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How to Remove Marker From Unfinished Wood

Diana Braun

Markers are often the choice of writing utensil when a permanent message or depiction wants to be left. School projects and arts and crafts are often created on the use of a kitchen table. While care is taken to prevent the marker from reaching the surface of the table, accidents do happen.

Marker can quickly penetrate the porous surface of an unfinished wood table. You can use a few common household items to remove marker and ink stains from unfinished wood.

Tip

Test a small area of the unfinished wood with the hairspray to ensure no damage is done to the surface.

  1. Moisten a paper towel with non-oily liquid hairspray.

  2. Rub the marker stain with the moistened paper towel. The hairspray will cause the ink in the stain to lift and absorb into the paper towel.

  3. Reapply the hairspray to a new paper towel and continue to rub the marker stain out.

  4. Sand the marker stain out by rubbing over the area with fine-grit sandpaper.

  5. Apply a wood stain to prevent further substances from penetrating the surface of the material.

The Drip Cap

  • Markers are often the choice of writing utensil when a permanent message or depiction wants to be left.
  • The hairspray will cause the ink in the stain to lift and absorb into the paper towel.
  • Reapply the hairspray to a new paper towel and continue to rub the marker stain out.