My Son Thinks He Is Harold and the Purple Crayon (Pen)

Updated on March 29, 2011
L.M. asks from Medina, OH
9 answers

i need to get pen marks off my walls!!! i have tried magic erasers but it take the paint off my walls.. (its flat paint) my two year old son think he is harold and the purple crayon but he prefers pens.. ugh.. help!!

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So What Happened?

well ladies- here is the update- nothing worked, everything i tried rubbed the paint right off the wall..ugh. as for keeping anything writeable put away- the one place i didnt think of was my purse (where he found the pen) so for punishment for 2 minutes i had my son attempt to help clean the wall. so it looks like i didnt win this one.. son 1-mom 0

Featured Answers

T.N.

answers from Albany on

Wait til the kids are at least 20, then paint the walls!

But no, it's been my experience that regular pen ink does not come off flat paint without stripping the paint.

:(

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

M.R.

answers from Rochester on

I am making my 2 1/2 year old a forearm-sized stuffed purple crayon for his Easter basket. I have told them that Harold is just imagining that he is drawing on the walls.

I had a dark purple nail polish mural on my kitchen wall and ended up having to paint over it (many, many layers). If nothing is taking it off, you might try a stain-blocking primer and a touch-up.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.E.

answers from Seattle on

I had the same problem with my son- I used a product called Sol-u-mel (I buy it through a company online) amazing product- took the permanent marker (and some other unidentifable stain) off my walls without destroying the paint. i was convinced the landlord was going to charge me an arm and a leg to re-paint, til I found it... Hopefully it'd work for you :-)

1 mom found this helpful

Y.C.

answers from New York on

Lol, that is funny. I was going to suggest the magic erasers but I see you already tried.
All I can suggest is:
Take all the pencils away from him and get him those erasable colors.
Tape paper all over your walls at his high
Or like Theresa said, wait until they are older and paint again.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.R.

answers from Orlando on

Did you try alcohol? I've heard that works on clothes, I suppose you have nothing to lose by trying it. But, if it's flat paint, I don't think it's coming off. :( you'll have to paint over it, and use a primer base paint first like Kilz primer paint. What a pain! So sorry, maybe you'll find something that works in taking it off. Good luck.

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D.H.

answers from Canton on

I don't know what to suggest to get it off. I dislike magic eraser too. It leaves a sheen on the wall where it was used and I have semi gloss paint.. My daughter drew with pen and we will have to repaint. Nothing seems to work. I would suggest punishing your son so he knows better and hiding all the pens for a while.

E.S.

answers from Asheville on

I'm having the same trouble with permanent markers! Hubby thought that because they were quiet that they were playing. Magic eraser took it off the piano and the antique dry-sink, but not the walls or the vinyl flooring. Straight 91% alcohol worked on the walls though, because Sharpies are alcohol based. I second the Sol-u-mel made by Melaluca Co. It cant be purchased in stores though. You have to find a distributor. I have a friend who is one and she is going to give me a little of her sol-u-mel to try. I hope it removes crayon and highlighter marker too! I will let you know!

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S.M.

answers from Cincinnati on

The problem is that it is flat paint. It is harder to get marks off of flat paint. If you ever decide to repaint the walls use Eggshell. It is the next step up from flat. It isn't super shiny like semigloss and gloss paint and much easier to clean off marks on the walls (believe me, I have done it too!!). My son has used crayon and pen on the walls and a magic erasure works on Eggshell. But for now, I would try the alcohol or the Sol u Mel that other people have suggested. Good luck!

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K.I.

answers from Muncie on

I do not know about the flat paint part but we used to live in military housing where you have to return everything to perfect condition and we used 409 spray with a white sponge or a very light colored one (not blue ones though they turned the wall blue). Hope it works on flat paint

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