How to Get a Permanent Marker to Work Again

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How many times has your drawing or writing been interrupted by the dry, abrasive scratch of a "dead" marker? If y'all can't seem to go a reasonable lifespan out of your markers, have no fear — information technology's usually possible to bring dead markers dorsum to life (temporarily, at least) with ane of several piece of cake tricks. Whether yous're using water-based coloring markers, dry-erase markers, or even heavy-duty permanent markers, the solution to dry tips is often as piece of cake as simply soaking the markers for a few minutes.

1. one

   Pour about one cup of warm water into a bowl. If you have one or more stale-out water-based markers, try this simple fox to breathe some life back into them. Commencement past filling a small basin with warm or hot water. In the side by side stride, this water will soak into the markers' dried-out tips, which will usually let the ink to begin flowing freely again.

   • Note that it's not essential to use warm or hot water — cold water will also piece of work. Even so, since ink diffuses more quickly in college-temperature water, this unremarkably works faster.

2. 2

   Put the marker(s) tip-down in the h2o. Accept the caps off of your dry markers and dip them in the water so that the tips are completely submerged. Let the markers soak undisturbed for about five minutes. You may notice some ink draining out of the marker tips and into the water — this is normal.

   • As noted to a higher place, this method is only advised for water-based markers. If you're not sure whether your markers are h2o-based or not, check the packaging (if it'south available). Equally a very full general rule, water-based markers are used for drawing and coloring and are marketed to children, though there are exceptions (such as high-quality markers marketed to grown-up artists).^[1]

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3. three

   Let the markers dry on a rag. Remove your markers from the water. Dab the tips with a rag to remove excess h2o, then lay the markers on the rag to dry. You want the markers to dry to the betoken that the ink in their tips is no longer diluted with h2o, but not and then dry that they won't write.

   • The time this takes can vary and frequently takes upwardly to 24 hours.^[ii] Your all-time bet is to check on the markers past scribbling on a canvass of paper every few hours to exam their writing ability.
   • Note that this procedure will probably get a piddling ink onto your towel or rag. Even though this ink is water-based, it tin can cause stains that are difficult to remove, so you lot'll probably want to utilize an onetime, worn-out rag that yous don't mind staining.

4. four

   Replace the caps when done. One time your markers are writing properly again, exist sure to supplant their caps. Leaving a mark'due south cap off is a sure-fire way to find yourself with another dried-out marker. On the other hand, capping your markers between uses helps hold the moisture in the tip, ensuring the marker writes for as long every bit possible.

   • If you've lost your marker's cap, don't worry — you tin use a small square of plastic wrap and a rubber band as a temporary solution. It'southward likewise possible to make a more durable slip-on cap by wrapping a piece of tape effectually the marker tip (pasty side out), and then wrapping another slice of tape on top of the first (sticky side in).

5. v

   Alternatively, utilise a few drops of vinegar. Another home remedy for dried out water-based markers involves using vinegar. With this method, you'll want to put your markers tip-downwards in a dry bowl and dampen each marking's tip with one or two drops of clear white vinegar. Let the markers to soak for several minutes before drying as in a higher place. Don't submerge the mark tips as you would when using water — you only want a few drops for each.

   • To transfer but a drop or two to each marking tip, endeavour filling the vinegar canteen'southward cap, then using a pocket-size stick (like a barbecue skewer) or an eye dropper to add vinegar to each marker drop-by-drop.

6. 6

   Consider injecting water into the marker. Ane final way to go your markers back in shape requires a long, sharp, skinny needle (like a hypodermic syringe). For this method, fill your syringe with h2o, so insert the needle direct through the tip into the torso of the marking. Push button a modest corporeality of water into the marker very slowly, allowing air to bleed out through the tip equally you lot add water. Once you lot've added no more than a milliliter (mL/cc) or and so, let the marker residuum on an sometime rag briefly to dry earlier using (as directed above).

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1. 1

   Secure the mark to the finish of a long string. Dry out erase markers don't employ the same type of water-based ink as ordinary "coloring" markers, so reviving them by moistening their tips usually won't work. Instead, endeavour making the almost of the ink that's trapped within the marker itself. To start, necktie a long string effectually the body of the dried-out mark. Secure it to the string with sturdy tape.^[three]

   • In the next step, you'll use the ability of centrifugal forcefulness to force ink into the dried-out tip of the mark. Centrifugal force is basically the idea that objects existence swung in a circle experience a force that pushes them "outward" — that is, away from the eye of the circle. In this case, the outward-pushing forcefulness volition move whatsoever remaining ink from the body of the marker into the tip.

2. 2

   Swing the marker around your head like a lasso. First, check to make sure the cap is on securely and completely encompasses the tip. WARNING: cheque carefully to run across if the cap has openings, if it does, ink may fly out and splatter the room. Advisedly accept the length of cord in your hand and swing the marker in a circular arc over your head (like a lasso). The tip of the mark should exist facing out, not in. Centrifugal force will begin to push the ink in the marker toward the tip. Practise this for about xxx seconds earlier testing your marker. Some ink may spill out when you open the cap. Be sure to open the marker away from carpet or other cloth.

   • Make sure you lot accept plenty of room around you free from obstructions before yous start swinging the marking. Though you lot're very unlikely to cause serious injury past swinging a marker around, you can still break your marker or hurt someone if you lot accidentally swing the marker into his or her eye, so err on the side of safe.

3. 3

   Alternatively, turn the tip around with pliers. If you tin can't go your marker to write after using the lasso method to a higher place, grab a pair of pliers and effort this method. Grip the soft textile tip of the dry-erase mark with your pliers and pull directly outward. For many markers, the tip should come up out without likewise much effort.^[4] Once it's out, if there's a similar soft material end on the other side of the tip, try flipping the tip around and replacing information technology. The marking should be able to write immediately. Every bit ink soaks through the previously dry end of the tip, yous can remove the tip again and flip information technology dorsum around if you wish.

   • Yous may want to wear gloves and protect your work area with an old rag while attempting this method. Though unlikely, it's possible to spill ink out of the marker once you lot remove the tip, so having some protection against difficult-to-remove stains is a wise idea.

4. four

   As a last resort, effort buying refill ink. While effective, the methods above will merely work if ink remains within the marker. For dry-erase markers that are completely dry out — that is, both the tip and the inside of the marker are stale out — you may need to buy replacement ink.

   • Refill dry out-erase ink can usually be purchased from office supply stores or specialty online retailers. Normally, dry-erase is quite cheap —sometimes as low for $1.00 for a small-scale canister of ink.

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1. 1

   Soak the dry marking tips in rubbing alcohol. For nearly permanent markers (like Sharpies, etc.) with dried out tips, y'all can become the marking writing again with a trick that's similar to the water-soaking method for water-based markers above. For this method, start by filling a small container with rubbing alcohol — for instance, you may desire to use the cap of the bottle of rubbing alcohol.^[v]

   • You don't need very much rubbing booze — just enough to submerge the tip of your mark (or marksouthward). Filling an entire bowl with rubbing alcohol (as you lot'd exercise with water for water-based markers) may exist wasteful.

2. 2

   Let the markers dry with their caps on. After soaking your markers for a few minutes in rubbing alcohol, you should detect a small amount of ink swirling effectually in the liquid. Remove the markers from the booze and replace their caps. Identify them tip-side up in a drinking glass or mug and let them rest for about 24-48 hours. After this resting period, if ink remains in the markers, they should write well once again.

   • Rubbing alcohol evaporates very quickly compared to water, so you won't want to let the markers rest with their caps off as you would afterward soaking h2o-based markers.^[6] If y'all do, they'll quickly dry out again.

3. iii

   Consider using the leftover booze as ink. If the booze you soaked your mark tips in absorbed some of the ink from your permanent markers, you lot may desire to attempt using it equally a course of ink or dye in you own fine art projects. Alcohol-based inks are quite effective at dying materials like metal that other inks can be ineffective on. For example, to make custom-colored staples, simply soak the staples in leftover booze that you used to moisten colored permanent markers' tips.

4. 4

   Alternatively, inject booze or acetone into the marker. Like with water-based markers, you can sometimes get new life out of a dried-out permanent marker by injecting wet direct into it. However, in this case, you lot won't desire to apply water, but instead your marker's ink solvent. Ordinarily, this is isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) or acetone (the active ingredient in nail smoothen remover), so simply inject a milliliter or then of one of these chemicals into the body of the marker equally you would with water above.

   • Effort checking your markers' packaging for a list of ingredients if y'all're not sure what sort of liquid solvent your ink uses.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Does this work with Crayola markers?

  

  Yep. It works fine with Crayola markers. Just do the water based markers step.

• Question

  How exercise I revive Chromatix markers?

  

  Padma Balaji

  Community Reply

  The booze method would probably piece of work best, because Chromatix pens are booze-based.

• Question

  How do I revive a paint mark?

  

  I would recommend dipping and leaving it tip-downward in a basin of rubbing alcohol. (You can likewise employ a bowl of lukewarm to hot water mixed with some vinegar.)

• Question

  How long should I get out it in the alcohol?

  

  You should exit the marker in the alcohol, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

• Question

  Where can I find refills of marker ink?

  

  Refill dry-erase ink tin usually be purchased from role supply stores or specialty online retailers.

• Question

  Does this work on highlighters?

  

  Yes, I used this method on ane of my highlighters and it worked fine.

• Question

  Can y'all use any alcohol, or does it have to exist rubbing alcohol or denatured?

  

  Some markers work with acetone. Blast polish remover will practise the trick; follow the same steps, but replace the rubbing booze.

• Question

  I have h2o based markers that ran out so I did the first trick I saw, hot h2o, the next day when I looked to meet if they were working I saw that they where completely expressionless. The tips where white and had no more than color. I left them on the counter over night - did I do something wrong?

  

  Some markers may non work with the water technique. To revive them, try using rubbing alcohol. You lot may take left them in the water too long. If y'all still have the h2o, depending on how pigmented information technology is, you could try to inject information technology back into the marker.

• Question

  What can I use instead of rubbing booze?

  

  You lot could also use denatured booze, which can be found at hardware stores. It is usually located near the paints.

• Question

  I bought an lxxx-pack of Copic markers, and some of them were dried out. How can I fix them?

  

  Check the packaging to figure out which method should be used. If the packaging says permanent on it, so use the permanent marker method. If the packaging says washable, so apply the washable marker method.

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Video

• Avoid leaving the lids off of markers. This is what dries them out the most.

• Effort buying markers that have a good reputation, even if they are expensive. The markers that are on sale in your local general store may not be the all-time choice if you would like them to last a while. Too, try to purchase markers that won't dry out if y'all get out the lids off. This mode, if you forget, you won't have to buy more.

• For all kinds of markers, put a dab of water on the tip, and write. The ink might get-go to flow over again.

• Don't purchase several markers at in one case. Experiment with dissimilar brands and see which 1 works the best.

• Try using gloves when you revive the markers. The ink may accidentally get on your skin and tin be difficult to go off.

• If y'all decide to endeavor the injection method, exist sure that the needle is very thin. Otherwise, ink may drip from the needle's hole.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

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• When using the centrifugal method for dry erase markers, beginning check to make sure the cap is on securely and completely encompasses the tip: if the cap has openings, ink may fly out and splatter the room.

• Don't utilize markers on a crude surface. Doing and so might damage the tip.

• This suggestion may not work for all brands of markers. If it doesn't work for your make, maybe you should switch over to ane that is more reliable.

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Things You'll Need

• Markers
• Marker caps
• Hot water
• Towel
• Bowl (for the water)
• String
• Tape
• Pliers
• Rubbing booze/acetone

About This Commodity

Article Summary 10

To revive dried out water-based markers, soak the tips of the markers in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes and and then let them dry out on a towel for 24 hours. If you're trying to revive dry-erase markers, pull the tips out with pliers, plow the tips around, and then put them back in the markers. To revive permanent markers, soak the tips in rubbing booze for several minutes and then put the caps back on the markers. Permit the markers dry for 24-48 hours with the caps on. To learn how to inject your markers with ink or water to revive them, keep reading the commodity!

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