permanent marker on washer & walls

15 years ago

I need major help!! Have already blown my top over this nightmare of a "child endangering, midnight moveout, drug-using, failure to pay rent" renter. Now, I've got to get the property cleaned up - hopefully - so it can be rented again.

Here are the problems.....The youngest child (who was really a loveable 2 year old) got her hands on some permanent markers and wrote on the walls of her bedroom, the front of the new washing machine, and several other walls/doors. Will WD40 take it off the washing machine? Haven't tried yet because I didn't want to just spread the ink around if it doesn't take it completely off.

Also, they started painting the master bathroom barn red, but since they did not use Kilz on the vinyl coated walls, the paint is peeling off around part of the tub. I want that paint off all the walls, so any good suggestions about how to get it off without damaging the vinyl coating on the panels?

They ruined the Berber carpet in at least 2 bedrooms with weed drug residue and other unknowns! They must have really been huffing and puffing weed and using the crack pipe I found the last coupld of weeks before they left. I'm praying that I can clear the odor out by just removing the carpet, repainting the trailer (it has textured walls in 2 bedrooms and the living room), but I know I may have to seal the floor and put Kilz on the walls...sure hope not. Also ruined the Pergo floor in the hallway - at least the rest of it seems to be okay.

Thanks for reading my rant. Please give me some good cleaning tips. (And no flaming me, please. We had a contract, references, etc. She always kept the house nice and clean, so I know most of this came down within the last couple of weeks before they skipped. Prior to that, we had no problems with them. And, yes, he has been reported to law-enforcement and other agencies.)

Gmatx

Featured Answer

gmatx zone 6
Original Author

15 years ago

Thanks for the tips and product suggestions. Wish me luck and lots of energy! I'll let you know how everything turns out.

If anyone can give me a suggestion on how to get the paint off the vinyl coated wall panels, I would be most appreciative.

Gmatx

Comments (15)

davidandkasie
15 years ago
yes, the WD-40 will work fine on the washer.

as to the walls, scrape, prime and paint.

replace the carpet.
jmcat
15 years ago
On the smells you mentioned, you might try zeolite (another site here). You might also try a google search for marker stain solutions.
-Jmcat
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chefnewbie
15 years ago
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Try that.
lucy
15 years ago
Get a primer called Bap (I think it's Bap, but I'm sure the home store people would know - it goes over the marker and hides it (or at least a couple of coats should).
gardenspice
15 years ago
Don't use Magic Eraser on the washer - it can scratch. The WD-40 should work, if not, try rubbing alcohol.
chefnewbie
15 years ago
I've never had a Magic Eraser scratch anything. You have to be careful that there's nothing that the eraser has already picked up that can scratch. It can seem to leave a haze - residue from the eraser. Just use a nice glass cleaner after to restore the shine.
lindac
15 years ago
Magic eraser is a very fine abrasive...it can scratch, but the scratches are very very fine.
Did they not have to put down a damage deposit?
Linda C
gmatx zone 6
Original Author
15 years ago
Lindac - Yes, but the amount of damage FAR exceeds the amount of deposit. The issues I mentioned in my first post were not all of the damages. We'll take them to small claims court after all the damages are added up. I believe small claims court allows cases up to $5,000.

Gmatx
heimert
15 years ago
Rubbing alcohol also will dissolve/remove permanent marker, at least from hard surfaces (not so well when it's soaked into carpet etc.).
mike_kaiser_gw
14 years ago
We were just talking about this the other night. Ethyl alcohol will remove permanent marker from solid surfaces but it needs to be strong enough. The denatured kind (from the paint department) works fine and I suppose a strong grain spirit like Everclear would as well. 80 proof vodka didn't touch the marker. The alcohol got much of it out of an old rag but not all of it.

Just be careful with furniture. Alcohol will dissolve shellac (but won't damage varnish or lacquer).
brickeyee
14 years ago
Xylene is the solvent actually used in the permanent markers.

It will easily remove the marker from solid surfaces, but if the xylene in the marker originally may have allowed the marker to penetrate non-solid surfaces, including latex paint.
kterlep
14 years ago
If you have a glass-top stove, that cleaner takes marker off of enameled surfaces, also I have removed marker with nail polish remover.

There is a mobile home forum here where they talk about painting those vinyl panels, they might have advice for fixing the peeling walls.
plantaddicttx
14 years ago
Automotive Gas tank additive "B12" is what we use in our car and home carpets. We've never found anything it won't remove and it has never removed the color out of fabric. Of course, we test it every time to make sure and you would want to, too!

The strong smell dissapates in a couple of hours to a couple of days depending on how well you can ventilate. Don't sit around and breath it!
kathyg_in_mi
last year
Believe it or not, but sunblock will take Sharpie off of anything without hurting it. We had to mark the floor and got Sharpie in the wrong spot. Googled it and they said sunblock so I used what I had and it came off with a couple of tries!