How to Remove Chalk from a Permapine Cubby House

Chalk is relatively easy to remove from wood, although the easiest method, power washing, isn’t the most practical choice for the inside of a wooden play house. If you’ve finished the wood with paint or a clear coat, plain or soapy water and a sponge or scrub brush will do the job. When dealing with unfinished wood, however, extra cleaning power may be needed. The following steps should provide excellent results.

• Bucket
• Warm water
• Ammonia
• White vinegar
• Scrub brush
• Clean dry towels
• Rubber gloves
• Eye protection

1. Use a dry cloth or towel to wipe as much of the chalk from the surface as possible before cleaning with any liquid. This will prevent the dust/chalk that is loose on the surface from becoming “muddy” and add to your cleaning task. Combine 1 gallon of warm water, 1 cup of ammonia, and ½ cup of white vinegar in the bucket.  Make sure you wear protective eyewear and gloves when working with ammonia. Open the windows to allow proper ventilation. Ammonia fumes can be strong and irritating to the skin and eyes.
2. Stir the solution with the scrub brush.
3. Apply the solution to the wall with the scrub brush. You may want to clean the entire wall, including unaffected areas, to avoid patchy “clean spots.”
4. Scrub wet wood gently with the brush.
5. Rinse with clean water.
6. Dry the wood as soon as possible with clean dry towels.

• The cleaning solution should not fade or otherwise affect the wood, but you should still test in a hidden area first.
• If stubborn marks remain, use a fine grit sandpaper to coax them out of the wood.