How to remove dry erase marker from clothes with rubbing alcohol

Step by step: how to remove dry erase marker from clothes with rubbing alcohol

Safety first. Rubbing alcohol is flammable: use it in a ventilated room away from candles, gas flames and heaters, and let treated fabric dry before it goes near heat. Test on a hidden seam first, and do not use full-strength alcohol on acetate, triacetate, acrylic or modacrylic fabrics.

1. 1

   Check the marker and the fabric

   Look at the marker if you can. Washable dry erase markers for kids often wash out in a normal cycle; standard dry erase markers have alcohol-based ink that needs a solvent. Check the garment label for acetate or acrylic, which alcohol can damage.

2. 2

   Rinse with cold water

   Run cold water through the back of the stain until no more color comes out. Do not use hot water at this stage and do not rub, which spreads the ink sideways.

3. 3

   Test the alcohol on a hidden spot

   Dab a little rubbing alcohol on an inside seam and wait a minute. If the dye bleeds onto the cotton ball or the fabric changes texture, stop and use only detergent.

4. 4

   Blot from the back with alcohol

   Lay the stain face down on a thick pad of paper towels. Saturate a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and dab the back of the stain. The ink will move into the paper towels; swap them for clean ones as they color so the ink does not transfer back.

5. 5

   Rinse and apply detergent

   When no more color comes out, rinse the area with cool water. Rub liquid detergent into the spot and leave it 5 to 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Wash warm with color-safe bleach

   Wash in the warmest water the care label allows with your usual detergent and a scoop of color-safe oxygen bleach. For a lingering shadow, soak in an oxygen bleach solution for an hour first.

7. 7

   Air dry and check

   Let the garment air dry, then check the stain in daylight. If a faint mark is left, repeat the alcohol and wash steps before you use the dryer.

Why rubbing alcohol works on dry erase marker

Rubbing alcohol works because dry erase ink is designed to dissolve in alcohol, not water. That is why it wipes off a whiteboard and why water alone smears it on fabric.

Crayola’s stain tip for dry erase markers on clothing follows the same order as the steps above: rinse with cold water until no more color comes out, place the fabric on paper towels and blot the stain with alcohol on a cotton ball, changing the paper towels as needed, then wash in hot water with detergent and a bleach that is safe for colors. Crayola notes it cannot guarantee results, so test first. The University of Georgia Extension stain guide for felt-tip ink also uses alcohol and warns that alcohol damages acetate, triacetate, modacrylic and acrylic fibers, and should be diluted with 2 parts water on acetate.

Washable, standard and permanent markers compared

Washable dry erase marker usually needs only detergent; standard dry erase marker needs alcohol; permanent marker is a harder job.

For washable dry erase markers, Crayola’s washable marker tip is a hot rinse, a heavy-soil hot wash, a one-hour soak in OxiClean or Clorox 2 as the package directs, and a second wash. For permanent marker, see how to get Sharpie out of fabric.

Set-in stains, and marker on couches or carpet

A dry erase stain that went through the dryer can usually still be lightened with alcohol and an oxygen bleach soak, though it may take several rounds.

Repeat the alcohol blotting, then soak the item in an oxygen bleach solution. OxiClean’s ink and marker instructions suggest soaking for 1 to 6 hours, with 6 hours for best results on tougher marks, before washing as usual. On washable upholstery, OxiClean advises spraying the stain remover onto a white towel and blotting rather than spraying the fabric directly. For marker on the board itself, see our whiteboard cleaning guide.

Mistakes to avoid

• Scrubbing the stain under hot water, which spreads the ink into a larger halo.
• Rubbing alcohol on the front of the stain instead of blotting through the back onto paper towels.
• Reusing the same inked paper towel, which puts the color back into the fabric.
• Using rubbing alcohol on acetate or acrylic without testing.
• Drying the garment before checking that the mark is fully gone.