Help with Permanent Marker Stain Removal on Car

I had someone graffiti my shaved ice trailer a few weeks back with marker. I was worried about my paint. Goof Off took the marker off quickly and left the paint in place! Yippee.

GL!

Try cigarette lighter fluid. Not the propane, the old fashion kind. It works great for lots of things.

Try vodka. Not a joke but if it does not work you can always drink what is left.

Try rubbing alcohol. Other solvents such as nail remover (acetone) or pain thinner will harm the painting. If rubbing alcohol is too weak, you might want to ask a pharmacist if there is a purer alcohol (ethanol 180 or 190 proof). Alcohol should be safe on paint but will dissolve the ink.

Good luck!
QA

Hi C.,

I have used a product called Sol-U-Mel by a company called Melaleuca. It has removed permanent marker from many things in my home and I have used it on my vehicle to remove other stains. It does not hurt the paint and works wonders. Melaleuca is a direct marketing company (they sell direct to the consumer). If you decide to use it and need help finding it let me know :)

S.

I have used finger nail polish remover to remove permanent marker off of things in my house like counters and table. I am not sure how it will work on a car but you can try.

If it's on the outside of a car, I'd try a magic eraser in a small, less visible spot to see if that works. Maybe goo gone too?

Try using aerosol hairspray where the marker is. It works on painted walls.

I've heard that immediate use of WD-40 will take it right off.

Marking over the marks with dry erase marker and then wiping should help, but I don't know if it will destroy the paint unless washed right away. Plus that it a lot of dry erase markers! Also, Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover helps remove permanent marker from skin, but I don't know if it will work on car surfaces....hope this helps! Naturally, the other option would be to have the door repainted, but that's not cheap.

S.

Try finger nail polish remover. It won't hurt the paint, but if you want, you can try it in a small spot first. I would then wash it off with soap and water. The other thing you could try is a magic eraser. If neither of those work, try Goop hand cleaner. I got permanent marker out of a white dress with Goop. Good luck.

Tea Trea Oil will remove permanent marker! Look at the pharmacy department of Walmart where the vitamins and natural suppliments are. Ask if you can't find it. It shouldn't hurt the paint. This will also do lots of other wonderful things - check it out by Googling it on-line.

Good luck with the car!

You could try bug a tar remover. They sell it at wal-mart

Haha...I know it is not funny, but we lived through this when I was a child. MY sister was the culpruit who took the stinky marker to MOTHERS car. I speak from expierence, WD40 will take it right off with no ramifications to the car. IT is not hard, just use a soft cloth and it should come right off.

I love magic erasers - they're really magic - but DONT use them on a car because they'll hurt the finish. WD40 should take it off. If it doesn't, try rubbing compound for auto paint (it is sold with the car wax). Be sure you get wax to polish over the areas you put the rubbing compound on to shine it back up.

I did not read the responses but my daughter wrote on my concrete floor with a sharpie and Magic Eraser got it off. You might want to try it. But just in a small part first, cause I'm not sure what it would do to the paint.

I know hairspray sometimes removes permanent marker from painted surfaces, you might try it for the car.

Denatured alcohol gets out most anything. I think you can buy it at the hardware store. Use a q-tip and blot. do not scrub.

A product called goof-off works on my tile floors it should work on your car. Try a small hidden area first to make sure it doesn't mess up the paint. I bought a can of goof-off at home depot/lowes type store. Good Luck to you.

G. M.

Try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, it takes permanant marker off everything else, should work on the car too, and shouldn't harm the paint, no chemicals.

Sol-U-Mel it's from Melaleuca. It works great. Let me know if you want help getting some of it.

rubbing alchohol should take it right of too!