Removing ball-point pen from wallpaper... any advice?

Forums: Home Improvement
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Hairspray removed the top layer, but still left a clear line on the wall.

A "magic eraser" got it off along with the top layer of the wallpaper... we now a nice white splotch in the middle of the wall.

Any advice on how to cleanly remove the ink?

My next step is pure alchohol, but I thought I'd get this out there for some advice.

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Discussion • Score: 0 • Views: 12,260 • Replies: 32

No top replies

acetate - nail polish remover? My guess is you'll need to either live with it, or replace the wall paper.

0 Replies

Do you have any spare paper? Can you cut a patch to fit?

0 Replies

Rubbing alchohol performed similarly to hairspray.

Non-acetate nail polish remover did the same, but leached the color out of the wallpaper....

We'd pretty much have to replace an entire wall's worth of paper...

0 Replies

Dang...I'd just paint then. There's so many great colors and textures.

The rubbing alcohol does work, but as you've learned, has to be done VERY lightly.

So what's going on? Cleaning wall paper, cleaning carpets....thinking of selling?

0 Replies

Lol!

No, thinking of making life easier with a 2 year old.

0 Replies

DrewDad--

Artistic Talent does not always manifest conveniently, particularly in a middle-class world with wallpaper.

0 Replies

DrewDad
Not that I have an answer. But don't you think you were a little late in asking for advice. The damage was already done.

0 Replies

Noddy24 wrote:

DrewDad--

Artistic Talent does not always manifest conveniently, particularly in a middle-class world with wallpaper.

True that.

There's the story of when my wife was little and got scolded for drawing on the wall.

"Do you understand?" asked her mother.

Little T, crying, replied, "Yes! <sniff> You don't like my drawing!"

0 Replies

au1929 wrote:

DrewDad
Not that I have an answer. But don't you think you were a little late in asking for advice. The damage was already done.

Everybody's a critic....

0 Replies

DrewDad--

My toddling sister, one cold February decorated the wall in the downstairs bathroom with lipstick.

When scolded she burst into tears and explained, "But I wrote 'I love you.'"

0 Replies

Okay, for ink, first use detergent cleaner, then alcohol, then acidic cleaner (like lemon juice), then peroxide. If those steps don't take care of it, give the 2-year-old the pen back and let her decorate the rest of the wall to maintain some consistency. OR, how about placing a small frame around her artwork?

0 Replies

Noddy24 wrote:

DrewDad--

My toddling sister, one cold February decorated the wall in the downstairs bathroom with lipstick.

When scolded she burst into tears and explained, "But I wrote 'I love you.'"

ohhhhhh....my God, my heart would have melted.

0 Replies

Chai--

My mother did melt. This was February, 1944. My Father was somewhere in the Pacific.

0 Replies

AU, don't be so cold. There are other walls, other pens, and the two-year-old is still two.

I like the idea of a small frame...

0 Replies

Rubbing alcohol worked on our purple ball-point kitchen mural. It was an all afternoon enterprise, but it worked eventually. It sounds like it's too late for your wall though.

0 Replies

I woke up this morning thinking about this thread. K was getting ready for school and I was lounging in bed. She must have heard a sigh and asked me what was wrong. I told her I was remembering the day she drew her first mural on the kitchen wallpaper in purple pen and how I wished I'd reacted differently when I first saw it.

She asked what had brought that up so I told her about this thread. K, a budding artist/designer/architect/?, told me to tell DrewDad that he should keep a ready supply of art supplies handy because his daughter might someday be a great artist Very Happy

0 Replies

AliceInWonderland wrote:

Okay, for ink, first use detergent cleaner, then alcohol, then acidic cleaner (like lemon juice), then peroxide.

A light detergent with alcohol is a good idea; and only if it does not dry clean would I add an acidic cleaner, which can be further diluted. In general, it depends on the wallpaper- its type that is.

Of course, if the marks do not cover a large area, one could find the same pattern and purchase a generous measure of the same paper; a few cuts and peelings and the job would be done in a short time. Or just rid yourself of the old paper and choose a different design. Wallpaper is placed quickly, easily, and with little cost.

Well, good luck.

0 Replies

J_B wrote:

I woke up this morning thinking about this thread. K was getting ready for school and I was lounging in bed. She must have heard a sigh and asked me what was wrong. I told her I was remembering the day she drew her first mural on the kitchen wallpaper in purple pen and how I wished I'd reacted differently when I first saw it.

She asked what had brought that up so I told her about this thread. K, a budding artist/designer/architect/?, told me to tell DrewDad that he should keep a ready supply of art supplies handy because his daughter might someday be a great artist

That or a doctor... Her two favorite things are to draw or to give us "checkups."

0 Replies

remove wall paper
knock down wall
rebuild house
replace wall paper
easy

0 Replies

Removing ball-point pen from wallpaper... any advice?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know