How To Remove Ghosting From Whiteboard

Or, Why my wife wants to kill me for buying also many cleaning supplies

We whiteboard a lot in my class, and although it has been expensive to try then many things and is labor intensive, I still oasis't spent more on cleaning supplies than what three or 4 group-size regular dry erase boards would cost.  I'm collecting what I've personally tried to remove dry-erase marker stains from shower/console board (a inexpensive whiteboard solution with a not totally shine melamine surface).

Whiteboards were marked and left for a day to test various treatments. Fiducial controls included h2o and diluted Dawn.

Markers

I've used mainly Expo markers.  Expo 2 markers (low-scent) ghost quite badly, and so I tried to use regular Expo markers.  Crimson and purple are the worst colors.  I had students use mainly black, blue, brown, green (which leave a brume behind), and red (which ghosts).  When I run out of Expo markers this twelvemonth, I'grand going to get AusPen refillable dry out-erase markers.  I've tried them on my whiteboards, and in rough club of easy of erasing (high to low) the colors are black, orange, blue, greenish, cherry-red, purple.  I'grand going to try blackness, orange, blue, and green, merely orange isn't the darkest color.

Cleaning rags

I've used Expo dry-erase erasers and rags made from cotton wool T-shirts (ok but they stain forever) and quondam sheets (modal and high—really besides loftier—thread count cotton, which stain also).  Our janitor swears past quondam sheets from hotels, which have a much lower thread count.  Even when stained, rags keep to work well dry.  I have students utilise one set up of "erasers" dry and another prepare (not bodily erasers!, just rags) wet.  Dry rags get most of the dry out-erase mark marks, simply some colors ghost worse than others.

For my classes, I use my old loftier-thread count modal sheet rags to replace my aging supply of sometime Expo dry-erasers, both for dry-erasing.  The Expo dry out-erasers can exist washed with soap and water, but it's something I only do well-nigh twice per year.  I apply my old cotton wool undershirt rags for moisture-erasing.  I launder the whole lot of rags afterward a week of heavy use or every few weeks of light apply.

Everyday cleaners (for cleaning within 2 hours or so)

• water — It works surprisingly well but non for "bad" colors left on for more than a day.  This is what I use in my classes in small spray bottles.  I have students dry-erase first and then that the gear up of wet rags doesn't get too stained and smear the colors everywhere.
• ultra-full-bodied Dawn dish-washing detergent and water (in nigh a 1:five to one:twenty ratio) — The degreasers are reported to work well, and I concur.  I go along some in a spray bottle for occasional cleaning.
• Expo cleaner — This is what I used last year.  It smelled, didn't work much ameliorate than Dawn, and seemed to eat away the wax finish speedily.  Further, it seemed to leave a residue that increased ghosting, and the solvents pulled chunks of pigment out of old rags, leaving streaks of color on the "cleaned" whiteboards.

For removing stubborn marks (left on for more than than a day)

• Denatured alcohol — This is my new favorite.  It's pretty cheap at a hardware store.  I can't report still on how fast it takes the finish off the whiteboards, though.
• De-Solv-information technology (citrus based) — It works well.
• Dingy Jobs All-Purpose Heavy-Duty Degreaser — It works well.
• Muddied Jobs Fresh Citrus Heavy-Duty Multi-Surface — It doesn't work very well at all.
• Cleaning Vinegar (6% acidity) — Information technology doesn't work at all.
• Diluted Simple Green — It works pretty well.
• Formula 409 Cleaner — I remember information technology working pretty well, simply I ought to endeavor it over again.
• GMS Surface Tech's Whiteboard Cleaner — It wouldn't remove blue and green marks left for a day.  (The red and purple marks but came off with water.)  (Total disclosure: GMS Surface Tech was kind enough to ship me a sample bottle to endeavour.)
• GMS Surface Tech's HPG™ Odorless Whiteboard Rejuvenator Solution — Information technology works well (minimal polishing) in removing blue and green marks left for a twenty-four hour period.  (The cherry and royal marks just came off with h2o.)  Information technology did exit a residue that increased ghosting and made it harder to erase.  (Full disclosure: GMS Surface Tech was kind enough to ship me a sample bottle to try.)
• 91% isopropanol (Wal-Mart) — It works OK (heavy polishing) in removing blueish and green marks left for a twenty-four hour period.  (The ruby and regal marks simply came off with water.)  Diluting information technology to virtually 35% resulting in something that didn't work much better than diluted Dawn but with a more penetrating odor.
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser — It works well, though I have institute that it but works well by abrading the surface.  Too much elbow grease and yous'll quickly wear holes in the whiteboard suface.
• Goof Off Heavy Duty Spot Remover & Degreaser — It works well.

Note: Since GMS Surface Tech was kind enough to transport me two of their products to try, I should emphasize that my informal tests don't at all suggest how well their products would work on regular whiteboards, only on fake-whiteboard surfaces like shower boards.

See as well the section below on rubbing compound.

And the ones I can't yet report on because I haven't tried them yet:

• Baking soda and h2o
• Ammonia
• Goof Off Heavy Duty Spot Remover & Degreaser
• Möstenböcker'due south Lift Off 3 Graffiti Remover

Whiteboard surface treatments

I'm ever looking for that magical treatment that would make my whiteboards pristine, but I haven't constitute it yet.  Perchance one mean solar day I volition try the whiteboard pigment on top of one after I sand it down…

• Nu Stop Cling Instant Detailer (spray bottle) — It makes marks like shooting fish in a barrel to erase, but the dry out-erase markers don't write well on tiptop of it until information technology wears off a piffling.
• Turtle Wax Carnauba Cleaner Wax (yellowish jelly in a tub) — I haven't used this enough to know if it works well or not.
• Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Car Wax (upright bottle; says "hard shell finish") — I used this all last year, and it seemed to work well.  Right after coating, mark seemed to dewdrop upwardly on the surface, only this result went abroad after a few cleanings.  I applied it well-nigh once every two or three weeks, only I think the Expo cleaner took it off pretty fast.  As well, I'thousand noticing this year of not using a wax has resulted in whiteboards that erase much better with only dry out erasing.
• Turtle Wax Limited Smooth Spray Car Wax (spray bottle; says "hard crush cease") — I haven't used this plenty to know whether it works well yet.  It seems a lilliputian thin, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work, I suppose.
• Turtle Wax Polishing Compound (upright bottle; for low-cal to medium scratches) — I haven't tried this nonetheless, simply it'south cousin below works well.
• Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound (upright canteen; for medium to heavy scratches) — I tried this last yr to fill up in scratches in my whiteboards and found that information technology took off the green ghosting haze on my whiteboards (perhaps by abrasion?).  If you rub also hard, you lot'll probably take off the Melamine finish, but it works well for stubborn marks.  I put a layer of the Turtle Wax Super Hard Beat out Motorcar Wax on top of information technology after I'm done.
• GMS Surface Tech'southward HPG™ Odorless Whiteboard Rejuvenator Solution — It works well (minimal polishing) in removing blue and green marks left for a day.  (The red and purple marks just came off with h2o.)  Information technology did go out a residue that increased ghosting and made information technology harder to erase.  (Full disclosure: GMS Surface Tech was kind plenty to send me a sample bottle to try.)  [Update on 2022-01-29:]  When I tried the GMS Surface Tech Rejuvenator and Whiteboard Cleaner on a much-abused traditional whiteboard in my course, information technology did a decent job of preventing future ghosting, and although it did not take off all the old stains, it did lighten them a piffling.

For applying these surface treatments, I employ a fine sponge or rag to spread them, rubbing lightly.  I buff them with a microfiber cleaning cloth.

Source: https://fockphysics.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/what-works-for-ghosting-dry-erase-markers/

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