How to Get Dry Erase Marker Out of Clothing

Co-authored by Kamel Almani

Last Updated: November 3, 2022 References

If you have young children or work in a school, dry erase marker may occasionally stain your clothing. It's fairly easy to remove dry erase marker with the right supplies. You can use Murphy's Oil to remove dry erase marker. You can also use a combination of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Make sure to test your cleaning material on a small patch of the fabric first to make sure it will not stain the fabric.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Murphy's Oil

1
Place an absorbent towel under the fabric. The towel you use will probably get stained, so choose an old towel you do not mind damaging. Place the towel underneath the fabric you're cleaning on a flat surface, like a counter. Make sure the towel is thick enough to absorb excess moisture.^{[1]
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2
Dip a toothbrush in Murphy's oil. If you have an extra unused toothbrush, use this. You can also purchase a cheap toothbrush at a drug store. Get the toothbrush completely saturated in Murphy's oil. This method works best with a very wet toothbrush.^{[2]
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3
Rub out the stain. Rub the toothbrush into the stain, adding new Murphy's oil as necessary. Move the towel underneath as needed to absorb excess liquid. Rub the stain until suds appear and then keep rubbing until the stain is mostly faded.^{[3]
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4
Remove the remaining stain with dishwashing soap. Take a rag or sponge and douse it in some water and mild dishwashing soap. Rub the rag or sponge over the stain until it comes out completely.^{[4]
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5
Rinse the clothing with clean water. Take a clean sponge and saturate it with clean water. Rub the sponge into the clothing to remove the Murphy's oil and dish soap.^{[5]
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- Keep rubbing the sponge on the fabric until the water from the sponge runs clear.
6
Place the clothing in the laundry machine. Once the stain is removed and you've rinsed out the garment, you can launder the garment as you usually would. When it comes out of the wash, the stain should be completely gone.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using White Vinegar and Rubbing Alcohol

1
Place the stained clothing on top of a towel. Get a clean absorbent towel. Lay it down on a flat surface. Place the stained clothing over the towel.^{[7]
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2
Dab the stain with rubbing alcohol. Dab a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a clean sponge. Then, dab the sponge on the stain. Use gentle blotting motions. Rubbing the stain could cause it to smear. Blot at the stain until it has faded.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Kamel Almani
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Expert Interview. 9 April 2021.}^{[9]
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3
Fill a sink with water and vinegar. Use warm water to fill the sink. Then, add a cup of white vinegar. Mix it into the water using your hands or a spoon.
4
Soak the clothing. Place the garment in the sink. You should leave the garment in the sink for about 15 minutes. After this point, the stain should be gone.
5
Wash the clothing in the laundry as usual. Once the stain is gone, you can wash the garment in the laundry as usual.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Kamel Almani
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Expert Interview. 9 April 2021.} This should remove the vinegar and rubbing alcohol.
- Make sure to wring the garment out when removing it from the sink. This will prevent excess water from spilling on your floor.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Providing a Quality Wash

1
Check the label for cleaning instructions. If a garment still has a manufacturer's label in place, make sure to read this before doing laundry. You want to make sure there are no specific cleaning instructions. For example, some garments should only be washed in cold water.^{[11]
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2
Repeat the process if necessary. If the stain does not come out the first time using either method, try again. Sometimes, dry erase stains can be difficult to remove. It may take two attempts to remove the stain.
3
Do a spot test first. Some clothing may react poorly to Murphy's oil, rubbing alcohol, or white vinegar. Test the cleaning product you're using on a small patch of the clothing and wait about an hour. If the patch of clothing does not appear discolored or damaged, it is safe to use that substance to remove the stain.^{[12]
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Community Q&A

Question

What if the dry erase marker stain has been there for months?

Ruah

Community Answer

It might be a little tougher to remove if it's been there for awhile. Just use the same procedure as you would otherwise, and it should eventually come out.
Question

Is a whiteboard marker the same as a dry erase marker?

Community Answer

Yes, these are the same. A dry erase marker is often used to write or draw on whiteboards.