Removing crayon, pen ink, and pencil stains from painted walls

Uh-oh, your kids decided to redecorate the walls with their crayons, pens, and pencils.
If you’ve got a big mess on your hands, this post will help you know how to tackle it.

For this post, Spectra Painting Contractors collected some of the best tips and tricks from around the internet for removing various types of stains from painted walls and finished wood.

Removing crayons from painted walls

Crayons are great to color with, but when crayon somehow gets on your walls, it’s a nightmare to get off. 

Crayons contain wax, which can soak into paint and make it difficult to wipe off without smearing it all over the wall or deeper into the painted surface. It’s best to use something that will break down the wax before trying to wipe it off. Luckily, there are a lot of everyday household products that can likely get the job done. 

Here’s what you can use to remove crayons from painted walls:

– Vinegar

Vinegar is one of the more tried and true tools to remove crayons from painted walls. All you do is dip an old toothbrush in undiluted white vinegar and scrub the stain. That should get the crayon off of the wall. You can use a clean, damp cloth to wipe away the vinegar. 

Some paints or wood stains do not react well to vinegar, so it’s a good idea to test a small area before you get busy scrubbing with your toothbrush. 

– Toothpaste – not the gel kind

If you don’t have vinegar in the house, you can also try white toothpaste. Use toothpaste that doesn’t contain gel because that can add more stains to your walls. 

Toothpaste can also remove permanent markers from walls. 

Squeeze a bit of toothpaste on an old toothbrush and scrub the stain. Then rinse with a damp rag and water. 

– Baking soda

Biking soda is a bit abrasive, so don’t use this on old or matte paint, but it can get crayons from high gloss paint. 

Sprinkle a bit of baking soda on a damp rag and rub it into the stain. Then wipe off with a clean and damp cloth. 

Here’s how to remove crayons from stained wood:

– All-purpose cleaner

According to crayon maker Crayola, you can try spraying the stain with an all-purpose cleaner and then wiping it with clean paper towels. 

– Warm water and liquid dish soap

If there is still crayon left on the wall, use a damp sponge and liquid dish soap to scrub the stain. 

– Magic eraser

Some people have also seen success using Mr. Clean Magic Eraser tools to remove stains from finished wood. 

Here’s what you can use to remove pencil from painted walls:

Pencil is another common culprit of stains on painted walls, especially around desks and work areas. A pencil is a bit dryer than a crayon, so it’s best to start out trying to get the stain off without adding a liquid that could spread it out further. If you still have a pencil mark leftover, you can use a bit of everyday household cleaning products to get the rest of it off your walls. 

– Pencil or art gum eraser

For minor pencil marks, you can try a pencil or gum eraser.

– Suede stone

A suede stone can work on your walls too! Rub the pencil mark with the suede stone and see if the stain comes off. 

– Foam eraser

Grab a handy magic eraser tool and wet a corner of it. It might help lift the pencil mark off the wall. First, test the eraser in a small, hidden section of the wall to make sure it doesn’t discolor your paint. 

– Baking soda

Go to the kitchen and grab the baking soda and a damp rag. Just like removing crayon, sprinkle a bit of baking soda on the rag and rub on the pencil mark to remove. Be careful that it doesn’t damage your paint. 

– Toothpaste 

White toothpaste can also get used to clean pencils from walls. Use a small dab of white toothpaste on an old toothbrush to scrub the pencil off. Wipe off with a damp cloth. 

– Dry cleaning solvent

When all else fails, you can try a bit of dry cleaning solvent on the pencil marks. Put a bit of solvent on a clean cloth and rub on the stain. 

For colored pencils, the process is a little different. Here’s what to use. 

– All-purpose cleaner

Spray the stain with some all-purpose cleaner and wipe with a clean paper towel. Alternatively, you can try a damp sponge and liquid dish soap. 

– Magic eraser

Colored pencil maker Crayola also says you can try using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove colored pencils from finished wood. 

Remove pen ink from painted walls:

Pen ink is a little tricky to get off walls because you risk smearing the ink all over when you’re trying to clean it off. You can use the following household items to clean ink stains from painted walls and finished wood but always test a small area before.

– Toothpaste

Grab a white, non-gel toothpaste and dab on the pen mark. Let it sit for 10 minutes and dab the toothpaste off the wall with a damp cloth. Be careful not to rub the stain because you could smear the ink around more. 

– Rubbing Alcohol

Try a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. Dab the cotton ball of the ink stains until the ink soaks into the cotton ball. Again, be careful not to rub the cotton ball around. 

Spectra Painting Contractors is based in Boston. You can learn more about paint and home improvement on our blog.