Permanent Marker

Updated on November 13, 2008
E.B. asks from Sour Lake, TX
35 answers

Does anyone know how to remove a small red sharpie mark on a finished wooden table??? I am afraid I'll remove the finish if I just experiment and wondered if anyone knew a shortcut. Thank you!

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So What Happened?

Well, I decided to go with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser just because it was the easiest of all the solutions offered. It worked like a charm! The finish wasn't harmed at all and the mark came right off! Thank you everyone!!!

Featured Answers

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D.E.

answers from Austin on

If you color over the shapie mark with a dry erase board marker (expo) both of the marks will wipe away with ease. This is a secret trick that most teachers know! =) Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful

L.H.

answers from Austin on

I've used wipe-off marker to mark over the permanent and it makes it all wipe off. I can't guarantee it won't take the finish off though.
L.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.H.

answers from Houston on

I've never had the expenience, but Iseem to remember reading that a little of WD40 would remove marker.

1 mom found this helpful

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A.F.

answers from San Antonio on

Try tipnut.com.
Just last night I saw the solution to that stain. Let me know if it works!

2 moms found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from Houston on

Plain old aerosol hairspray will remove the permanent marker. My son did this to some of my furniture when he was two and it removed it beautifully.

2 moms found this helpful
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L.B.

answers from Corpus Christi on

Have know idea, but you might try some lemon juice the acid might work without hurting the finish. Good luck

1 mom found this helpful
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H.F.

answers from San Angelo on

Mr clean magic eraser will take it off... I know this from experience! Make sure to wet the eraser but squeeze most of the water back out until it is barely damp. Put your finger in the sponge just over the mark and gently rub. Use increasingly more pressure if you need till it comes off. The worst that it has ever done to furniture is to leave a barely noticable dull spot in the clear coat that furniture polish or wax will fix...better than marker! It works to remove paint transfer on cars too without taking off paint. It cleans tile grout like a champ-bathtub soap scum too! Also crayon off of walls, just make sure you don't wet it too much and note that it leaves a little white residue so just wipe after with a damp paper towel or cloth. Good luck! By the way, that stuff about the chemical burns it caused is completely false. One kid scrubbed himself and got friction "burns" but only on the arms. That other picture of the face wasnt the same kid or related at all. Some people try to say it has formaldehyde in it, but it doesn't. It has a compound similarly named. Its like saying sodium chloride (salt) is like eating chlorine. Trust me, I researched this thing completely and use it almost daily.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.L.

answers from Corpus Christi on

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I had a lot more than a small mark on my oak dining table...green and black. It had been there for many months before I thought of trying the Magic Eraser...it worked like a charm...and even removed a greenish discoloration caused by a water spill several years earlier. The finish was damaged around the water stain but it was damaged by the water in the first place...the rest of the table still looks brand new. The Magic Eraser also worked on red Kool-Aid stains on my laminate floors!

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Austin on

Usually paint thinner will take it off. You didn't say what the finish was, but I have never had a problem with paint thinner effecting the finish, presuming that the finish hasn't been redone recently. Paint thinner is great also for removing the gum/glue from labels on bottles and stickers. Afterward simply use dish soap to get rid of any residue.

Don't use acetone or lacquer thinner as they WILL take off the finish.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.J.

answers from Austin on

mr clean magic eraser works wonders. my husband uses sharpies all the time and i use the magic eraser on the marks and they are gone without any damage to the tables i use them on.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.W.

answers from Houston on

There is something called Goo Gone. You can buy it at hardware stores and Walmart I think. It is for removing sticky stuff (like those annoying pricetags they stick on your dishes in the stores that never come off). I have used this to remove permanent marker before. There are also wood markers for filling in scratches. They are sold in all different wood finishes. That might work too. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.S.

answers from San Antonio on

Mr. Clean can remove the shine to your finish if you press real hard so I would use it with caution. However, that is what I use on my table and it works.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.B.

answers from College Station on

Someone just told me this trick recently to remove permanent marker off any wood surface: Have some insect repellent with DEET, a damp cloth, and a dry cloth all at hand. Spray the DEET onto the wood, quickly wipe it off with the dry cloth, and then quickly wipe off the wood with the damp cloth. The dry cloth removes the marker, the damp cloth removes the DEET. She swore by it, said she used it when she was baby-sitting and got some permanent marker off the wood floors just when the house was about to be shown to potential buyers. :) Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.

answers from San Antonio on

Try a Mr CLean magic eraser. It will not hurt the finish and they work well on many inks.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.P.

answers from San Antonio on

my daughter has marked up my husbands nice wood desk a few times with permenant marker. We use Melaleuca Sol-U-Mel and it comes right off with no damage to wood finish and it's non-toxic.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.H.

answers from Houston on

I use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. This is a wonderful invention and does not hurt surfaces. You can get this at any retailer in the cleaning aisle.

L.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.B.

answers from Houston on

I've had the same problem, multiple times,and I used the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, but I rubbed it LIGHTLY, just enough to get the ink off, and my finish is alright. If you got to town on it, it MAY remove some of the finish, I'm not sure about that though. I was really careful with mine!

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.H.

answers from Killeen on

3 words.
Mr. Clean Eraser.
I had "artwork" on my just refinished nightstand...and thought I would have to refinish it all over again, after 3 years...I finally was told about the eraser...and it worked. Got every bit of it out. I was amazed and pleasantly surized. Now I use it all over the house for evertything. But don't let the little ones use it, it has been known to cause 3rd degree chemical burns to those who are chemically sensitive.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-magic-eraser-bur...
[partial text from artical noted about]
Conceivably, a patch of skin -- especially the sensitive skin of a child -- could be made more susceptible to irritation by a weak alkali if it is mildly abraded by, say, the melamine foam surface of an Easy Erasing Pad. With vigorous enough rubbing, on the other hand, perhaps the material itself is capable of causing injuries such as those shown in the photograph. It is also possible that an allergic reaction was involved.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.H.

answers from Austin on

I used Goo Be gone on a cotton ball and followed up with Lemon Oil, but I have to admit I caught it while in action so it was fresh. Not sure if this will work since it has been a while...Good Luck, I know how upset I was when this happened.
PS. It took a great deal of rubbing, but it did come off.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.T.

answers from Houston on

HI E.,
I work for a company which sales a great product known for removing permanent markers off of objects without hurting the surface. Its called Sol-U-Mel. I would love to speak to you further if you are still looking. My number is ###-###-#### or email me at ____@____.com K.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.G.

answers from Sherman on

Try making a paste with baking soda and water and rubbing the area. It may take a lot of rubbing, but it worked for me.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.L.

answers from Houston on

The Mr. Clean Majic Eraser will get permanent marker off of anything. Before using it though, I would test it on a place that is not visible on the table.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Houston on

Try baby wipes. I've come to discover that they will remove a multitude of substances from a multitude of surfaces.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.T.

answers from Houston on

Try the Magic Eraser. I know there are lots of brands of them out there, and they are all awesome!! If it works, it will not take the finish off.

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R.C.

answers from Houston on

Try a little bit of isopropyl alcohol on a cotton ball. Try it first in an inconspicuous area as it may take the shine off the finish or make it look a bit milky. If the finish holds up to the IPA, then it should easily remove the permanent marker ink.

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S.S.

answers from Austin on

Mr Clean Magic Erasers work on everything unbelievably well

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H.H.

answers from Houston on

The only thing that i've ever seen that works and still doesn't harm is the Magic Eraser. Good luck.

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L.L.

answers from Killeen on

MAGIC ERASERS WORK WONDERS!!! Believe me I know... :-)

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J.H.

answers from San Antonio on

Magic eraser has worked for me, but my table isn't shiny. Try it in an inconspicuous spot first.

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J.S.

answers from Houston on

go to an antique store and ask advice. I would try some products from teh Howard line and antique stores should sell it. Steel wool should take it off but it will take some finsih too maybe, the Howard line and professional help should work.

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J.R.

answers from Killeen on

Rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab. Try it on a small section first, maybe on the leg or something just to be sure, but i've used it on a leather couch, it came right off (with a little rubbing) and didn't cause any discoloration. Good Luck!

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B.R.

answers from Austin on

Try spraying it with WD 40 and gently wiping it off. The WD 40 should dissolve the ink, without damaging the finish.

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P.E.

answers from Houston on

Try hairspray. I know it sounds weird but it works. Spray it on the stain, let it sit a few minutes, then rub it with a cloth. It has worked for me in the past.

Good Luck!!

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M.M.

answers from Austin on

A great way to remove perm marker is to go over the mark with a dry erase marker and wip away with Windex.

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P.K.

answers from Houston on

I second the Sol U Mel.My 3 yr old did the same thing all over our coffee table and it came right off and did not ruin the finish.It actually made it cleaner than it was before she drew all over the table.

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