Getting Surgical Marker Pen off wall

pollyanna24

My 3 year old decided while I was cooking yesterday to grab one of these pens (my dad works in a hospital and somehow one ended up in my house) and draw lines in the hallway, up the stairs, on the landing and on various bits of furniture in her room.


Needless to say I flipped out a little bit, but is there a way to get it off the wall? Supposed to be decorating later in the year, but think the pen might show through any paint I put on the wall.

Emm-in-a-pickle

I suggest ask your dad to make `discreet` enquiries at work!
If it`s the stuff they use to mark patients` skin, that does eventually wash off skin with soap & water, so it shouldn`t be impossible to shift off a wall, I would think.

sillysid

no idea if it will work but I got substantial amount of ink off clothes using hairspray, doesn't quite remove it but did fade to barely noticable, and this was after washing and I scrubbing with usual stain removers.

Willowpop

I think I would try baby wipes and one of them magic eraser sponges.

mumofthetwins

Not sure if its any good but I work in a lab and the only thing that removes the pens we use is ethanol ... but sometimes even this doesnt work ...

can you remember what make colour the paint on the wall is ? I always buy a couple of tester pots of my paint too use for touch ups ... could help if all else fails

lisa x

meritaten

Magic sponge - if it removes ProMarker pen ink, crayon, felt pen, scuff marks from trainers and biro - I am pretty sure it will remove surgical marker.
Don't buy the dear one - pound shops do a very good version and so do Aldi.

booter

I second sillysid's suggestion of hairspray (oooh, alliteration!!) But if that doesn't work, then it'd be worth trying nail varnish remover. The only thing I would add is it to dab and blot, not rub or wipe (chances are you'll spread it) and bear in mind that if the walls are painted with emulsion, you'll probably remove some of this too HTH

trailingspouse

I use this technique to shift permanent marker off of dry-wipe boards. It's like a magic trick!!

Draw over the top of the permanent marker with 'real' dry-wipe marker pen, then immediately wipe it off. It comes off very easily. Whether it will work for you will depend on the surface it's on, but it might work on painted/shiny surfaces.