There are many ways to clean a chalkboard, but the effectiveness of each varies. If you don't clean the blackboard properly, chalk residue will be left on the board. Fortunately, a variety of natural and chemical ingredients can be used to clean whiteboards.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Cleaning Most of the Chalk
Step 1. Use an eraser
Make sure you use a clean eraser. The best way to wipe a whiteboard is to clean it using an up and down motion. Start by removing any visible chalk marks with an eraser.
- The up and down motion will prevent the chalk from forming in odd patterns. It's a good idea to start cleaning the whiteboard from the top left corner of the board.
- Wipe in an up and down motion across the board. Felt erasers are ideal for cleaning whiteboards. You can also erase the whiteboard with a horizontal motion. However, do not erase in a circular motion.
- When you're done using the eraser, wipe the whiteboard with a dry, lint-free cloth or chamois.
Step 2. Clean the eraser
Chances are, your felt eraser will often be used to clean the blackboard. Therefore, your eraser needs to be cleaned.
- Tap the two erasers together until they are clean, and do this every day. This will remove the chalk dust from the eraser so it's best to wipe it outside.
- To make your eraser even cleaner, dampen a clean cloth with warm water, and rub it over the eraser to remove any chalk dust there.
- There are special solutions that can be used to clean the eraser. Try looking at a supermarket or book and stationery store.
Step 3. Use a dry cleaning cloth
Some people use a dry cloth to clean chalk from a chalkboard instead of a regular felt eraser.
- You can buy a special cloth to clean the whiteboard. Try looking at a stationary or teacher supply store. This fabric is designed to last up to a year.
- Try spraying Endust or another dusting product on the cloth before wiping the whiteboard.
- Wipe in an up and down motion when cleaning the whiteboard using a dry cleaning cloth that is usually used with felt eraser.
Method 2 of 3: Cleaning the Chalkboard with Home Ingredients
Step 1. Try rubbing lemon oil on the blackboard
The lemon oil will remove the chalk from the board, leaving it smooth, clean and residue-free.
- Lemon oil comes from the rind of the lemon fruit, and some people also use it to clean guitar necks. This oil has antibacterial properties and has a fresh lemon scent!
- Pour two teaspoons of lemon oil on a dry cloth. Fold the cloth in half, and place it in a sealable plastic bag. Lemon oil will also gloss the blackboard.
- Let stand for a day, then remove the cloth from the plastic bag. Use this washcloth to wipe the whiteboard. Place two washcloths in a plastic bag so you have supplies for the next day, in case the whiteboard needs daily cleaning.
Step 2. Try using a soda
Coca Cola is likely to make the whiteboard sticky and unusable. However, many people have used soda products as cleaning agents, and many people claim that these drinks clean whiteboards better than plain water.
- Pour half a cup of soda. Dip a cloth in a bowl to dampen it. You can use any brand of soda, such as Pepsi or Fanta.
- Take a soda-soaked cloth and wipe it on the board. According to people who have tried this method, the soda will dry without leaving lime dust behind.
- Aerated drinks won't make the chalkboard sticky either, as long as you don't use too much of it. Just pat the cloth on the soda so it doesn't get soaked. The soda may also make the chalk easier to stick to the blackboard.
Step 3. Use vinegar and water
Try mixing water and white vinegar, and use a cloth to wipe the whiteboard. Not only will your whiteboard smell good, but smudges won't appear either.
- White vinegar is the best choice because vinegar (such as balsamic vinegar) has dyes that can spoil the appearance of the chalkboard.
- Mix half a cup of vinegar with four cups of warm water until dissolved, and dip a clean cloth into the bowl. Use a cloth to wipe the chalkboard. Wring out the cloth before wiping the blackboard to prevent water from dripping.
- It's a good idea to let the whiteboard aerated when it's finished wiping. You can just use water to wipe the whiteboard; vinegar will increase its cleaning power.
Method 3 of 3: Using Chemicals to Clean the Whiteboard
Step 1. Try water mixed with cleaning products
Sometimes, whiteboards need to be cleaned with a harder material. Especially if the whiteboard has ink, fingerprints, or crayon marks on it.
- Mix a cleaning product with water, such as a few drops of dish soap, and dampen a cloth with the solution to clean the whiteboard. Choose a non-abrasive, non-greasy cleanser. You can try cleaning the blackboard with just a cloth and water, but the chalk residue will leave gray marks when the board is dry.
- Wiping water on the blackboard will cause a phenomenon called ghosting, in which there are still streaks left even though you've cleaned the chalk dust on the board. Cleaning products will prevent this from happening.
- Use a squeegee to wipe the solution off the board after you've finished wiping.
Step 2. Purchase a commercial lime cleaner
There are commercial cleaners specifically designed for cleaning chalkboards. You can buy them at book and stationery stores.
- Some commercial cleaners are water-based, and some are pre-mixed. This product is available in a spray bottle.
- Spray the cleaning product onto a towel, and rub it on the whiteboard until it's clean. Other cleaning products are foam based. There are cleaning products that can damage the whiteboard if used repeatedly.
- Commercial cleaners are available in a variety of scents, such as min. The foam cleaner can prevent smudging because it doesn't drip on the surface of the board.
Step 3. Allow the whiteboard to dry completely
It's best if the board is just aerated, not heated.
- Make sure you leave the whiteboard long enough to dry completely before using it again.
- If you use chalk on a wet chalkboard, stubborn stains will remain on the board and will be very difficult to clean.
- After you clean the whiteboard, you can speed up the drying process by wiping the entire surface of the board with a soft, dry cloth.
Step 4. Clean the whiteboard wall
Some people have chalkboard walls that will look ugly if not cleaned properly.
- Try pouring a drop of soap into a bucket of water. Dip a clean cloth in the soapy water, and use it to wipe the whiteboard.
- Remove chalkboard paint with a regular eraser or a damp cloth. Chalkboard paint can be cleaned in the same way you clean chalk on a chalkboard.
- However, chalkboard paint is more difficult to clean. Try wiping the area with a damp cloth. When it's dry, apply more chalkboard paint.
Tips
- The vinegar reacts with the calcium in the lime dust.
- You can find disposable wipes, sprays, and special erasers at book and stationery stores to keep your whiteboard clean.
- Clean the whiteboard with an eraser and a clean dry cloth, daily if possible. If you use a stronger solution, the whiteboard will only need to be cleaned 1-2 times a week to remove any remaining chalk dust and grease from your hands.
- Glass cleaner, rubbing alcohol, and other cleaners are designed not to leave streaks and are perfect for whiteboards because they dry very quickly.
