A lot of people will typically lose interest in any fabric after discovering an Expo Marker on it, some can even end up throwing the material away.
However, if this happens to you, then don’t panic! In fact, there are several ways to clean makers from fabrics, and most of them use common cleaning products you probably have around the house.
Just have a little patience and apply some of the proven methods we will be explaining here to restore the appearance of your stained fabric.
How to Remove Expo Marker Stains from Clothes
When treating permanent marker stains, it is best to apply alcohol-based solvents. This is because marker stains are usually chemical-based and can be dissolved by applying an alcohol-based solvent.
There are many household products that have alcohol in their composition. Among them, one can choose hand sanitizer, isopropyl alcohol, or acetone.
Hairspray used to be a highly recommended product for cleaning chemical-based fabric stains, but in recent times, most hairsprays are now low in alcohol and are no longer effective for removing expo marker stains from fabric.
Never Dilute The Solvent
Use water and detergent to clean water-based marker stains. Stains from semi-permanent and non-permanent markers can be removed with products such as liquid laundry detergent, dishwasher, or shampoo.
To make the solution, just do a mixture of 1 cup of warm water with a few drops of the product in a container.
A liquid detergent for delicate fabrics is the best choice for removing water-based marker stains, but you can also use a colorless shampoo or dishwasher.
Make A Vinegar And Water Solution To Remove Expo Marker Stains
Vinegar can act as a stronger cleaning agent as compared to some alcohol-based cleaners, but it should be used sparingly as it is very acidic and corrosive.
Dilute the vinegar evenly in room temperature water to make the solution. Then, pour the solution into a container and use a cloth to apply the product or fill a spray bottle and use it to apply.
Do not use very hot water to make the cleaning solution, as this can damage the fabric.
Use bleach as a last resort to treat expo marker stains on white fabrics.
If you haven’t been able to recover the fabric with other cleaning methods, try the bleach and water formula. Just use a container or spray bottle to mix equal parts of the two ingredients.
Bleach not only affects the color of the fabric, but it is also an aggressive chemical that can break the fibers and cause damage to the garment. Generally, an error at any point in this process is irreparable; always try to use it with extreme caution.
Chlorine-free bleach is always advertised and is used to wash colored clothes, but it is not always as safe as it sounds. Therefore, use it very carefully and, before application, always do a test on a small part of the fabric.
Cleaning The Expo Marker Stain
Soak up excess wet marker stains as quickly as possible with dry paper towels. When you notice a stain immediately after it has occurred, the first thing to do is wash it quickly with soap and water to remove as much of the paint as possible.
If you can turn the stained fabric inside out, also wipe off any excess expo marker stain that has seeped through to the inside.
Continue pressing the area with the paper towel until the stain no longer shows on the paper towel.
Always remember to test whatever formula or stain solution a small part of the fabric before applying it to the whole area.
Choose an inner hem of the cloth and apply a little of the solution there. Then let the product take effect for a few minutes and check to see if the color has faded or bled into the fabric.
If the fabric color bleeds or fades, choose a different cleaning solution and repeat the test again.
When cleaning the stain, do not apply the solution directly to the fabric, as this can spread and exacerbate the problem. Instead, soak a cotton ball or clean cloth in the solution. Doing this will ensure that it is slightly and not highly soaked with the formula.
Press the cotton ball into the stain, work gently and with repeated movements, moving the cotton from the outside to the inside. When doing this, turn the ball while pressing so that you always use a clean part.
Replace the cotton ball when it becomes saturated with the expo marker stain to avoid spreading the stain further to other unaffected spots. Repeat the procedure until no more expo marker comes out and the stain disappears from the fabric.
If you are cleaning items that are easy to move around, place a clean towel or brown paper bag inside the fabric while pressing down on the stain with the cotton ball. Doing this will also help to absorb any expo marker stain that wants to seep through the fabric.
The stain should never be rubbed, as it will spread further and become worse.
After the expo marker stain is removed, wash off the cleaning solution with water and detergent. You can also wash it in your washer if the garment can be machine washed.
Do not put clothes or sheets in the dryer until you are sure the stain is completely removed. If there are still traces of paint on the piece, the heat will eventually soak into the stain in a way that may be impossible to remove.
Dry The Worked Area With A Clean Cloth Or Let It Dry Naturally
If it is not possible to dry the garment in the dryer, use a clean cloth to dry it or place it to air dry. Be careful not to step on the fabric or carelessly handle it while it is still wet, as dirt on shoes can soil the fabric and ruin the entire job.
Combination Machine Oil + Coconut Soap
Another amazing formula is the combination of machine oil + coconut soap, it is one of the most efficient solutions you will find out there.
Despite seeming something unusual, machine oil (which is a type of lubricant) manages to act very well on the expo marker stain on any fabric, causing it to release almost instantly; you just need to apply the product in the exact region of the stain and then rub it in a lot until it comes off.
You can then soak the garment in coconut soap to remove the oil and wash the fabric fibers more thoroughly. Wait about 15 minutes and then take the clothes out of the bucket or basin and put them out to air dry.
Alcohol Is Great For Removing Permanent Expo Marker From Clothes
Finally, we added an extra tip for those who need to remove permanent expo marker stains from clothes and this is one of the easiest processes on the list.
Just take a piece of cotton, pour a generous amount of alcohol, and then rub it well over the stained area.
It’s worth remembering that the sooner you do this, the easier the stain will come off, so don’t wait too long to clean your clothes. After rubbing well with alcohol, you can wash your clothes as you would normally do.