Even when proper markers are used, when they sit on the whiteboard surface for an extended amount of time, they can be difficult to remove. Rumkin.com has done research with a variety of cleaning products. These top picks will get your whiteboard clean, sparkling and ready for use.
Table of Contents:
You Will Need:
- Cleaning product (choose one)
- Acetone
- Isopropyl alcohol
- MB 10W whiteboard cleaner
- Nail polish remover
- Greased Lightning
- Soft cloths
Steps to Clean the Whiteboard:
- Select a cleaning product from the list above.
- If the product causes fumes, open the windows and ensure the area is well-ventilated.
- Apply the cleaning product using a soft cloth. Do not use abrasive cleaners or scrubbers as they can damage the surface.
- Rub the ink with the soft cloth until it is clean.
Additional Tips and Advice
- The longer ink sits on a whiteboard, the more likely it is to stain.
- Some inks are easier to remove than others.
- The products above can be substituted for other products containing the active ingredient. For example, many hairsprays have a high alcohol content and will also remove ink from the surface.
- For tough areas, the Magic Eraser is effective in removing ink and staining. However, use it sparingly as it can remove some of the protective surface.
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Take a Coconut Soap, wet it, and with a soft cotton fabric, rub over the board till it is clean!
After that, spread some furniture polish over the board to preserve it clean longer.
Dry erase boards are nice, but a real pain to get clean sometimes.
Just get a dab of creamy peanut butter on a dry paper towel, and smear it around. The take another dry paper towel or two, and start wiping it off. You will be amazed how much ink you get off. Even ink that you cant really even see, it pulls it right off!
To remove dried dry erase markings on a dry erase board (that won’t just wipe off freely), simply write over it with a newer dry erase marker. The wetness from the new markings will help free up the dried markings.
Isopropyl (Rubbing) alcohol removes both dry erase and permanent marker ink.
Spray water on it and then just wipe it off with a paper towel.
I purchased a special white board spray bottle cleaner especially for white boards and it works great!
Barbie
409 works like a charm, just spray and wipe off.
Windex and paper towels will make a whiteboard like new. If you need to remove permanent marker, write over the permanent marker with a dry erase marker and then erase both. Works every time.
What is the board has been damaged from harsh cleaning chemicals?
How do you clean a whiteboard that has been damaged from the use of harsh cleaning chemicals and it no longer cleans easily?
White Board no longer holds the marker
My white board may be too clean. Have used various cleaning supplies – 409, Windex, etc., and now when I write on it, within a few seconds the words start to vanish- it’s as if the board repels the marker and the marks just bead up and go away. Is there anything I can do to refinish the board or apply something that will allow the white board to accept the markers again?
Peanut Butter Works
My white board was in pretty bad shape. I laughed out loud when I read… smear it with peanut butter. I laugh even louder when it worked. How in the world did you come up with peanut butter? Did your kid smear your white board with it? In any event, Ta.
PB No Go :(
Isopropyl Alcohol was the only suggestion that worked on my Board.
To the peanut butter lady: Works great, uses very little. My white board is like new. Rub the P butter then wipe off with wet wash cloth and spray with furniture polished and wipe dry with paper towel. Took me 3 minutes… Awesome, thank you!
I heart you, Peanut Butter Lady!
Great suggestion — worked like a charm, and I didn’t have to worry about stripping the white board of its shiny protective finish.
Whiteboard cleaning
I tried water with no success. Rubbing alcohol did the trick! : )
Peanut Butter!
The peanut butter worked great! Then I sprayed a little Old English furniture polish on, and the white board is as clean as new. I wrote on it too, and it’s perfect.
A toothbrush and tooth paste or soap got sharpie off of my white board and it looks cleaner than when I got it.
WD-40
Saw this on another site and figured, why not? Well it worked like a charm and restored the whiteboard’s ability to repel phantom writing! Hooray for WD-40!
Peanut Butter
Thanks. The peanut butter worked great!!
Non-abrasive powder
the pumice (moon dust) that BonAmi uses does NOT appear to damage my board and I’ve used it more than a half dozen times.
Avoid all others, as they all use very harsh abrasives that will dull the board and leave permanent marks the first time you write over the surface you’ve marred.
Peanut butter to the rescue
After trying everything in the book, my son (a teacher) standing there went to Google and read about peanut butter. Fabulous. With very little elbow grease I now have a clean white board that I thought I might have to throw away. Thanks!!!!
Also, be sure to clean your dry ERASER with hot, soapy water ( rinse very thoroughly) and leave it to dry overnight. That way you don’t smear its dirt all over your newly cleaned board.