How to Remove Marker Stains From Fabric

Remove marker stains on fabric with rubbing alcohol.

Markers are used for poster boards, for-sale signs and highlighting texts. Children enjoy drawing with markers because of their bold colors. Unfortunately, stains occur when a marker is inadvertently swiped against a shirt or pants or when the marker accidentally drops from your hand. Cleaning marker stains from fabric is difficult, but with the right tools you may save the item from the trash can.

Things You'll Need

• White rag or paper towels
• Cotton balls
• Rubbing alcohol
• Stain remover
• Laundry detergent
• Chlorine bleach
• Water
• Bucket

Instructions

1. Blot the stain with a white rag or paper towel, making sure not to spread the stain further out in the fabric.

2. Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and dab it onto the stain. Start outside the marker stain and work inward. Continue blotting at the stain until you no longer see any transfer of the marker ink onto the cotton ball. You may need to use several cotton balls soaked in the rubbing alcohol.

3. Spray a stain remover onto the remainder of the marker stain. Allow the stain remover to sit on the fabric over night.

4. Spray more stain remover onto the stain before washing, and launder the fabric normally with regular laundry detergent.

5. Check the marker stain before placing the item in the dryer. If the stain remains, soak in a solution of bleach, but only if the fabric is white or if the care label on the fabric allows bleach treatment.

6. Mix one part chlorine bleach and four parts water in a clean bucket. Place the fabric into the bucket and leave for 30 minutes.

7. Remove the fabric and launder normally to remove all of the bleach solution from the material.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean marker stains as soon as you notice them. Allowing the stain to sit untreated makes it all the more difficult to remove.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Removing Marker Stains
• Ohio State University: Removing Stains