A 3 year old, a marker, and a cherished heirloom don't mix well at all. I am in tears. How do I remove permanent marker from my deceased grandmother's fabric living room chair? It is a formal living room chair. It is black marker.
Same thing happened to me: 2 year old with a black sharpie to the sectional. We got Fragra-matics Dri-Foaming Spot Remover from Fragra-Matics Manufacturing, Inc. Pine Bluff Arkansas. 501-535-5777. I think it was around $20 but well worth it - all traces came out after blotting at it every day for about 2 weeks. Fabric wasn't lightened or damaged that we could tell. Good luck!
You might try this on a dime sized spot. Get some old rags to hold underneath the area you are testing and to blot with. Go to Walmarts and get the 91 percent rubbing alcohol. .Pour a bit into a small dish and dip a cotton ball into the alcohol until it's wet but just short of dripping. Press into a small spot on the fabric, wait 1 minute or less if it starts to run, and blot. Repeat and see if it starts to come out.
Last month I realized I'd used a permanent marker on my dry erase board and removed it with rubbing alcohol. I just happen to have the super strength, regular is 70 per cent, and I think the extra alcohol helps.
If you have gin or vodka around, just use that. Even better.
Login using the form on the top of the page to post feedback (if you are a registered user). If you have not yet registered, click here to do so. It's FREE!.
Archives:
Request: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
Archived on 10/05/2009
How do I get permanent marker out of a car's upholstery?
Meagan from Gadsden, AL
Feedback:
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
My son did the same thing, and 409 got it out for me. Just spray and blot. (10/29/2007)
I tried a bunch of different things, first dawn liquid dish soap, spray -n- wash, gel shout, and then read about hair spray, I used Suave. It looks like it might be a little lighter after using the hair spray but will have to let it dry and see in the morning. Oh, my couch is tan microfiber. I'll post in the morning. (12/08/2007)
By Michelle
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
I came back to say that after using the hair spray, it did come out most of the way. It is still faintly there. (12/11/2007)
By MIchelle
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
I had the same problem, my daughter got pen on our leather couch. Nail polish remover worked wonders, and now my 4 year old son had fun with a green permanent marker, on my fridge, pantry doors, and living room furniture. I'm gonna try hairspray now. I've tried toothpaste, and that only worked on the wood part, so we'll see. (02/02/2008)
By relieved!
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
I just wanted to say thank you so much for posting this. My daughter got black permanent marker on my microfiber sofa sectional. I just used "Rave" hairspray, blotted it up, sprayed again, got a wet towel and blotted it again, and it is COMPLETELY gone. You are all life savers. Thank you! (05/28/2008)
By Andrea
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
Just been shown a really good way of removing it. Paint over it with white board marker, then use a wet wipe to rub off. It all came off first time! I am amazed. (01/19/2009)
By Eileen S.
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
I used hair spray and fingernail polish remover both on a tan microfiber couch (blue ink) and it came out real great! (01/31/2009)
I don't know about upholstery but alcohol will remove marker from firm objects. (08/28/2007)
By Pat
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
Simple Green full strength: then steam clean with clear water to remove residue. Worked remarkably.. no pun intended (09/23/2007)
By Suz
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
My 2 1/2 yr old daughter got a hold of a black permanent marker and "decorated" our tan sofa. I was ill about it because we had only had it about 6 months. I tried several things unsuccessfully and then tried '2 part Resolve Carpet Cleaner' without using my carpet cleaner. After squeezing it on, we scrubbed it with a scrub brush and it came out completely.
(10/21/2007) (10/21/2007)
By marybeth
RE: Permanent Marker on Upholstery
So my son is two years old. I'm over at my boyfriends house and my son got marker on his microfiber sectional. It was about 1 long and 1/2 wide area. I tried hair spray, Oxy Clean, Dawn dish washing soap and warm water, upholstery cleaner and tooth brush, oh yeah and elbow grease. It seems to be working but I'm having a steamer cleaner professional come and clean just to make sure it doesn't set in. Anything else I can try? Embarrassed. Somer (10/25/2007)
How can my daughter remove permanent orange marker from her beige couch?
Mary from Sterling Heights MI
Answers:
RE: Permanent Marker On Furniture Upholstery
I know that hairspray gets permanent marker off of other things. I would try that. (03/19/2007)
By Molissa
RE: Permanent Marker On Furniture Upholstery
Hairspray removed permanent marker from my leather furniture. Thanks for saving my couch! (07/10/2007)
By Gabi
RE: Permanent Marker On Furniture Upholstery
You haven't said whether it is fabric, suede, leather. I get pen ink off my beige leather couch with a product from the car parts store called Mother's leather cleaner. If it's fabric I would try something like hand cleaner--the kind that they use to clean greasy hands. And then shampoo or dab all the soap and water out. (07/10/2007)
I used Suave alcohol based hairspray to get black marker out of my tan microfiber couch and it seems to have worked, however when I was scrubbing some of the dye used on the upholstery came off on my rag. I'll know in the morning if the damage is permanent when the whole thing has dried. (08/15/2007)
