At school we're preparing for some hardcore end of year cleaning. I know that our operations manager was concerned specifically about removing permanent marker from desks and tables. As she put it, the heavy duty chemical cleaner we have "is like acid. We're almost guaranteed to have an accident if the kids or teachers are using the stuff!" Being the good citizen I am, I quickly jumped into action to prevent such a catastrophe.
Earlier this year, I learned about a ridiculously simple method to remove permanent marker from most surfaces:
Write over the permanent marker with an Expo or other dry erase marker!
I did not believe it either when I heard about it, but it works. What happens is that the dry erase/non-permanent Expo ink mixes with the permanent marker and sort of turns it into dry erase ink. It's science! After covering the affected area, the same Expo cleaning fluid you use on the whiteboard can be used to clean it off.
Really stubborn marks might take a "coat" or two to be completely removed (as one particularly annoying message scrawled into a table in my room did) but it will work. I don't know the source of this idea, but I'm pretty sure I read it on one of the wonderful blogs I frequent (see my blogroll if you're up for investigating).
Another end of year nuisance I am used to dealing with is sticky, gunky tape residue left over from packing or duct tape. I always had a mess to clean up when I removed the numbers I had taped to my student desks with packing tape in years past. Water or regular cleaning solutions don't really help; using some kind of scraper will damage the surface. The best way to get it off is also really simple.
You can remove it by taking a new piece of tape, pushing it down onto the gunky area, and pulling. Then repeat many, many times. It is admittedly a time-consuming and laborious process, but it removes the tape residue without damaging the surface. It would be a great thing to have some students do when they're ready to help out! (Side note: This also works for removing pesky labels and stickers from books, CDs and DVDs).
As with the first idea, I'm not sure where I learned this, but thank you to whoever taught me. I think I took it for granted that everybody knew these tips until I shared them at school and received a lot of shocked or surprised reactions. I hope you find them as helpful as I have.
Please share your best cleaning secrets in the comments!
8 comments:
As an Art Teacher with both of those things ALL OVER my tables... I thank you... wholeheartedly.
We use alcohol (ethanol from the chem cabinet) to remove perm marker and pen!
And Goo Gone for the stickies.
And then use soap and water to remove the oily residue from the Goo Gone.
I'll second that--Goo Gone and rubbing alcohol (just the basic over the counter first aid stuff) are my two best cleaners for sticky stuff and permanent marker & ink.
My niece actually did a science fair project where rubbing alcohol removed ink stains from cloth better than several laundry detergents & stain removers.
As an primary special ed teacher I love shaving cream. It is fun to play with, as well as a good way to disolve sticky tape residue. Just use a green scrub pad and go to town!
I also love Magic Erasers. They take off pen, markers, sticky stuff, and with just water!
Thank you for all of the great suggestions. I know it's helpful to me personally and certainly for a lot of my readers.
Toothpaste to remove perm marker and eculyptus oil for the sticky stuff
I use Nail Polish Remover...the non-acetone kind removes permanent marker and sticky goo from lockers in a few swipes without taking off the finish. It also safely removes permanent marker students write on each other/themselves.
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