Why do markers stain?
The ink in permanent markers is designed to penetrate cellulose (the main part of the cell walls of plants), effectively dyeing cotton fabrics or paper. The added color can be permanent—and it’s supposed to be. But, if something breaks up the ink, the right bleach product can remove the stain.
Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is very effective at breaking up ink, especially when it is formulated into a hand sanitizer gel. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer easily penetrates the weave or knit of a textile without evaporating too quickly and helps break up the ink stain so it’s easier for the appropriate bleach product to completely remove the stain.
Related articles
- How to Get Ink Stains Out of Clothes, After Drying or Fresh
Tips for removing permanent marker stains
If something breaks up a permanent marker stain, such as alcohol-based hand sanitizer, it’s easier for the right bleach product to remove the stain.
Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach should never be used full strength to treat a stain. Instead, use a bleach and water solution made with ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach added to ¾ cup water. Apply the bleach and water solution to the stain and then immediately machine wash the item using detergent and ⅓ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach.
Keep reading to learn more about removing difficult permanent marker stains.
Related products
- Clorox® Clorox 2® for Colors 3-in-1 Liquid
- Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach with CLOROMAX®
What you need
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Clear alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Clorox® Clorox 2® for Colors 3-in-1 Liquid
- Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach with CLOROMAX®
Steps to remove permanent marker from white bleach-safe fabrics
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1
Pre-treat with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Use enough to saturate the stain. This will start to break up the ink, and you will see the stain begin to lighten. Let the hand sanitizer gel stay on the ink stain for a few minutes before continuing.
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2
Pre-treat with bleach
Pretreat again by soaking the stain in a bleach and water solution made with ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach added to 1 gallon of water for 5 minutes.
Always avoid bleaching wool, silk, mohair, leather and spandex.
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3
Machine wash
Immediately wash the item per instructions on the care label with detergent and ⅓ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach.
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4
Air dry
Air dry and check to make sure stain removal was a success.
Steps to remove permanent marker from items with color or white items with spandex
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1
Pre-treat with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Use enough to saturate the stain. This will start to break up the ink, and you will see the stain begin to lighten. Let the hand sanitizer gel stay on the ink stain for a few minutes before continuing.
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2
Apply Liquid Clorox 2® for Colors to the stain
Use the cap to apply the Clorox 2® product directly to the stain and gently rub it in. Allow the Clorox 2® product to stay on your fabric for 10 minutes.
Tip
Do not let Clorox 2® dry out on the fabric. Use a timer to monitor the pretreating time.
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3
Machine wash
Wash the item in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and more Clorox 2® for Colors 3-in-1.
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4
Air dry
Air dry and check to make sure stain removal was a success.
Remember, it’s important to avoid bleaching clothing that contains spandex—and any items with wool, silk, mohair or leather. That’s why we recommend washing white items with spandex with Clorox 2®.
Steps to remove black felt tip pen ink from colored fabric
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1
Pre-treat with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Use enough to saturate the stain. This will start to break up the ink, and you will see the stain begin to lighten. Let the hand sanitizer gel stay on the ink stain for a few minutes before continuing.
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2
Apply Liquid Clorox 2® for Colors to the stain
Use the cap to apply the Clorox 2® product directly to the stain and gently rub it in. Allow the Clorox 2® product to stay on your fabric for 10 minutes.
Tip
Do not let Clorox 2® dry out on the fabric. Use a timer to monitor the pretreating time.
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3
Machine wash
Wash the item in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and more Clorox 2® for Colors 3-in-1.
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4
Air dry
Air dry and check to make sure stain removal was a success.
Steps to remove black felt tip pen ink from white items that don’t contain spandex
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1
Pre-treat with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Use enough to saturate the stain. This will start to break up the ink, and you will see the stain begin to lighten. Let the hand sanitizer gel stay on the ink stain for a few minutes before continuing.
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2
Pretreat with bleach
Pretreat again by soaking the stain in a bleach and water solution made with ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach added to 1 gallon of water for 5 minutes.
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3
Machine wash
Immediately wash the item in hot water with detergent and ⅓ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach.
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4
Air dry
Air dry and check to make sure stain removal was a success.
It’s important to note that ink from felt tip pens is very concentrated and commonly bleeds onto fabric. So, it may require you to repeat the treatment multiple times to get the stain out.
Steps to remove ballpoint pen ink from colored or white fabrics with spandex
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1
Pre-treat with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Use enough to saturate the stain. This will start to break up the ink, and you will see the stain begin to lighten. Let the hand sanitizer gel stay on the ink stain for a few minutes before continuing.
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2
Apply Liquid Clorox 2® for Colors to the stain
Use the cap to apply the Clorox 2® product directly to the stain and gently rub it in. Allow the Clorox 2® product to stay on your fabric for 10 minutes.
Tip
Do not let Clorox 2® dry out on the fabric. Use a timer to monitor the pretreating time.
-
3
Machine wash
Wash the item in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and more Clorox 2® for Colors 3-in-1.
-
4
Air dry
Air dry and check to make sure stain removal was a success.
- Can permanent marker be removed?
Permanent marker stains can be tough to remove from clothes, but it’s not impossible. The most effective method to remove permanent marker from clothes depends on the type of fabric and the type of marker used – and Clorox has you covered. By following the above instructions, you should be able to remove permanent marker from clothes with no problem.
- What are the do’s and don’ts for removing marker stains?
Do use alcohol-based products to break up ink before applying a bleach product. Do keep items out of a hot dryer until you know the stain is completely gone. Do repeat the pretreatment step if necessary. Don’t forget to pretreat a second time with the appropriate bleach product after pretreating with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- How do you get marker stains out of upholstery?
Permanent marker stains are very difficult to remove from soft surfaces like fabric, carpet and upholstery because of the nature of the ink—it’s supposed to be permanent.
But, if you can machine wash an item (sorry carpet and upholstery), and pretreat the stains with hand sanitizer before pretreating with the appropriate bleach product, the chance of removing the stains improves.
However, laundry products aren’t appropriate for use on carpet or upholstery because they require too much water for a thorough rinsing.- How do you remove marker stains from other surfaces, like a kitchen counter?
Clorox® Clean-Up® Cleaner + Bleach can remove marker stains from hard, bleach-safe, nonporous surfaces.
- How do you remove dried marker stains?
Markers are designed to dry quickly. So, stains, in general, are dry because of the nature of the staining material. The steps for removing permanent marker stains apply to both fresh and older stains.
- Can milk remove ink stains?
If you use milk to rinse a fresh ink stain, it may reduce the amount of stain you have to treat. But, the lactic acid in milk is not enough to break up the ink for complete removal. It’s better to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer to pretreat ink stains before using the appropriate bleach product to get the stain all the way out.
Check out this article to learn how to remove gel pen ink stains.
Frequently asked questions
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As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of stain removal techniques, I can confidently explain the concepts and evidence presented in the article on removing permanent marker stains.
The article discusses the science behind why markers stain and provides a comprehensive guide on how to remove such stains from various fabrics. Here's a breakdown of the concepts used:
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Ink Composition and Cellulose Penetration: The article explains that the ink in permanent markers is designed to penetrate cellulose, which is the main component of plant cell walls. This property allows the ink to effectively dye cotton fabrics or paper.
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Alcohol as an Ink Breaker: Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is highlighted as an effective substance for breaking up ink stains. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer, which contains ethanol, is particularly effective in penetrating the weave or knit of textiles without evaporating too quickly. This process helps break up the ink stain, making it easier for subsequent stain removal steps.
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Bleach as a Stain Remover: The article recommends using Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach to treat permanent marker stains. However, it emphasizes that the bleach should never be used full strength. Instead, a bleach and water solution is suggested, consisting of ¼ cup of bleach added to ¾ cup of water. This solution is applied to the stain before machine washing the item with detergent and additional bleach.
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Fabric and Color Considerations: Different fabrics and colors require specific treatments. For white bleach-safe fabrics, the process involves pre-treating with hand sanitizer, bleaching, machine washing, and air drying. For colored fabrics or white items with spandex, Liquid Clorox 2® for Colors is recommended along with a similar process of pre-treatment, machine washing, and air drying.
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Tips for Effective Stain Removal: The article provides tips such as not using bleach on wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex. It also advises against using Clorox 2® on fabrics that contain spandex. Additionally, the concentration of ink in felt tip pens is mentioned, requiring potential repeated treatments for successful stain removal.
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Frequently Asked Questions: The article addresses common questions, such as whether permanent marker stains can be removed, do's and don'ts for marker stain removal, and methods for removing marker stains from upholstery and other surfaces.
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Alternative Methods and Clarifications: The article briefly mentions using Clorox® Clean-Up® Cleaner + Bleach for hard, bleach-safe, nonporous surfaces. It also dispels the notion of using milk to remove ink stains, stating that milk may reduce the stain but is not sufficient for complete removal.
In summary, the article combines scientific explanations with practical, step-by-step instructions, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the chemistry behind permanent marker stains and effective methods for their removal.
