The kids scribbled on a plastic outdoor item and I'm amazed the permanent marker hasn't been removed by the alcohol nor by the gasoline soaked rag.
What's a good solvent to remove permanent marker on outdoor plastic?
When you say "alcohol", do you mean ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol?
Years ago, I marked my name on the back of a workman's bump cap. To my disapointment, the ink got into the plastic, and totally refused to completely wipe out.
Other than alcohol or gasoline, the next tries might be mineral spirits paint thinner, or finger nail polish remover. Please try a small bit on a cotton swab, so you don't melt the whole plastic item by accident.
Outdoors, fresh air, not while smoking, not while using hair dryer in bath tub, operating bulldozer with guards removed, or cutting electrical cords with hedge trimmer. Usual safety rules apply.
I would try acetone but make sure you check a spot first because, if plastic is something like PVC, it might dissolve. You could also try bleach.
Ethyl. But I will try isopropyl. I didn't think it mattered which type.
I know nail polish remover is acetone, so I will try that (but I don't have a lot of it; I just have a tiny bottle).
I think I can get paint thinner easily at OSH, but what chemical is "mineral spirits"?
Is it a mineral with alcohol?
Bleach? I'll try (I have plenty of that handy); but I thought bleach was an oxidizer, not a solvent.
Worth a try though ...
Before you try harsher chemicals, make a paste with baking soda and a high concentration (70%-90%) isopropyl/rubbing alcohol and scrub the plastic with this paste.
You tried alcohol a different type wont help, Laquer thinner may help but if its in the plastic maybe not. google for soultions, google still works.
What part of "permanent marker" do you find confusing?
It's highly unlikely that any solvent will remove permanent marker from plastic without damaging the plastic. You might try naphtha (lighter fluid), but if gasoline didn't work, that probably won't either. Acetone or lacquer thinner may remove the marks, but they're almost sure to harm the plastic as well.
Goof Off
Assuming it's Sharpie you are talking about, non-acetone nail polish remover should work and still be safe for the plastic, especially considering it's an outdoor item. If the surface is not too porous, 91% or
99% isopropyl alcohol with some light rubbing should also work and is guaranteed to be safe for the plastic. Good luck!------------------------------------- /\_/\ ((@v@)) NIGHT ():::() OWL VV-VV
In fact the marker may have etched into the surface of the plastic, making it impossible to remove. Yep, permanent.
I actually come across this situation fairly often at work (customers marking product with Sharpie and then finding out that they are NFG and need warranty replacements, then I need to clean them so we get credit from supplier who will not accept parts with any writing/ marking on them) and what i've found to work the best is getting the marker wet with isopropyl alcohol and then scrubbing of what doesn't come off with alcohol alone with one of those white plastic draftsman's erasers (the ones that are little white rectangles about the size of a typical Pink Pearl, but pure white plastic. Staedtler is the brand name that comes to mind, but there's likely a generic knockoff available at Staples, Office Depot, etc. A Pink Pearl might work, but I can only recommend the white ones, because that's what I have in my desk drawer.)
I have run across parts that will not come clean by anything I've tried, I guess there must be some new kind of really, really permanent marker out there (but it's rare that I get those) I just send 'em back and hope that we get credit for them, not worth my time to try anything more involved to clean up a $40 part.
nate
The real question is not what will lift the Sharpie, just about any "hot" solvent will do that (lacquer thinner, acetone, xylene or trichloroethane) the question is what will not hurt the particular plastic you are dealing with. Each plastic is different. Goof Off is basically xylene and is OK on most plastics but test an out of the way place first.
If it's a Sharpie, they use an alcohol-based carrier. Buy a quart of denatured ethanol at the paint store to remove it.
If it's another brand of permanent marker, you're on your own.
Jon
I've always found Expo Whiteboard cleaner to be the best at removing permanent marker from ANYTHING. Available from most office supply stores.
This product has 5 versions, for various uses. I've used #2 to get permanent red maker off painted doors.
#3 states:
.."Works On:
Ball Point Pen & Inks ? Permanent Markers ? Nail Polish ? Hair Dyes ? Newsprint ? Pencil Marks ? Stamp Pad Inks ? India Ink ? Correction Fluid ? Fountain Pen Inks ? Highlighters & More!"
Safe on plastic.
turpentine
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try brake cleaner
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