Removing Sharpie Marker from Skin

How can you possibly get permanent marker off of a child who has gotten hold of a marker and drawn on herself from head to toe?

By Beverly from Winston Salem, NC

Answers:

Removing Sharpie Marker from Skin

Try baking soda. Put her in the tub and make a paste of baking soda and warm water. Rub this on her skin, it takes a bit of scrubbing but is much safer than any chemical. (08/13/2009)

By Cass

Removing Sharpie Marker from Skin

You can use a tiny bit of fingernail polish remover on an old T-shirt. Use the milder kind made for artificial nails then wash it off right away so it won't irritate their skin. Better yet, slather them with baby oil or cooking oil and rub, rub, rub, then wash them off in the tub or shower. I've gotten it off my skin with oil before. Maybe you could put your child in a bubble bath and leave them in there for an hour to soak. Hey, it just might work. Or do all 3. Wow, did you see all the answers below?!

Have Fun. Kids will be kids!

Hey, it beats the time when I was 4 (in 1959) and took a deck of playing cards and proceeded to "paint" the backs of each one while they laid on my grandmother's hardwood floor! (I was SUPPOSED to be taking a nap) I then let the feathers out of a feather pillow and stuck them to the playing cards. Her floor was never the same! So be thankful it's just a marker! (08/13/2009)

By Cyinda

Removing Sharpie Marker from Skin

I don't know about Sharpies, but I've removed ballpoint pen ink with rubbing alcohol. (08/18/2009)

By Gwendolen Potter

Removing Sharpie Marker from Skin

Baby oil will remove magic marker ink from skin. My friend with cancer told me this after she had been marked for radiation. This is the most gentle to your skin. (08/18/2009)

By Kay

Removing Sharpie Marker from Skin

Actually, I do this show where I have to draw a mustache on myself. The best thing that takes it off it to use shaving cream. Just scrub it with shaving cream then rinse it off, and it should come right off! (09/29/2009)

By Darrin

Removing Sharpie Marker from Skin

My 3 year old decided she wanted to be a Halloween pumpkin and used my orange Sharpie permanent marker to draw on her face. After reading all the suggestions on this site and not having any of the things on hand suggested (except for alcohol or nail polish remover, which I wasn't going to use), I decided to try my Dawn dish soap. I got a kitchen towel wet and soaked it in soap, lathered it up and the marker came off literally in seconds. No tears, no abused skin, and no more sharpie! (10/08/2009)

By Sarah