How to wipe a pen off wallpaper

Children love to draw and often the result of their artistic activity can be seen on the walls. There are several ways to remove a pen from wallpaper, which must be selected according to the quality of the coating and the nature of the dirt itself.

What you need to know before withdrawal

The first thing you need to figure out when planning to clear ink from your walls is the type of wallpaper. The main question is: are they washable or paper?

The paper version does not tolerate moisture and may not withstand mechanical stress. And practically impossible to clean.
Vinyls are not afraid of either water or household chemicals.
Material that is not treated with water-repellent impregnation cannot be washed.
In the case of paintable wallpaper, the cleaning method depends on the type of paint applied.

The following recommendations will help make the process of cleaning wallpaper from ink more effective:

Test the selected cleaning product on an invisible area, for example, behind a chest of drawers or a sofa. This way you can track the reaction of the material. In case of a negative result, the damaged area will not attract attention, securely hidden by furniture.
More chances to remove fresh pen marks. The longer they remain on the wallpaper, the more they are absorbed.
Don't get stuck on one method. Perhaps a combination of several methods will be more effective.
When using household chemicals or cleaning solutions, you should wear gloves.

There are different techniques to help get rid of ink marks on wallpaper. Both special means and those that are at hand are used.

Egg

This method is a little strange, but according to parents it is very effective. The result will undoubtedly please you. This method is also the cheapest, because you only need 1 egg.

How to remove a handle from wallpaper:

Boil the egg hard.
Peel it from the shell. You can throw away the shell, and the egg itself will be used to erase traces of the fountain pen.
Cut it in half and apply it to the dirty area. Keep the egg on the ink stain for several minutes, maybe longer, it definitely won’t make it worse.
The white and yolk will absorb the ink, and thus you will remove dirt.
When you have finished removing the dirt, wipe the surface with a damp cloth.

This method is not recommended for use on paper materials, since the coating must then be wiped with a damp towel. However, no one forbids experimenting. Wring the rag well from the water so that it does not run off, and gently wipe the wall.

Pharmacy products

What can be applied:

Hydrogen peroxide is not strong enough to remove ink, but when paired with glycerin, its cleaning properties are greatly enhanced. By mixing these two substances in a 1:1 ratio, we get a good cleaning product.
Ammonia will help remove pen marks from the wallpaper. Apply a cotton pad soaked in liquid to the stain and hold for several minutes. But the method is not effective for paper wallpaper - verified by the editors.
Another option is to mix a teaspoon of ammonia and soda, pour a glass of warm water. After soaking a cotton swab in the solution, treat the stained area.

Oxalic or acid

Oxalic and citric acid helps to erase pens from wallpaper. These are organic compounds that perfectly remove any stains, not just traces of a felt-tip pen or marker.

How to wash off:

Take half a glass of distilled water and 10 g of any acid. Dissolve the acid well so that there are no floating crystals left; for this it is better to take the liquid slightly warm.
Treat the outlined areas with the prepared mixture. After 10 minutes, you can rinse these areas with clean water.

You should be aware that when using oxalic or citric acid, the color of the finishing material may change, and their structure may also suffer.

Available means

Among them are vinegar, citric acid, starch and soda, milk, eraser, melamine sponge, toothpaste and even an iron.

Acids are excellent at corroding ink. You can verify this by trying to clean the wallpaper with vinegar. Carefully move the moistened cotton swab exactly along the ink mark. Change the sticks without waiting for severe contamination. When cleaning wallpaper, it is worth considering that vinegar can discolor the pattern and leave whitish marks. It’s better to take the table variety; the apple version on paper is not at all effective . And on washable ones, the result is immediately noticeable.
Squeeze a little lemon juice. Dip cotton swabs in the juice and carefully erase the ink streaks. Change the sticks often to avoid smearing the dirt. It is not necessary to use juice; citric acid diluted in water will also work.
Pour a little water into the starch and mix to form a paste as thick as low-fat sour cream. Apply the mixture to the stain using a soft cloth or cotton pad. Wait 3-5 minutes, carefully remove the residue with a damp cloth or cloth.
Dilute baking soda with water to a paste and treat the ink mark. After a few minutes, gently wipe the wallpaper with a soft cloth or sponge without pressing. Verified by the editors: soda paste is one of the best cleaning agents, but not for paper wallpaper.
Wet a stiff brush in warm milk and trace the ink mark on the wallpaper. As the drawing dries, it will begin to fade noticeably. To enhance the effect, once the milk trail dries, it is worth repeating the manipulation.
You can try to remove the ink with an iron: turn off the steam function, heat it up. Apply a white sheet of paper to the stained area and iron it with a hot iron. The drawing will gradually transfer to the paper, and the wallpaper will become clean.
School erasers that erase ink are suitable for removing pen stains on wallpaper. You must try to erase the mark from the pen, but do not damage the wallpaper itself or remove the design on it. Therefore, you need to act carefully, moving the eraser with gentle movements.
A good remedy for fresh ink marks is a melamine sponge. It must be wetted with warm water, gently squeezed (without twisting) to get rid of excess liquid, then wipe off the dirt with a corner. During the washing process, foam is released, which removes stains. When cleaning is finished, the remaining foam should be removed with a paper towel or cloth.
Toothpaste will help clean the wallpaper. Apply a small amount to an old toothbrush or the hard side of a sponge and wipe the dirty surface. You need to act gently, without unnecessary effort. Remove the residue with the soft side of a dry sponge or napkin. Not effective on paper wallpaper - verified by the editors.

The paste should be white without additional dyes. This method can only be used for wallpaper in light shades.

Many methods on paper wallpaper show zero results. You can put a patchwork style patch or completely replace the canvas

Dangerous mix

If blue or black stains remain after using peroxide, do not despair, but prepare an explosive mixture of potassium permanganate, vinegar and peroxide.

Be careful when removing ink using this method. The solution turns out to be very concentrated, it can cause harm not only to the building finishing material, but also to the skin of the hands. And of course, carry out the procedure when the baby is sleeping, so as not to accidentally knock over the prepared composition on yourself.

The most ancient and effective method of cleaning wallpaper from a ballpoint and gel pen, as well as a felt-tip pen, is to use a solution of potassium permanganate.

Determine the amount of solution yourself, depending on the amount of work.

How to remove a pen from wallpaper:

Take several crystals of potassium permanganate and dissolve them in 7% vinegar. You should get a rich pink color. If necessary, add more potassium permanganate.
Apply the resulting composition to the coating with gloves on using a cotton pad or a new sponge (do not use a kitchen sponge, as greasy marks may remain). Treat all areas, gradually moving from one place to another, do not skip.
After this treatment, not a trace will remain of the ballpoint pen, there will only be streaks. They should be washed off immediately with hydrogen peroxide. Do not leave it until later, when the stains have dried, the procedure will have to be repeated again, and this will not only waste time, but also have a negative impact on the structure of the coating.

Potassium permanganate perfectly removes ink stains. This product has been tested more than once. Experienced parents should know that such a cheap product can clean large areas.

Household chemicals

The list includes the most affordable products that will help remove pen marks from wallpaper: soap solution, dishwashing gel, shaving foam, hairspray, nail polish remover or acetone.

It is best to use laundry soap. To obtain the effect, the soap solution must be sufficiently concentrated. Gently wash off the ink with a sponge or cleaning cloth soaked in it. The sponge should be slightly wrung out; soapy water should not flow in a stream.
Dishwashing detergent can often remove ink stains as well. Dilute a small amount of gel in warm water. Soak a cotton swab or toothbrush in the resulting solution. Gently rub the painted area until the marks disappear completely. Afterwards, wipe the area with a damp cloth. This method is good for small and fresh stains.
Apply a small amount of shaving foam to the dirty area. Leave until dry, then remove the residue with a damp, well-wrung out cloth.
An effective way to remove ink from vinyl wallpaper is to spray hairspray on it. Immediately wipe the surface with a damp soft sponge or cloth.
Drawings made with a gel or ballpoint pen will quickly dissolve and disappear from the wallpaper if you apply nail polish remover or acetone to them. After the contaminated surface has been treated with a swab soaked in a cleaning agent, you need to walk over the wallpaper with a sponge soaked in water.

Coverage type

It is necessary to begin removing stains after determining the type of surface. Remember what type was used for repair, and only then choose a cleaning method.

Coverage types:

Washable. If there are small children in the house, this coating is the best choice. They can be cleaned frequently using any available means. You can remove the handle from the wallpaper using the dry or wet method.
Vinyl. It takes a lot of effort to clean vinyl. As a rule, such material has a dense structure and simple water cannot erase a ballpoint pen or marker mark. For vinyl coverings, you will need to resort to household chemicals.
Removing the handle from non-woven coverings is not difficult. Can be washed with various cleaning products that you use daily. They have water-repellent properties, so you can safely use household chemicals and home remedies.
It is difficult to remove ink from textile wallpaper. They require careful handling. It is strictly not recommended to wash them; you can only use dry cleaning methods.
Do not wash off ink stains from paper coatings with water or other liquid products. From such a finishing material, the paste from the handle is also cleaned only using dry methods.

Having decided on the type of coating, proceed to removing the ink.

Professional products

Special means for removing stains are effective. For light wallpaper without a pattern, bleaching compounds containing chlorine are suitable. For people of color, you can try laundry or carpet products.

But none of the proposed methods gives a 100% guarantee of complete removal of ink marks from the wallpaper. But many of them give good results.

If it was not possible to remove the drawing, the only option left is to replace the damaged canvas or completely re-glue the wallpaper. Another solution is to leave the art untouched and proudly display it to everyone who comes to visit.

Toothpaste

You can also erase the pen from the wallpaper with toothpaste. Just use a product that does not contain bleaching particles or grains.

How to remove ink from wallpaper using toothpaste?

Squeeze a little product onto the brush and gently rub into the coating. If you are afraid to wipe holes with this method, apply the paste using a cloth.

Leave the product to work for a while. Wait for the paste to react with the ink. Residues can be removed with a cloth or wiped with a damp sponge.

If you are extremely careful and do not rub too hard, you will be able to remove ink from paper or textile wallpaper.

Cleaning products can be used as many times as needed. Just make sure that the structure is not damaged.

What cannot be cleaned

Difficult stains from dye on a sofa with leather upholstery should be removed with a special compound, moistening a cloth or cotton swab in it. If there is no spray or cleaner, the marks can be removed with home remedies, but you need to know which ones not to use.

Acetone

An organic compound that is produced in the form of a clear liquid with a pungent odor and is used as a solvent for varnishes and paints. However, if you remove ink stains with acetone, you can discolor the fabric and damage the structure of the leather or suede.

Corrosive substances

It is better to clean furniture with white upholstery stained with ballpoint pen paste using a special preparation. Yellowish stains or streaks are left on the fabric by chemicals that cause burns on human skin.

Features of different types of cleaning

Different types of wallpaper require different methods for removing ink stains. This depends on the quality of the wall covering and how quickly the material becomes saturated with pollution.

Liquid

One of the most difficult wall finishing materials to clean is liquid wallpaper. Ink marks are the most difficult to remove from them. First, they must be degreased with a soap solution, then use cleaning agents. The translucent structure of such wallpaper requires the use of the most gentle substances, with minimal moisture.

Important! You cannot rub such wallpaper; all movements must be as gentle as possible.

Old marks can only be removed by cutting out and replacing the damaged area.

Paper

The surface of paper wallpaper is easily damaged, so removing ink stains must be done very carefully. Only dry cleaning can be used. A solution of manganese in 70% acetic acid is suitable. You need to make a slightly pink solution, lightly moisten the sponge, and carefully walk over the ink strips.

When the product dries, pink stains remain on the wall, which are additionally removed with hydrogen peroxide.

From white paper wallpaper, the designs are cleaned with white toothpaste. Use a soft, used toothbrush to lightly scrub away ink marks. The remaining paste is removed with a soft cloth. Paper wallpaper with a pattern should be cleaned with ammonia.

Non-woven

The “secret weapon” for cleaning ink streaks from non-woven fabric is ammonia or denatured alcohol. To work with them you need to wear gloves. Soak a cotton pad in alcohol, press it onto the paste marks, hold for 5 minutes until all ink streaks disappear.

Methods for removing wax marks

The most common way to remove wax marks is mechanical action using an eraser or spatula. Apply light pressure movements to the area of contamination several times. The method is suitable for removing traces of wax pencils from plastic panels and wallpaper.

There are many popular tips for getting rid of wax stains. Many housewives use a handy remedy - baking soda. It is available in every home and is perfect for cleaning. Soda has a mild bleaching effect, does not damage the surface of the material and removes dirt well. A slurry is prepared from soda: add a teaspoon of water to a teaspoon of powder and apply it to the stain. You can treat the area with the soft side of the sponge. There is a high chance that the wax marks will disappear.
As an alternative method for getting rid of stains, rubber glue is used. It contains silicates, they form a film on the surface and extract wax. This method is perfect if the wall with non-woven wallpaper is dirty. They definitely won't be damaged. Apply a thin layer of glue to the area of contamination and wait until it dries completely. After 5 minutes of action, the glue is peeled off from the wallpaper along with the remaining wax.
Toothpaste is also often used for cleaning. It will instantly remove slight waxy stains thanks to the included components. The paste can be used to clean not only walls with wallpaper, but also various materials: plastic, laminate, linoleum. It will not damage the surface and is gentle on it. Spread the paste in a thin layer along the pencil marks and wait until it dries completely. Then pieces of the frozen paste are rolled off the surface. There should be no contamination left.

Shaving cream has a similar effect. It is distributed over the contaminated surface in an even layer until completely dry. As soon as the foam has set, it is cleaned off with a foam sponge. Shaving cream can be used to clean any furniture, floors and walls. It is absolutely harmless and will not cause damage to interior items.

Since wax is paraffin, it is subject to the destructive action of fats. Vegetable oil and mayonnaise contain a lot of fat, and they can be tried as effective means of combating wax marks. Place a few drops of vegetable oil or mayonnaise on a cotton pad and rub the contaminated area until the stain completely disappears.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is excellent at removing stains from outerwear, bed linen, carpets and even upholstered furniture. This product discolors, or rather bleaches.

Try applying peroxide to a black cloth and see what happens. This composition is capable of bleaching even dark women’s hair, and what can we say about the pen? Peroxide will forever rid you of those unfortunate stains on your wallpaper.

How to clean:

Soak a cotton swab or pad in hydrogen peroxide and gently apply to the contaminated areas. There is no need to dilute it with water. In concentrated form, its effect is much better.
Peroxide reacts almost instantly with ink marks. Then you need to blot the treated area with a clean napkin or cloth.

Because this product discolors, it is not recommended for use on dark surfaces. Unattractive spots may appear that stand out strongly against the general background.

How to remove stains from paper wallpaper?

Paper material for interior decoration has not lost popularity to this day. There are several reasons for this: low cost, large and varied assortment, pasting, which does not require special skills or experience. However, the products also have many disadvantages, primarily their susceptibility to contamination. They are easy to tear and even easier to get dirty. The problem is aggravated by wallpaper's passionate hatred of wet cleaning. Washing the pen off them is a difficult task, but there are still a couple of suitable recipes.

A mixture of potassium permanganate and vinegar is the most recommended method for light walls; you should try it first. Before applying it directly to dirt, you should first try a drop or two on an inconspicuous area or a piece of the same wallpaper. All solvents are treated the same way. If there are no bad consequences for the finishing material, its color or texture, the product can be used. How to mix it? Potassium permanganate should be dissolved in vinegar essence, that is, in vinegar at 70 or 80% concentration. The result will be a bright pink solution.

You need to soak a cotton pad or sponge in it, using which you need to carefully moisten the stain. After 10 minutes, traces of the drawing will disappear, leaving a pinkish spot as a keepsake.

You can remove it using homemade bleach, in other words, hydrogen peroxide. It is used in the same way as vinegar solvent - by wetting a cotton pad and carefully treating dirty stains. If the vinegar method does not give satisfactory results the first time, it must be repeated. And so on until everything works out. Ammonia is the second most popular way to wipe the pen off your favorite wallpaper decorated with patterns and other designs. Ammonia is generally an extremely popular remedy. Rarely does a housewife get along without it. Take 1 glass filled with warm water and 1 tablespoon of ammonia. All this is in exactly the same ratio, mixed thoroughly and a solution is obtained that washes off the ink. Here again, cotton pads and sponges will come in handy - you need to dip them in the product and treat the stains. Citric acid - like ammonia, it has an excellent effect on both paper and vinyl wallpaper. You need to take 20 grams of citric acid or, alternatively, oxalic acid and treat the stains with it using a brush or cotton swab. All that remains is to wait until the child’s artistic creations disappear. Instead of acid, you can use lemon juice. Bleach is a method that involves the use of industrial products with a bleaching function, such as “Whiteness”. But only if the goal is white wallpaper. Colored ones should not be cleaned under any circumstances! Mix bleach with warm water, dip a sponge in it and try to gently scrub away the stains, which gradually give way and disappear.

Citric acid or juice works great for removing pen stains.

Salt

Regular finely ground kitchen salt will help remove the ink. It removes hand marks only on non-woven coverings. How to clean?

Using only salt, you will not achieve the desired result. It must be mixed with hydrochloric acid.

How to remove ink from wallpaper - algorithm of actions:

Prepare the solution in a glass or plastic container. To do this you will need to mix 1 tsp. fine table salt, 1 glass of warm water and 1 tbsp. l. of hydrochloric acid.
Mix the composition well. The ingredients should dissolve.
Take a brush, sponge or disc and apply the composition to the areas stained with the pen. Moisten the marks well with the solution, don’t be afraid.
Wait a while for the composition to take effect. You can sit near the wall and see how hydrochloric acid and salt dissolve ink stains.
When all the dirt has disappeared, take a new sponge and clean water. Rinse off the applied composition.

Hydrogen chloride has a strong odor. Even when diluted in a glass of water and using a small amount, vapors are released that are harmful to the body. So be sure to wear a mask.

Don't neglect gloves either. If hydrochloric acid comes into contact with your skin, you may suffer a serious burn.

Prudence when choosing

You will have to start early, because it is better to prevent a critical situation from arising than to deal with its consequences. If you have a little Picasso growing at home, no one can cancel caution.

when purchasing, pay attention to those models on which the extra touch would be lost and would look unnoticeable;
if you buy wallpaper for painting, then also show your creativity, but on top of the child’s scribble;

be sure to buy canvases “with a reserve” so that you can simply re-glue the damaged area;
There is always something to learn from Uncle Fyodor’s mother, and to cover up a hated spot on the wall with a beautiful painting, a mask, or a decorative “patch.”

These are the techniques that will allow you to resolve the issue quickly without touching cleaning products.

Important! Don't think that cleaning wallpaper from a pen will be easy and simple. It is much more effective to prevent pollution and explain to children what is possible and what is not.

Hair fixation spray

Don't know how to remove pen marks from wallpaper? Use hairspray. Surely every mother has this indispensable assistant.

It works because it contains ethyl alcohol or another non-aggressive solvent. Suitable for vinyl flooring only.

How to clean:

Apply enough varnish to the outlined areas.
Immediately arm yourself with a damp cloth and soapy water and wipe off the stains.
Repeat the process until the ink is completely gone.

Vinyl materials are not afraid of either water or hairspray. They have a dense structure and will withstand all cleaning methods.