Sharpie (marker) - Removal and Safety

Removal and Safety

Though Sharpie ink will become permanent after setting, it can be erased. 3 or 4 strokes of a dry erase marker will remove Sharpie ink. WD-40 will work moderately well on recent markings if dry-erase markers is not available. Crayola's "Color Wonder" mess-free markers have also been effective in removing Sharpie ink that has been dried for several days.

Sharpie ink that has dried for more than several hours can be removed with acetone and other ketones and esters, such as ethyl acetate, but acetone and other organic solvents may damage the surface of the material written upon. Isopropyl alcohol works well and is less damaging to some surfaces; rubbing alcohol is the dilute form, so works more slowly. On some surfaces, the ink can be removed by coloring over the ink with a dry erase marker (since this marker's ink contains organic solvents) and then removing the Sharpie ink and dry erase marker ink with a dry cloth. Steam cleaning has proved effective, as have rubber erasers. Magic Eraser has also proven somewhat effective on hard surfaces such as brick and very effective on wood furniture.

There are no warning labels on Sharpie markers. They bear the new AP (Approved Product) certification symbol of The Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. (ACMI). According to the organization:

"The new AP (Approved Product) Seal, with or without Performance Certification, identifies art materials that are safe and that are certified in a toxicological evaluation by a medical expert to contain no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans, including children, or to cause acute or chronic health problems. (Sandford LP became a member of ACMI in 1986) However, this does not mean that materials are not irritants or allergens. Such products are certified by ACMI to be labeled in accordance with the chronic hazard labeling standard, ASTM D 4236, and the U.S. Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act (LHAMA)."

They are considered non-toxic for "normal uses", meaning writing on posters, soccer balls and such. Sharpie is not meant for skin but is not dangerous with incidental exposure.

Some products have been reported to be able to remove this product from the skin, such as rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol, nail polish remover, facial cleaning pads, toothpaste, and even deodorant. Tabasco sauce or any vinegar based product is also particularly effective at removing the ink from skin. However, the ink wears off on its own within approximately two days as the ink is on skin cells that are constantly being shed. Organic solvents such as acetone and ethyl acetate are very effective at removing Sharpie ink.