All parents would love for their toddler to grow up to be the next Picasso or Jackson
Pollock; however, they don't want their walls and other surfaces to become the emerging artist's canvas. Giving a toddler a marker is a recipe for disaster as that ink is likely to end up on a variety of surfaces, including paper, carpet, clothing and your painted walls. There is no need to rush to the paint store for an emergency color match if this happens to you. There are quick and easy steps to take out marker stains from any surface, including painted walls.
The key to removing unwanted marker stains is to act fast once you discover your toddler's art project on your walls. Time is crucial to ensure the stain doesn't soak too deep into your surface. Grab rubbing alcohol from your cabinet, pour a large amount on a washcloth and begin to scrub. Some colors such as red may leave pigment behind after your first scrub through. Use an abrasive sponge soaked in water to get the remaining color off of the wall. You run a risk of scrubbing the paint color off of your wall along with the marker stain so scrub carefully to avoid this from happening.
Toddlers aren't just keen on writing on walls with markers. They have a tendency to mark up any surface within eyesight. You can take care of these marker stains with products found in your home.
Toothpaste: Toothpaste can be used on clothing that has been saturated with marker stains. Act fast and apply white paste-not gel-to the fresh stain. Aggressively work the stain between your fingers and rinse until the stain has been removed.
Hairspray: Apply hairspray to a marker stain on a hard surface and then wipe away with a paper towel. You will see a noticeable difference in the lightness of the stain. Repeat until the stain is gone.
Nail polish remover: The stuff you use to remove color from your nails is an excellent solution to removing unwanted marker stains from clothing, upholstery, and other fabrics. Simply dap a cotton washcloth into the nail polish remover and daub the stain repeatedly. Follow up with warm water and a small amount of dish detergent once the color starts to break up. This will remove the stain particles along with the nail polish remover.