Anyone who has had to write on a whiteboard knows that it can be frustrating. The marker stains the board and eraser marks are left behind after you’re done writing, which eventually gets covered with more drawings or words
Whiteboards are a popular tool for brainstorming and communicating ideas. But, let’s face it, they can be pretty gross after an intense brainstorm session. Luckily, cleaning them is easy. It’s a common misconception that you need to use chemicals and abrasives to clean a whiteboard. Does your whiteboard ever get so dirty with markers and erasable crayons that you can’t see what is on the board? It’s frustrating to have a clean, dry surface but it’s impossible to erase anything.
Whiteboards are easy to clean, but if they’re not cleaned regularly, dirt can build up. Sometimes that makes it difficult to erase with the standard eraser that’s attached to most whiteboards.
The first step to clean your whiteboard is to use the eraser side of a dry erase marker on any spots that have dried ink or food stains (this will not remove anything else).
Next, you’ll want to wipe down the surface with either water or rubbing alcohol using paper towels or cloths.
After this, you should simply follow up with a regular cleaner like Windex and then polish it off by wiping it down again with water only.
If there are still stubborn marks left over from what was written on the board before you cleaned it, try putting some oil around it and then wipe with a third cleaning agent.
Lastly, you should spray a thin layer of whiteboard coating over the surface to protect it from future stains and spills.
This will keep your board clean for longer so that if anything is spilled on it, all you’ll have to do is wipe the top layer away to get rid of it.
What if I have more stubborn stains on it?
- The first thing we recommend doing when cleaning your whiteboard is wiping down the surface with a damp cloth or paper towel. This will remove any dust particles and loosened dirt from the surface of the board.
- Next, spray it with some glass cleaner (or vinegar), which will break up any dried ink or residue, then wipe off with another damp cloth or paper towel.
- Finally, dry it off using either an electric fan or hairdryer set on low heat.
- Once finished, congratulations – you just cleaned your whiteboard
What if I have the most stubborn stains on it?
It can be difficult to get everything off.
The best way is with rubbing alcohol and paper towels. Spray the rubbing alcohol on the surface of the board, then wipe it down with a paper towel or cloth.
1. Use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover (not acetone) in a spray bottle – saturate the board with this mixture and let soak for 5-10 minutes. Then wipe off with paper towels dipped in water. This removes all traces of ink/markers while leaving behind an anti-microbial coating that will help prevent future buildup of dirt and oils from pens, etc.
2 . Use a whiteboard cleaner (or just vinegar and water) in a spray bottle. Spray the board, wait about 5 minutes for it to soak in, and then wipe off with a paper towel or sponge. This will remove all dirt, grease, and built-up ink/markers. Be sure not to spray too much liquid onto your whiteboard because this could ruin its integrity!
3. For really tough build-up or stains that don’t come off with normal cleaning methods, use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Wet it and scrub the stained area until it’s gone – this may take some elbow grease but it works like a charm! If any stubborn spots still won’t come up, use the eraser (sparingly) after wiping it down first.
Whiteboard maintenance
The best way to keep your whiteboard clean is by following these simple steps regularly (at least once a week). By doing so, you’ll help prevent future stains or damage to the board, saving you time and money. After each use, be sure to use an eraser on any spots left behind from ink or food so that you don’t end up letting these stains take control while they sit there for weeks or months at a time until you finally take action. Keeping your board clean after each use, will also prevent any smells from developing in the first place due to lack of airflow and the moisture of the stains sitting there for so long.
Secondly, be sure to use a paper towel with a bit of vinegar on it after wiping your board down. If you have access to any cleaning supplies that do not contain bleach or ammonia, those will work even better! Bleach has an undesired effect of drying out whiteboards over time as well as turning them yellow. Whenever I see whiteboards that have been bleached once or twice already, they’re always covered in little black dots from the previous owners ruining the surface by spilling coffee or other drinks without first trying out different cleaners until they find one that works best with their particular style of marker writing.
After you clean off all excess spots and marks from your board, it’s time to condition it! A whiteboard is a magnetic surface, so using a magnetic dry erase marker helps keep the board looking new and prevents any ghosting or staining.
If you don’t have any of those markers on hand or want to use a different type of pen for writing, a very light coating of vegetable oil will also help protect the surface. Wipe off any excess oil after a few minutes and your board is ready to go!
Regular maintenance with these simple tips should help keep your whiteboard looking great for years to come!
Did you know that we supply whiteboards to Melbourne offices? Prodigy has the best selection of Whiteboards.