How to clean a whiteboard: ghosting, stains and permanent marker

Step by step: how to clean a whiteboard

Safety first. Rubbing alcohol is flammable: keep it away from open flames and heaters, and use it in a ventilated room. Do not mix whiteboard cleaner with bleach-based products.

1. 1

   Erase the whole board first

   Erase every mark with a clean eraser or microfiber cloth, including the faint gray areas. Whiteboard surfaces hold fine ink dust, and erasing thoroughly loosens it so the cleaner can lift it instead of smearing it.

2. 2

   Clean or swap the eraser

   Tap a felt eraser over a trash can or vacuum it, or switch to a fresh microfiber cloth. A dirty eraser spreads old ink dust back across the board and is a common cause of gray haze.

3. 3

   Apply cleaner evenly

   Spray a whiteboard cleaner over the board, or onto a cloth for small boards, so the surface is evenly wet. If you are using rubbing alcohol, put it on the cloth rather than pouring it on the board.

4. 4

   Wipe in overlapping strokes

   Wipe from top to bottom in overlapping passes with a soft cloth. Fold the cloth to a clean side as it picks up color. The board should look evenly white with no gray swirls.

5. 5

   Treat ghosting with a second pass

   Faint shadows of old writing, called ghosting, usually need a second wipe with alcohol or cleaner and a minute of light rubbing. If they persist, write over the ghost with a dry-erase marker, wait a few seconds, and erase it.

6. 6

   Lift permanent marker

   Scribble over the permanent marker with a dry-erase marker so it is completely covered, wait about 10 seconds, then erase. The solvents in the fresh ink loosen the old ink. Repeat once or twice, then finish with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol.

7. 7

   Dry the board completely

   Wipe the board with a dry cloth, then go over it again with a second dry cloth until it is dry to the touch. Leftover cleaner can leave streaks and make the next markers harder to erase.

8. 8

   Wipe the tray and frame

   Wipe the marker tray and frame with a cloth dampened in soapy water, since ink dust collects there and ends up back on the eraser. Cap all markers tightly before you put them back.

How to clean each type of whiteboard

Every dry erase board cleans the same basic way, but the surface decides how hard it is. Porcelain and glass boards wipe clean easily; melamine boards are more porous and ghost sooner, so they need regular cleaning to stay white.

Quartet’s board care guide boils it down to three steps: erase, clean, dry. It says its standard cleaner suits porcelain, melamine and painted steel boards, but recommends a vinegar-based glass board cleaner for glass, and finishing with a second dry towel until the board is dry to the touch.

What not to use on a whiteboard

Do not use anything abrasive on a whiteboard. Scratches hold ink, so a scuffed board ghosts faster and never looks clean again.

• Melamine sponges, scouring pads and powdered cleansers all dull or scratch the coating.
• Household all-purpose sprays and furniture polish can leave a film that makes ink bead up or stick. Check your board’s manual; some makers void the warranty if you use them.
• Oily products such as WD-40 or cooking spray leave residue that markers will not write over cleanly.
• Ammonia-based glass cleaners and wax-based cleaners. Ghent, a whiteboard maker, says ammonia cleaners can yellow the surface and leave a film, and that wax-based cleaners leave heavy residue. It also warns against abrasive cleaners such as powdered cleansers or toothpaste.
• Paper towels can leave lint on a damp board. Use a microfiber cloth instead, and wash it often; see our guide to washing microfiber cloths.

How to stop a whiteboard from ghosting

Erase writing the same day, clean the board weekly, and use fresh dry-erase markers. Ghosting happens when ink sits on the surface long enough to settle into it.

• Erase everything at the end of each day, even notes you plan to rewrite.
• Cap markers tightly. Fresh ink erases easily, while dried-out markers leave streaky ink that clings.
• Replace felt erasers when they stay gray after cleaning.
• Keep permanent markers away from the board. If one slips through, Expo’s FAQ says you can draw over the permanent marker with a dry-erase marker and erase it.

Mistakes to avoid

• Cleaning over old marker without erasing first, which smears ink dust into a gray haze.
• Using a dirty felt eraser that puts ink back on the board.
• Scrubbing ghosting with a melamine sponge or scouring pad and scratching the surface.
• Leaving the board wet, which leaves streaks and makes the next writing harder to erase.
• Leaving writing on the board for weeks, which is the main cause of ghosting.