Ways to Remove Permanent Marker from Finished Wood Surfaces

Permanent markers are wonderful for marking belongings and other items you want to put your permanent mark upon, but unfortunately permanent markers sometimes come in contact with surfaces they should never touch. I have a friend who came home to find permanent red marker on her wood kitchen cabinets, and she thought it would never come off, but the marker came off quickly and easily using the first method on the following list. Try whichever method you think will work best for your finished wood, and hopefully you’ll achieve success.

Precautionary Statement

The alcohol in antibacterial hand sanitizer will remove the finish on some wood surfaces. Antibacterial hand sanitizer works well to remove permanent marker on many finished wood surfaces, but not on others. If the finished wood has a thick coating of varnish, and if the stains haven’t penetrated the surface, try one of the other easy methods that are safer options before trying hand sanitizer. Use commonsense, and when in doubt, mark an inconspicuous area with the offending permanent marker to see if your product of choice will work well without removing the finish or causing damage before using it on visible areas of the finished wood.

Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer

Apply antibacterial gel hand sanitizer to a soft dry rag, and apply it with a fingertip to the permanent marker stains. Avoid applying it to any areas of the finished wood not covered in permanent marker. Allow it to soak in for a few seconds and wipe away with a clean dry cloth. Follow up by polishing the finished wood with orange or lemon oil.

Cooking Oil

If the finished wood has an adequate coating of varnish you can try rubbing off the stains with a dab of cooking oil. Place a clean soft rag over your fingertip and gently rub cooking oil of any variety onto the stains. Allow it to soak in for several seconds, and briskly rub the marks. If the permanent marker hasn’t soaked beneath the surface of the varnish, this method should work.

WD-40

One of the most versatile household products is WD-40, and it works much in the same was as cooking oil to remove permanent marker stains from finished wood. Using the method above, give WD-40 a try. Once again, if the permanent marker hasn’t penetrated the surface of the vanish, the stains should rub right off.

Goo Gone

One of my favorite household products is Goo Gone. It does a great job of removing the sticky residue left by price tags, stickers, and other adhesive items. Some people have had luck removing permanent marker from finished wood surfaces with this marvelous product. For best results, follow product label instructions, and when it doubt, test it in an inconspicuous area first.

If all else fails you might have to refinish your stained wood surfaces and exercise more caution in the future when storing and using permanent markers. Keep them out of reach of children, and never use one without protection beneath the surface you’re writing on. They aren’t labeled as permanent for nothing!