How to wipe a pen off wallpaper

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Basic washing rules

Do you have multi-colored pen lines on the wall? Don't know where to start? The first and very important rule is to determine what the wallpaper is made of. It depends on this which solution can be used and which cannot. The second rule is that you need to start cleaning as quickly as possible so that the ink is not absorbed so deeply and it is much easier to wash it off.

Main types of wallpaper:

Vinyl is the most preferred option, which is not afraid of contact with various household chemicals.
Wallpaper for painting - the main factor here will be the chosen paint.
Wallpaper that does not have water-repellent impregnation - this type of wallpaper is not suitable for washing.
Paper wallpaper cannot be washed, as water can damage the design and its structure.

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.

Types of wallpaper

Cleaning wallpaper depends on its material and density; cleaning methods may differ for different types of material. In order not to re-paste the wallpaper, you need to treat the material with care, taking into account its characteristics and the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Vinyl and washable

Vinyl wallpaper can be washed with ordinary detergents. The simplest option:

Laundry soap diluted in warm water.
For more difficult stains, you can use liquid Fairy or any similar product.

Washable wallpaper is the easiest to clean. If the ink cannot be washed off with a soapy sponge and detergent, a solution of ammonia with citric acid will come in handy. This type of wall covering is resistant to liquids as well as external damage, so solvents can be used in particularly difficult situations.

Liquid

In cases where the stain is very fresh, wipes and stain remover will help. Due to its structure, liquid wallpaper absorbs dirt very quickly and cannot be rubbed.

If it’s too late for napkins, then the only working way is to soak and cut out the damaged area. The stained element is removed with a knife, then leveled with a trowel.

Paper

Cleaning paper wallpaper is carried out using hydrogen peroxide or a vinegar-potassium permanganate solution. These products are harmless to paper, clean ink well and leave almost no residue.

The stain is first cleaned with a solution.
Then it is bleached completely with peroxide.

In case of serious problems, you can use denatured alcohol, which is applied with a foam sponge.

Non-woven

Removing stains from non-woven wallpaper almost always leads to discoloration. The already mentioned solution of citric and oxalic acid, ammonia, and hydrochloric acid will help with cleaning. Vanish and Domestos are suitable detergents.

When cleaning, do not use too much force, and it is also recommended to refrain from using aggressive cleaning agents such as acids and solvents.

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.

How to clean a gel pen

Paste from gel pens is much better removed from wallpaper than from ballpoint pens. This is determined by its composition. Gel paste consists of water, gel and coloring matter. When dry, the liquid evaporates and all that remains is to remove the dry part. But if water gets in again, the gel paste will resume its properties; this must be taken into account when choosing cleaning products. Ballpoint pen paste contains an oil base, which can only be removed with a solvent. All of the above methods are suitable for removing stains from gel pens. But it is better to choose less aggressive ones.