Should You Try TikTok's Hack For Removing Marker Stains From Stone Countertops?

Try as you might to keep your home in pristine condition, accidents can sometimes happen. If you've ever had to deal with a permanent marker stain on your stone countertop, you know what a nightmare it can be. Your once beautiful surface is now tarnished with a mark that is seemingly impossible to remove; if only there were a way to erase the marker stain and leave your countertop looking like new! Well, there may be such a hack, and you probably already have all of the materials on hand to give it a try — but you may want to think twice before you do.

TikTok user ken.c.long, who specializes in home DIY videos, posted a video showing how he uses hand sanitizer and a Magic Eraser to remove a Sharpie stain from a stone countertop. He begins with a generous squirt of hand sanitizer, ensuring that the marker stain is totally covered. Then, he literally erases the marker using a Magic Eraser. The user says that the alcohol in the sanitizer will "break down the Sharpie," while the Magic Eraser will remove the stain from the surface. In the video, the stain is erased with no discernible trace — however, there's a good chance that using a Magic Eraser on your countertop will damage its surface.

While it's undeniable that the hack shown in this video seems effective, you might want to pause before using this technique. Our TikTok user is right about one thing — the rubbing alcohol in hand sanitizer will, in fact, remove permanent marker stains. It is also safe to use on most stone countertops (be sure to do a quick search online to ensure safety if you have a specialty stone countertop) and is actually recommended as an effective germ killer. Where the video falls flat is in its recommendation to pair the power of hand sanitizer with a Magic Eraser. 

While they are generally viewed as a very gentle and soft sponge, Magic Erasers are actually quite abrasive and can damage certain surfaces. They might not directly harm the stone countertop itself, but many such countertops are finished with a sealant to protect the material underneath. This is why it's a big mistake to use Magic Erasers on marble or granite, as they can damage or even destroy this protective sealant — leaving you with a dull spot on your counter that is now extra susceptible to damage. If you're faced with a permanent marker stain on your countertop, using hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol should be entirely effective in removing it. Simply use a soft cloth or cotton ball to wipe the stain until every trace of it is gone. Leaving the Magic Eraser out of the equation can save you from a major headache.