How to Remove Crayon or Marker From Wood

Most people love their children more than anything in the world, but that doesn't make the job of parenting any easier. Children can usually find something to do that will make their parents' lives a little more difficult. Drawing on wood in the house with crayons or markers, for instance, leaves many parents wondering how to remove the stains. Luckily, using one of many different common household products, you can have the marker or crayon stains gone in no time, and get back to the aspects of parenting you enjoy.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth
• Sponge
• 1 tbsp. baking soda OR
• Mayonnaise OR
• Vinegar OR
• Toothpaste OR
• Baby oil

Instructions

1. Dump 1 tbsp. of baking soda into a small cup. Slowly add water. You do not want the final mixture to be too watery. Add just enough water, while stirring, to make a semi-gritty paste. If you accidentally add too much water, put a little more baking soda into the cup. Rub the paste onto the crayon or marker stain. Wait 2 to 5 minutes, then wipe away with a damp sponge. The texture of the mixture should take care of any marks that penetrated into the wood as well.

2. Use mayonnaise instead of the water/baking soda mixture if mayo is more handy. For this method, scoop out a spoonful of mayonnaise and rub it onto the crayon or marker stain. Allow the mayonnaise to sit on the stain for 5 minutes, then wipe it off. Repeat if necessary.

3. If vinegar is more readily available than baking soda or mayonnaise, take a clean, dry cloth and pour some vinegar onto it. You do not need to dampen the whole cloth--only a spot big enough to wipe the crayon/marker stain. Once you've wet the cloth with vinegar, start rubbing the stain. Continue rubbing until the stain is completely gone.

4. Use toothpaste on the stain if none of the above materials are available. Simply rub the toothpaste onto the stain. The cheap, gritty toothpaste works wonders because of its texture, which helps wear down the wax from crayons.

5. Use baby oil if all of the above ingredients are inaccessible. Dampen a dry cloth with baby oil and rub it on the crayon/marker stain in a circular motion. If the mark doesn't start to come off of the wood within a matter of moments, add some more baby oil to the cloth and continue rubbing until the mark is completely gone.

Tips & Warnings

• Mayonnaise can also be used to remove the sticky leftovers from stickers that children have placed on furniture or appliances.

• One to 2 cups of baking soda can also be added to laundry water if you are attempting to wash crayon marks off couch cushions.