How to Get Permanent Marker Off Wood: 10 Methods

While it can seriously damage some surfaces, permanent marker can be removed from most wooden surfaces with a little bit of patience and elbow grease.

How do you get that Sharpie mark off wood? You probably already have most of these do-it-yourself treatments in your pantry or medicine cabinet.

When you remove permanent marker stains from a wood surface, be prepared to go through several rounds of very gentle cleaning with a clean, dry, cotton cloth. Always be sure to test your solution in a hidden spot—like the inside of a table leg or bottom, back corner of a desk—in case it damages your item's finish or surface.

Try one of these 10 at-home cleaning solutions to remove permanent marker stains from most wood surfaces.

How to Remove Permanent Marker From Wood

Rubbing Alcohol

Pour isopropyl alcohol onto a clean, dry, cotton cloth. Dab, don't rub, the spot with the cloth until the marker stain begins to lift. Finally, wipe away the residue with a slightly damp cloth and pat dry.

It may take a few rounds to completely remove the stain, but stop applying the alcohol if you notice a stain or discoloration on your cotton cloth. Do know that isopropyl dissolves varnish, so too many rounds will most likely damage the finish.

Nail Polish Remover

The acetone in nail polish remover can remove permanent marker stains from wood by dissolving them. Use a clean, dry cloth to lightly dab your stain with an acetone-based remover. Avoid rubbing the stain, as nail polish remover can damage wood finishes.

We highly recommend testing this method in an inconspicuous spot before really getting to work. This should not be used on painted wood furniture, since acetone dissolves paint.

Toothpaste With Baking Soda

Using toothpaste with baking soda in the ingredients, apply a small amount of the toothpaste to a cotton swap or makeup removal pad, and rub the stain lightly, moving in the direction of the wood grain. Wipe the residue away with a damp cloth. Repeat if necessary.

Hand Sanitizer Gel

Hand sanitizer gels contain mostly alcohol, so they can remove permanent marker stains from finished wood. Rub the hand sanitizer gel lightly with a soft cloth on the impacted area. Avoid using gels on bare, unfinished wood as they contain glycerine as an emollient, which can stain and darken unfinished bare wood.

Hairspray

Hairspray gets rid of permanent marker because it contains alcohol; however, alcohol dissolves varnish and lacquer, so this solution should be reserved for painted wood.

Simply spray the stain with a little bit of hairspray and wipe the residue away with a cloth. The stain should begin to lift immediately.

Magic Eraser

Magic erasers work because of the melamine foam they contain. Whatever the product brand, melamine foam can be used to remove spots from finished wood surfaces. Stick to very gentle spot treatments, as rubbing the surface too hard can lift the finish and damage the wood.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a must-have ingredient in tons of homemade householder cleaners, but it can be an effective stain remover, too. Create a paste with baking soda and water, and gently rub it into your marker stain using circular motions.

Dry-Erase Markers

If your wood surface is painted or stained with an opaque stain, try drawing over the stain with a dry-erase marker and then wipe the markings away. It seems counterintuitive but often works on finished surfaces. Just don't try this trick on unfinished surfaces.

Vodka

Skip flavored variations and opt for plain vodka only—the sugars in flavored vodkas can make your stain worse. Like the rubbing alcohol method, soak a clean, dry, cotton cloth in vodka and then lightly dab the marker stain. You should start to notice the marker lifting from the wood surface onto your cloth.

Fine-Grit Sandpaper

You can use fine-grit sandpaper to remove permanent marker stains from unfinished (not finished) wood or lumber. Sand the affected area with a fine-grit paper to gently remove a few (minor) layers of the wood's surface, and lighten the stain. Don't sand too aggressively in one area because you risk wearing a spot into the wood's surface. Opt for larger, broad strokes instead.

What to Avoid When Cleaning Wood

There are several often-tried methods for removing indelible marker stains that should be avoided:

• Don’t rub or scrub: Avoid rubbing or scrubbing the stain, especially with an abrasive sponge, brush, or cloth—this can remove the wood's finish or damage its surface.
• Don't use sandpaper on varnished wood. A light sanding can sometimes work with unfinished wood, but you will damage painted, varnished, or lacquered surfaces with abrasive sandpaper. However, areas worn down by sandpaper can usually be repainted or revarnished to restore the smooth surface coat.
• Don't use gel toothpaste. Standard toothpaste contains a very fine abrasive that helps remove marker stains, but gel toothpaste lacks this advantage and will do nothing but smear the wood.
• Don't scrub with a traditional cleanser and a brush, abrasive pad, or even a sponge. Indelible, permanent markers won't be touched by this treatment, but you might damage the surface or create even worse water stains.
• Don't use mineral spirits or paint thinner. Many home workshops have a can of mineral spirits or paint thinner (which is mostly mineral spirits) on the shelf for cleaning paintbrushes and oily stains, but this liquid is not very useful for cleaning alcohol-based stains such as those caused by permanent markers. Worse, mineral spirits can dissolve oil-based varnishes and paints, leaving you with a sticky mess when all you hoped for was stain removal.
  

When to Call a Professional

It is possible to save wood surfaces from marker stains, but if you're dealing with a particularly tough permanent marker stain and the above techniques just don't cut it, leave it to the professionals and contact a woodworker or furniture restoration service in your area.

Also, if your piece of furniture is an antique or especially valuable, you may want to call a professional before trying these at-home methods.