiteboard, skip any abrasive, since this surface can't take one. Older marks usually need repeat treatment, so budget for several passes. If whiteboard marker has reached walls or clothing, treat each surface separately and keep heat away from fabric.
Before you start
What whiteboard can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care2
- Hot water
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
Avoid2
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
5 items
What you'll need
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- High-quality dry erase markerWriting over the permanent mark is what lifts it.
- Lint-free or microfiber clothWipes both marks away and gets used for every pass. (opens Amazon)
- Clean, dry white cloth or paper towelBlots fresh ink without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Mild soap and waterFollow-up for a faint color that remains after the wipes. (opens Amazon)
- Rubbing alcohol or glass cleanerAlternative follow-up when a faint color still shows. (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Overwrite the mark with dry erase
Draw over the entire permanent mark with a high-quality dry erase marker. Cover every part of it, including the edges, so the new ink reaches all of the old ink.
Step 2 of 5About 5 seconds
Let the new ink dry
Wait about five seconds for the dry erase ink to dry completely. Rushing this step smears both marks across the board.
Step 3 of 5
Wipe both marks away
Wipe both marks away with a lint-free or microfiber cloth. Turn to a clean section of the cloth as the color comes off.
Step 4 of 5
Repeat on marks dried for days
If the mark has dried on for days, repeat several times with steady pressure on the cloth. Check the board between passes so you can see how much color is left.
Step 5 of 5
Finish with soap or alcohol
If color still shows, follow with mild soap and water, rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner. Use only one of them, then wipe the board dry.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for marker on whiteboard
Choose a high-quality dry erase marker for the overwrite, and a lint-free or microfiber cloth for wiping.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on whiteboard, 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. 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.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The mark is gone when the cloth comes away clean and the board looks even in color. A faint shadow after the first pass usually lifts with another pass, which is the sign to keep going rather than adding another product.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your whiteboard
Dry erase board
A dry erase board takes the same overwrite and wipe as any other whiteboard, so the steps above apply as written. If the surface still looks dull or patchy after a few passes, the soap or alcohol follow-up is the step that changes the result.
Work in small sections so each area gets its own passes. Switch to a clean part of the cloth when it stops picking up color, so the board doesn't get new ink from the old cloth.
Walls
Marker that has spread onto a wall needs gentler handling than a board. The overwrite and wipe still apply, but keep your pressure light and check the paint after each pass. Test your product on a hidden patch of wall first.
For the rest of the wall finish and any marks on painted surfaces, the Walls guide covers the next steps.
Clothes
Treat the mark while it's fresh, since it lifts far more easily before it sets. Blot it with a clean, dry white cloth or paper towel, working from the outside edge toward the center so it doesn't spread. Check the care label before you go further, and if you can't find one or don't know the fiber, pretest a hidden seam before anything else.
Once the stain is loosened, use the washable or permanent route described below.
Fabric
Fabric needs a remover that suits the fiber, so start by checking the care label and pretesting a hidden seam. Work a little mild soap and water into the spot only where the test spot holds up. Work it in gently from the edge inward, not across the middle.
If the fabric is colored, watch the test spot for color transfer, since untested dyes can bleed. Stop the moment color moves onto a clean cloth.
White board
A fresh mark on a white board usually responds to one overwrite and one wipe. Look at the cloth after each pass, and stop when it comes away clean.
Once the mark has been on the board for a while, the repeated passes take over. The set-in notes below explain how far those passes can go.
Whiteboard marker
Check the marker label first, because washable and permanent ink behave differently. Washable marker is formulated to come out in water, so the mild soap and water follow-up is the step most likely to lift it. Permanent ink needs the dry erase overwrite before any soap or alcohol.
If the label isn't readable, treat the mark as permanent and start with the overwrite.
Marker on clothes
Washable and permanent ink need different plans on fabric. Washable marker usually comes out with repeated laundering, as long as you don't heat-dry between washes. Permanent marker that has dried on may not come out, so check which ink you have before you start.
For old felt-tip on fabric, apply detergent and let it stand overnight if necessary, then apply a prewash spot-and-stain remover and launder. Use the overnight soak only on fabric that has passed the hidden seam test.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old mark has had days to dry, so the first move is the repeated passes with steady pressure on the cloth. Check the board after each round and keep the cloth moving so the ink doesn't spread into clean areas. Often the color lifts this way before you add anything else.
If color still shows after the passes, add the soap, alcohol or glass cleaner follow-up. Use one of them at a time, and wipe the board dry before you judge the result.
Check the result in good light once the board is fully dry, because wet ink looks darker than it will.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on marker on whiteboard?
Most home remedies you'll find online are for food or fabric, not marker on a board. Water is gentle on a board, while scrubbing and heat are out, and solvents need care.
Works1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't scrub the board hard
Hard scrubbing spreads the ink across the board instead of lifting it. Work with steady pressure and move from the outside edge toward the center.
Don't use abrasive cleansers or scrub pads
Abrasive cleansers and scrub pads aren't safe on these surfaces, so the steps stay with a cloth. If a mark seems to need scouring, go back to repeated passes with the cloth instead.
Don't use a dryer on marked clothes
Permanent marker that has been dried in the dryer may not come out. Air dry the item and check it in good light before it goes anywhere near the dryer.
Don't use chlorine bleach on washable marker
Chlorine bleach is not for washable-marker stains, so keep it off the stain entirely. Repeated laundering is the safer route.
Don't wait for old marks to dry on
Fresh marks lift in a single pass, while marks left for days need repeated passes and may not come out completely. Treat the mark as soon as you notice it.
When to call a professional
If a faint color stays after every step here, stop rather than trying harsher products on the board. Some old permanent marks may simply not come out completely.
Questions
Can dry erase marker remove permanent marker from a whiteboard?
Yes. Draw over the permanent mark with a high-quality dry erase marker, wait about five seconds, then wipe both marks away with a lint-free or microfiber cloth.
Why won't the marker wipe off my board?
Marks that have dried on for days need repeated passes with steady pressure on the cloth. Keep checking the board between rounds, and don't switch products early while the color is still fading.
How long should I wait before wiping?
Wait about five seconds after you draw the dry erase ink. That's long enough for it to dry completely, so it doesn't smear when you wipe. Rushing this step is what makes the wipe drag the color across the board.
Can I use vinegar on a whiteboard?
No need for it. The overwrite and the wipe do the lifting on a whiteboard. The overwrite and the wipe do the lifting, and mild soap and water or rubbing alcohol are the only follow-ups if color remains. Keep the cloth clean so the ink doesn't come back onto the board.
Can I get whiteboard marker out of a shirt?
Often yes, if you act while it's fresh. Blot with a clean, dry white cloth, check the care label, and pretest a hidden seam first.
Can I use bleach on washable marker?
No. Chlorine bleach is not for washable-marker stains, so use laundering instead. Repeat laundering usually removes what's left as long as you don't heat-dry between washes.
What if I don't know the fabric?
Don't guess. Check the care label first, then pretest a hidden seam with the mildest option before using anything on the visible area.
Marker on other materials
Start from the bigger picture
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.