Dry-erase boards are convenient for play and work. They have the same advantage of temporarily sharing information on a display board that a chalkboard has, only without as much mess. When you leave writing on a dry-erase board too long, the marks can be difficult to erase. There are a number of ways to remove the old marks so that you can continue to use your board.

Vinegar Solution

Make a homemade dry-erase board cleaner to take off tough stains. Combine 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar with 3 cups of water in a spray bottle and shake vigorously, according to EraseBoards.com. This is often considered the best method to remove old marks from a dry-erase board, although opinions differ. Spray the board thoroughly, saturating the old marks, and then wipe them away with a clean paper towel. You should use this spray or a store-bought formula to clean your boards regardless of condition at least once a week to keep them looking like new.

Re-Draw

Make new marks over the old marks to make the stains release with normal erasing, according to VisualEdgeSB.com. Carefully use a black marker, or the darkest color you have, and color over the existing marks left on the board. Use your normal eraser, and wipe away the new marks and the old. You may need to repeat this process a few times for exceptionally tough stains, but it should work eventually. Use this same method if you have accidentally written on your dry-erase board with a permanent marker. It may allow you to erase both the permanent ink and the erasable ink at the same time.

Other Household Items

There are a number of common household products that may remove old marker stains from your dry-erase board, according to VisualEdgeSB.com. Use hand sanitizer and a paper towel to remove old marker stains. The alcohol in the sanitizer will work to remove the old marker. Try hairspray on old marker stains. Coat the affected part of the board with hairspray, and attempt to wipe off the board to clean the marks off. Use warm water and dish soap to wash the board afterwards to remove the sticky film left by the hairspray. The abrasive qualities of toothpaste are sometimes a good solution to remove stains from a dry-erase board. Creams to relieve muscle pain such as BENGAY or a similar product can also be used with the same results.

Source:

Visual Edge: How to Erase Old Marks off a Dry-Erase Board

Erase Boards: Introduction to Dry-Erase Board 101