Permanent Marker Is No Match For A Staple In Your Manicure Set

If you're the type of parent that thinks ahead and you've designated one wall of your kids' room as the official spot for all their drawings, then we congratulate you. This would let them get all the scribbling out of their system with crayons, spray paint, permanent markers, lipstick, and eyeliner and allow you to simply repaint the room later on. That's a fun dream, but even if you have such a designated wall, your child still might grab a permanent marker and start drawing on your white sweater, drinking glass, or sofa. While you can't paint over these items, we do have some good news. You can easily remove a permanent marker stain with some nail polish remover.

Somehow, even people who don't regularly paint their nails seem to have a spare bottle of nail polish remover either in their manicure kit or under the bathroom sink. If you don't have it in stock but you do have little kids (or expressive friends), now's the time to invest. One bottle will last a long time and can be used for a variety of other cleaning tasks around the home. For instance, nail polish remover will come in handy for removing super glue as well.

Here's what you'll need: a cotton swab, cotton ball, or small cloth and nail polish remover that contains acetone. You'll also potentially need to do some quick washing up depending on what type of surface has been marked. If you're working with a non-absorbent surface like glass or metal, dip your cloth or cotton swab in nail polish remover and lift the stain. Wash the item with water and dishwashing liquid to get rid of the chemical. You can moisten a sponge with water and cleaner if you can't take the item to the sink.

If the permanent marker is on fabric, moisten a cotton ball with acetone and press it directly onto the stain. Use multiple cotton balls until the mark is gone. Immediately rinse the fabric with water and wash in the washing machine, if possible. When using acetone, make sure you have good ventilation, and if not, consider wearing a face mask. Shoo the kids and pets away from the area to keep them safe. Also make sure to correctly dispose of the nail polish remover once the permanent marker is removed.