If you accidentally pick up a permanent marker while writing on a white board - a whiteboard with a glossy melamine surface that is usually white - you need not worry! There are some quick and easy ways that will allow you to remove the permanent ink with little or no damage to your board.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Using a Non-permanent Marker
Step 1. Use a dry-erase marker to draw/write on the permanent ink
Cover the permanent ink stain as much as you can, and make sure that your non-permanent marker isn't dry and still has enough ink in it.
You can use any color non-permanent marker
Step 2. Clean the ink by wiping the board eraser or a clean soft cloth
Both permanent ink and non-permanent ink will be erased easily. This can happen because permanent ink and non-permanent ink contain non-polar solvents. The solvent in the non-permanent ink will dissolve the permanent ink, releasing it from the surface of the white board.
Step 3. Repeat the process if the entire surface of the board has not been free from stains
You may need multiple attempts to clean the ink stain thoroughly. You may want to try a waterless washing solution, but they contain similar, sometimes lower quality, solvents such as non-permanent inks, so they are actually relatively more effective.
Method 2 of 2: Using Common Household Ingredients
Step 1. Pour a small amount of hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover without acetone onto a soft cloth or paper towel
Do not use any type of cleaner that is abrasive, such as bleach or an ingredient containing fine sand/gravel, as this will damage the surface of the board and leave a permanent stain.
- Clean the permanent ink with a damp cloth.
- Wipe the surface of the board with a damp cloth to remove any residual solvent. Otherwise, the residual solvent may block the non-permanent ink (to stick) when you try to use it to write on the board.
- Dry the white board thoroughly before returning to use.
Step 2. Use a pencil eraser and rub the ink stain well
Do this only if the other methods don't work, as rubbing the whiteboard with a pencil eraser has the potential to damage the surface.
