You and I both know that removing permanent marker is a real pain in the butt when you get it on your clothes! Before I knew the following tips I used to throw away marker stained, but otherwise perfectly-good, pants and shirts! So wasteful; but enough about my old clothes….

…Here’s what you need to do…

Don’t just drop your clothing in the washing machine and especially don’t dry it. This can set in the stain and it will never come out.

The first thing you should do is dab at the stain with a clean paper towel. Never rub the stain as this will smear and grind it in the fabric making the situation even worse!


The next step would be to apply a commercial fabric cleaning product to the stained area. My personal favorite for removing permanent marker and other stains is called ‘Spray n’ Wash’ and I’ve had incredible results with this product. You should be able to pick it up at Wal-Mart or local grocery store. As far as I’m concerned this is always my option number one. I’ve tried it on a number of different types of fabrics and it has worked amazingly well for me.

But what if you don’t have Spray n' Wash!

Don’t sweat… you can try one of the following methods, but before you do, keep in mind that removing permanent marker isn’t easy…

…so let’s get medieval on those stains, by bringing out the home-remedy big-guns: nail polish remover, toothpaste and WD-40! I know this is starting to sound over-the-top, but stick with me here – your favorite pants are in a life or death situation after all!

Use nail polish remover, toothpaste or WD-40 and apply a little bit directly to the stain area and blot it away with a clean paper towel until the stain comes out.

I wish you and your clothes the best, and remember the next time that you’re drawing with Sharpie Markers or other kinds of permanent markers to be extra careful!

Try and remember to put something under your drawing paper, like newspaper, or a drawing board. This should keep the marker ink that bleeds through the drawing paper off of your clothes.

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