How to Get Sharpie and Permanent Marker Out of Clothes
The short answer
Permanent marker contains oil-based dye that bonds to fabric fibers — water and soap do not remove it. Rubbing alcohol (70–91% isopropyl) is the most effective household solvent. The critical technique: place a clean cloth behind the stain to absorb the ink as you push it out, then blot from the front. Do not rub — rubbing spreads ink. Test on a hidden area of the garment first, especially for colored or delicate fabrics, as alcohol can affect some dyes and finish coatings.
Before you start
You need: rubbing alcohol (70–91% isopropyl), several clean white cloths.
Check the care label. Delicate fabrics (silk, wool, acetate, triacetate): do not use rubbing alcohol — consider professional dry cleaning. For cotton, linen, and most synthetics: test on a hidden area (inside seam or inner hem) before treating the visible stain. Apply a small amount of alcohol, press with a white cloth, and check whether color transfers.
Permanent marker that has been through the dryer may not come out fully — heat bonds the ink permanently to fabric.
Steps
- 1Lay the garment on a flat surface with a clean white cloth beneath the stained area. This cloth absorbs ink as you push it out of the fabric.
- 2Apply rubbing alcohol to the back of the stain, pushing the ink outward through the fabric rather than deeper in.
- 3Blot firmly from the front with a second clean white cloth. Do not scrub.
- 4Move the backing cloth to a clean area (or replace it) so you are not reabsorbing ink.
- 5Repeat steps 2–4, moving the cloth as it picks up ink, until the stain stops transferring.
- 6Rinse with cool water, then machine wash according to the care label.
What not to do
- Do not rub the stain — rubbing spreads ink to adjacent fibers and drives it deeper into the fabric.
- Do not use alcohol on silk, wool, acetate, triacetate, or dry-clean-only items.
- Do not skip the backing cloth — without something to absorb released ink, you will spread it through the garment.
- Do not put the item in the dryer until the stain is fully out — heat permanently bonds permanent marker to fabric.
Frequently asked questions
How is removing Sharpie from general clothing different from jeans?
The rubbing-alcohol blotting technique is the same, but the fabric type matters more when treating general clothing. Delicate fabrics, synthetics, and dry-clean-only items may be damaged by alcohol. Denim is relatively tolerant of rubbing alcohol compared to lighter-weight or specialty fabrics. Always test on a hidden area before treating any non-denim garment.
The permanent marker has been on the clothing for weeks. Will it come out?
The chances decrease with time, especially if the garment has been through the dryer. Heat from the dryer is the main factor that permanently bonds permanent marker to fabric. If the item has not been dried since the ink was applied, multiple rounds of alcohol treatment may still make progress. Expect some residual staining on older marks.
Use the Stain Rescue Tool to get a step-by-step plan based on your specific fabric and available supplies.
Use the Stain Rescue Tool