What Happens When You Cross a 2 Yr Old and a Purple Sharpie?

Updated on October 09, 2008
I.M. asks from Glen Allen, VA
15 answers

Polka Dots!
Help, my son has covered his arms and legs with purple spots, he looks really bad! I need some way to remove the marker from his skin without scrubbing him raw, any ideas? I checkout the Sharpie website but they only offer help removing marker from other stuff, not skin. My sister was the thoughtful person who left these markers at our house, and I can't wait until her first child is born and I can hide a set somewhere for her child to find!

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So What Happened?

Thank you for the suggestion, don't know why I didn't think to try it this morning. His arms and legs look much better, just a few pinkish spots left. Now I just have to get the blue snow cone stain off his face and fingers.:)

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M.C.

answers from Dover on

Rubbing ALcohal will take most of it off I have had the same problem with my 5 year old and My 13 year old leaving her markers around as well. Good luck
M.

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T.S.

answers from Dover on

Aw! Thank you for the morning laugh!!! And, sweetie, I'm laughing WITH you...not AT you. Look on the bright side, your little Picasso could have waited until your little Princess was born to exercise his art muscles! It's much tougher to explain why your newborn is purple than your two year old. (Yes, this is the voice of experience! It wasn't a sharpie though! And it was pink on my son courtesy of my daughter!)

I think the alcohol will work. You might also try hairspray. That gets ink out of clothing. If it doesn't come off, it's not the end of the world...it will EVENTUALLY! And, again, on the bright side, at least it's not a self inflicted hair cut! (Thankfully, I've not been there!)

As for your sister, I think play-doh is a much better revenge angle...or perhaps the aforementioned scissors! My only other advice--Take lots of pictures! Traci

1 mom found this helpful
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L.K.

answers from Washington DC on

my daughtr colored herself face and legs and arm with a hot pink sharpie, and to top it off colored my white cats paws hot pink, the cat looks like that commercial with the rabits and the colored feet! I used regular rubbing alcohol to remove it. I took most of it off! I wouldn't use it near the eyes and make sure there are no scrtaches or cuts cause that will burn, but it works. It also works if they colored the walls with sharpies also!! One day you will look back and laugh about this and be glad tyou didn't have plans to get there pictured taken! Now that is the bright side! Good luck!!

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S.W.

answers from Harrisburg on

Hi I.,
I sympathise with you... I used to be a single mom with four sons.... and #3 was REALLY hyper... and I do mean REALLY... anyway, in all honesty it may take a few days for all signs of the markers to disappear from his skin... I thought of a couple things I would have tried (my son used to drop the whole roll of tp in the toilet and once squirted a quart size bottle of baby shampoo over the entire contents of my linen closet etc etc... but not the marker).... 1)I would let him 'play' as long as possible in the tub with a bubble bath... maybe a couple of them.... 2) you could try alcohol on a cotton ball, I am not sure exactly how safe that is for his skin though... I looked on Google and found this number for Sharpie 1-800-668-4575 ext 4073 even if it is not specifically for what to do if... they would be able to direct you to someone who could... good luck and God bless you and your family

PS: play dough and finger paints are also great revenge gifts and would not be as obvious as 'accidentally' leaving the pen... don't forget to get her first son a drum set...LOL

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A.E.

answers from Harrisburg on

I think I'd give him a bath and let him soak for a while...whatever doesn't come off (and I wouldn't scrub excessively) can just wear off. I'd be glad he didn't attack all of my furniture and carpet. As long as you don't have a wedding he is part of or a big family portrait scheduled, he can be the polka dotted boy for a while.

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L.P.

answers from Washington DC on

Don't bother! It will come off eventually usually through sweating. Just use warm water and plenty of mild soap. I think your child was being very creative when he did this. You should take photos for posterity and bring them out when he brings his first girlfriend home!

L. Paget

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J.D.

answers from Washington DC on

alcohol should take it right off

R.D.

answers from Richmond on

hey I.! i agree with jan, whenever ive had that sort of problem, alcohol swabs do the trick!! his skin my get a little red from the alcohol, just rinse it with water afterwards!! sorry, but i cant stop laughing at your headline... sounds like something i would write! good luck sweetie! ~R.

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J.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi, I've been there! Try using alcohol rub on a cotton ball, then baby oil to rub the rest away. You might not be able to get it all of on one try but keep trying. My daughter now 8 still does the same thing and think it's pretty Cool! :)

Hope it helps!

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J.S.

answers from Colorado Springs on

You are going to love this then. Let me copy and paste a testimonial for you! Here it is.

My brother just recently tried Sol-U-Mel. Now he won't use anything else besides that product for stains.
His 2 year old daughter got a black permenant ink marker on her Sunday dress (light blue velvet). That's when his wife said, "Why don't we try that Sol-U-Mel your sister had us try?" They did! The stain is completely GONE! You couldn't even tell it was there at one time!
Julie Maerker
---------------------------------------------------------------
My 4 year old daughter managed to put a permanent marker in the dryer with the cap off. You can imagine what happened. One of her cloth shirts was blotched with black ink. We left it like this for 10 months! Then, my wife said to me, "Why don't you try some of products on this shirt. It will be a good test!" So I proceeded to spray the stains with Pre-Spot and then soaked the shirt in Mela Power for 1 day and rubbed the stains away! You must understand-- it was a few months so it needed a little more time.
The permanent marker stains went away completely without damaging my daughter's cloth shirt!

Dino Stylianopoulos

The products are really that wonderful and you can get them at wholesale! woo hoo!!! J.

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J.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I saw that someone suggested the magic eraser, DO NOT use it on skin!!! I read an article with a pic of a little boy who was cleaning his marker off the wall and then rubbed his face. His hands and face ended up looking like he had been burned with scalding water! Alchohol and nail polish remover are what I have used in the past, we have this same issue on a regular basis, ours having also gotten on my newly painted walls!

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C.R.

answers from Richmond on

Relax don't freak out. Fingernail polish remover or alcohol will work.

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H.

answers from Harrisburg on

I.,

St. Eves makes an apricot scrub. It is gentle and it should work. My husband had bingo dobber spots all over his face and hands from a night out with the guys and that was the only thing that worked. I hope this helps.

H.

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M.B.

answers from Charlottesville on

Have you tried a Mr.Clean Magic eraser?You would be amazed at what they remove and where.

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A.P.

answers from Washington DC on

Hey I.,

I know Aqua Net hairspray will remove permanent marker, but I'm not sure if you'd want to use that on your little boy. Maybe a little on a cotton ball to dab on the spots?

Good luck.

-A.

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