How To Get Crayon, Pen, and Marker Off Your Walls
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If you have toddlers who love to color, chances are, you’ve spent at least one day of your life trying to figure out how to get crayon off the wall. Did it work? Or did you find you couldn’t get the crayon off walls without removing the paint? Here are four tips for keeping the walls safe, even if your kids create a challenging (but beautiful) mess.
Use Baking Soda
If you’re looking for a way to clean up young Michelangelo’s installation using a product you have on hand, try baking soda. The grit rubs the crayon away but is fine enough not to damage the paint. Put a dime-sized amount of baking soda on a damp cloth and gently scrub. This may take a little elbow grease, but the crayon will eventually give way to a clean wall. When you’re done, wipe with a clean, damp rag and let the wall dry.
Try Baking Soda and Toothpaste
Another riff on the baking-soda tip involves an unexpected ingredient: toothpaste. The toothpaste adds an extra layer of grit, plus cleaning and whitening agents, to help speed unwanted color off the wall. First, smear a layer of toothpaste over the crayon. Then, make a paste of baking soda and water. Put the baking soda paste on a small brush (an old toothbrush will work) and start scrubbing. When you’re done, wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Grab a Magic Eraser
Magic Erasers are small pieces of melamine foam with a cleaning agent in them. But it’s not the cleaning agent that makes them work – it’s the material. Melamine is a powerful-yet-delicate abrasive that will remove anything, from scuffs to crayon, to pen marks to a permanent marker from your walls. Wet the foam, then wring it out, so it’s damp but not soaked. Then gently scrub the area. Pro tip: You can buy melamine foam and cut it into small pieces if you want to DIY your own Magic Eraser.
Use Stain-Resistant Paint
As any kid knows, getting dirty is part of what makes life fun. But, as any parent can tell you, cleaning up the dirt isn’t nearly as entertaining. So, head the crayon off at the pass, and next time you paint, give your future self a leg up with stain-resistant walls.
Stain-resistant paint is higher-sheen paint, such as satin, semi-gloss, or gloss. Satin works best in busy spaces like the living room, mudroom, kids’ rooms, and hallways. Use semi-gloss for cabinets and functional spaces like laundry rooms—Reserve gloss for trim, woodwork, and furniture. The higher sheen makes paint less porous; meaning stuff is less likely to stick.
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