Removing permanent marker: pick your surface
Permanent Marker is a dye stain, usually from a Sharpie that found its way to small hands. The chemistry stays the same wherever it lands — but the safe way to treat it changes completely with the surface, which is why each pairing below has its own guide.
Not water-soluble
Water alone will not touch this stain; it needs an absorbent, surfactant or solvent stage.
Heat sets it
Keep hot water, steam and dryers away until the permanent marker is fully out — heat fixes it permanently.
Fresh vs dried-in
Permanent marker is designed to resist exactly what you are about to do — the solvent dye penetrates and bonds within minutes, so fresh and dried behave almost the same. Alcohol will usually lighten it; complete removal is the exception, not the rule.
Permanent Marker removal guides by surface
Permanent Marker on a wool carpet
very hard to remove · pro sometimes needed
Isopropyl alcohol (surgical spirit), dabbed — never poured
Read the guidePermanent Marker on a nylon carpet
hard to remove · pro sometimes needed
Isopropyl alcohol (surgical spirit), dabbed — never poured
Read the guidePermanent Marker on a polypropylene carpet
hard to remove · pro sometimes needed
Isopropyl alcohol (surgical spirit), dabbed — never poured
Read the guidePermanent Marker on a fabric sofa
hard to remove · pro sometimes needed
Isopropyl alcohol (surgical spirit), dabbed — never poured
Read the guidePermanent Marker on a leather sofa
very hard to remove · pro sometimes needed
A purpose-made leather ink remover only — never general solvents
Read the guidePermanent Marker on a microfibre sofa
hard to remove · pro sometimes needed
Isopropyl alcohol (surgical spirit), dabbed — never poured
Read the guidePermanent Marker on a polyester carpet
hard to remove · pro sometimes needed
Isopropyl alcohol (surgical spirit), dabbed — never poured
Read the guide