Your child just drew on the wall with dry erase markers instead of the marker board. Don't panic! Here's the simple solution you need for Dry Erase Marker Removal!

When my son drew on his bedroom wall with dry erase markers, I thought it would never come off. Then I discovered this easy trick for dry erase marker removal. Let me show you how to get dry erase marker off walls in today's tutorial.

MUST PIN! Dry Erase Marker Removal - I know I'm going to need an easy way to get dry erase marker off walls sooner or later!

When C1, our four-year-old, started preschool this year, we wanted to create a little communication center in his bedroom where we could hang his school schedule, a monthly calendar and make notes of upcoming events.

We thought the large magnetic marker board we found at Costco would do the trick. The dry erase markers and eraser both had magnets built into them so they could be attached directly to the board whenever they're not in use. We knew having dry erase markers within reach of a four-year-old was very risky and in hindsight, not our best decision!

When we installed the dry erase marker board, we went over the rules with C1:

  1. Always put the lids back on the markers when you're not using them so they don't dry out.
  2. Keep the markers on the board so we don't lose them.
  3. NEVER EVER write on anything with the dry erase markers except for the marker board. If we find you're using them on walls, books or toys, we'll take them away. Despite the warnings, we knew it was only a matter of time before we'd have to figure out a solution for dry erase marker removal.

Sure enough, within the first six weeks, we found marker on the wall in C1's room. Thankfully, it was just a small green dry erase marker line about 4-5 inches long. It looked more like he'd gotten overly exuberant drawing on the board and accidentally went over the frame:

MUST PIN! Dry Erase Marker Removal - I know I'm going to need an easy way to get dry erase marker off walls sooner or later!

Easy Dry Erase Marker Removal from Walls

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What You Need:

  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Cotton balls or cotton swabs
  • A clean wet rag or wash cloth

Instructions:

  1. Put a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball.
    MUST PIN! Dry Erase Marker Removal - I know I'm going to need an easy way to get dry erase marker off walls sooner or later!
  2. Lightly wipe the rubbing alcohol over the dry erase marker lines on the wall. The dry erase marker will magically disappear.
  3. Wipe the wall with a clean wet rag or wash cloth to remove any residue from the rubbing alcohol.

It's that easy! When the incident first occurred, I tried rubbing the spot on the wall vigorously with a wet wash cloth. It didn't do anything. We were afraid we'd have to repaint the wall to cover the dry erase marker. Then I remembered how we used rubbing alcohol to remove pink highlighter out of fabric last winter and thought that might work. Sure enough, the dry erase marker was gone in an instant!

MUST PIN! I Dry Erase Marker Removal - know I'm going to need an easy way to get dry erase marker off walls sooner or later!

I only tried this technique on the light yellow walls in C1's bedroom. I don't know how it would work on darker walls. If you try it, comment below and let us know. I did notice a small amount of yellow paint came off on the cotton ball, but the wall looks as good as new.

Unfortunately, we found orange dry erase marker on the wall just a few days later. This time, I used a cotton swab rather than a cotton ball, so it didn't take as much paint off the wall when I removed the dry erase marker.

Meanwhile, after two strikes, we also removed all the dry erase markers out of C1's bedroom. Lesson learned: Don't let your 4-year-old use dry erase markers unsupervised.

Thankfully, it was only a few lines and dots on the wall. He didn't actually scribble or draw anything. He also didn't get any dry erase marker on himself or any toys or books. My Mom STILL holds it against me that I drew stick figures all over a brand new steel door with a permanent marker when I was around the same age. She said she knew I was the culprit because all the stick figures had square heads!

If this tip for Dry Erase Marker Removal worked for you, please share it with your friends or pin it for later:

MUST PIN! I Dry Erase Marker Removal - know I'm going to need an easy way to get dry erase marker off walls sooner or later!

You may also be interested in these other Cleaning Ideas on Ideas for the Home by Kenarry® –

  • Stain Removal: How to Remove Highlighter from Fabric
  • Spring Cleaning with Small Children: 5 Tips to Make It Fun
  • Homemade Antibacterial Cleaner with Just 3 Ingredients

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Dry erase marker cleaning questions

How do you get dry erase marker off the walls without rubbing alcohol?

There are a few other options you can try. Some people suggest using a product called Krud Kuter. Others say dry erase board cleaner works like magic! Just remember to spray the solution on a rack or cotton ball, not directly on the wall.

How do you get dry erase marker off clothes?

Apply some rubbing alcohol to the back of the cloth and dab with a paper towel. The towel should start absorbing the ink from the marker. If this doesn't work you can try Murphey's Oil soap instead.

How do you get dry erase marker out of carpet?

Mix a solution of 1/2 a cup Free & Clear All with enough water to make a paste. Rub that into the stain and let it sit. Begin adding more water and dab until the stain comes up.

Carrie is the chief writer, crafter and creator here at Ideas for the Home by Kenarry®. She's an optimist by nature and enjoys sharing recipes, trying new craft ideas, planning for parties and events as well as organizing and decorating. She and her husband, Kent live in Michigan. She also loves to hide away in a castle under the stairs reading to her two young boys and help guests plan vacations at Sunshine Villa at Glenbrook Resort, their short term vacation rental home in Orlando near Walt Disney World.

Whether you're cooking, crafting or creating for your family, follow Carrie on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get inspiring ideas for your home. For home organization tips and ideas, check out her other website, Clutter Keeper or follow her on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.