These erase markers contain release agents and pigments which get trapped in your clothes’ fiber once the tiny components come into close contact with clothing. However, all is not lost. We’ll take you through some cleaning hacks of how to get dry erase marker out of clothes. Read on for some interesting insights that will come in quite handy, especially if you happen to work in a school or if you have young children. Here’s everything you need to know about these nasty stains and how to deal with them so easily.
What will you need?
• Washcloths
• Towels
• Laundry Detergent
• Clean Water
• An old toothbrush
• Vinegar
• Hand wash
• Carpet/ Hair Spray
• Murphy’s Oil Soap
Once you gather all your ‘tools of work’, getting the task done will be a walk in the park. Stay with us as we take you through some highly effective methods of dealing with the dry erase markers stain nuisance once and for all.
Method 1: Using White Vinegar and Rubbing Alcohol
Get a clean, and highly absorbent towel then spread it on a flat and spacious surface. Place the stained piece of cloth on the towel.
Using rubbing alcohol, dab the stain patiently using a clean piece of cloth or sponge. For better results, be sure to use careful blotting motions as rubbing the stain roughly may cause the stain to spread further. Exercise some patience as you will need to do this over and over again until the stain fades away.
Fill up a clean sink or basin with some water and pour in a cup or so of white vinegar. Use your hands or a spoon to mix it up until you are confident that it is well-mixed. Place the clothing in the mixture to soak for fifteen to twenty minutes. By this time, the stain should be a thing of the past.
The last step in this method entails washing the garment in the laundry normally. This helps in the removal of the rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.
Method 2: Using the well-reputed Murphy’s Oil
Place an absorbent piece of cloth or towel under the stained fabric and ensure that you are working on a flat surface, for instance, a counter. Seeing as the absorbent towel or any other option you choose is bound to get the stains, it would be best to go for an option you do not mind losing. The towel should be thick enough to absorb and retain all that excess moisture.
Dip an old toothbrush, or an extra unused one if you have in Murphy’s Oil, and make sure that it gets fully saturated in the oil. For even better results, work with a wet toothbrush.
The next step will require you to rub out the stain by way of slightly scrubbing it off using the toothbrush. Add in Murphy’s Oil as it is necessary while you adjust the towel underneath so it can absorb any excess liquid. Keep rubbing the stain until suds show, and the stain is mostly faded.
Use clean water and dishwashing soap to remove any remaining stains. Douse a sponge or rug in clean water with mild dishwashing liquid and rub it over the stain until it disappears completely. Rinse your piece of fabric with some clean water. You can even soak it for a couple of minutes just to be thorough and in order to remove the dish soap and Murphy’s Oil.
Once the stain is gone, you can go right ahead and launder your cloth as usual. When you take the garment from the wash, it should be as good as new!
Method 3: It is Time for a Quality Wash
Check if the manufacturer’s label is still in place. If so, read all the instructions before heading to the laundry room. Some garments, for instance, should only be washed with cold water. Check for any specific instructions before proceeding to launder; you do not want to make matters any worse.
A spot test is paramount before proceeding to wash your fabric. Different fabric reacts differently to different compounds. Whichever method you choose, make sure that it works with the fabric you want to use it on. You only need to place a tiny drop of the cleaning agent on a small patch of the material and let it settle for approximately one hour. If there are no traces of discoloration or any other damage, then you are good to go.
If necessary, you will be required to repeat the process, especially if you get undesired results. Sometimes, dry erase marker stains are so stubborn, and both methods above fail to work. Don’t give up just yet; all you need is some more patience, especially at this quality-wash stage.