Accidents happen, especially when you have kids in your house, they are always working on arts and crafts, so it’s not really that surprising to find an ink mark or a permanent marker on the wall.
Finding pen marks on your walls can send you into a tailspin, but I’m here today to sharre several easy and effective ways for how to get pen off walls.
Today, I’ll show you nine simple yet powerful methods that will remove pen marks from your wall.
From common household items like baking soda and toothpaste to unexpected heroes like hairspray and baby wipes, you’ll discover the tricks to restore your walls to their pristine condition.
Say goodbye to unsightly ink stains, as we dive into these tried-and-true solutions that will leave your walls looking as good as new.
Are you ready to find out how to get pen off walls?
Key Takeaways for Removing Pen Marks Off Walls
- Magic eraser.
- Rubbing alcohol
- Baby wipes.
- Baking soda and water
- Non gel toothpaste
- Nail polish remover
- Foam wall cleaner
- Alcohol hair spray
- Ammonia, lemon juice and detergent mixture.

How To Get Pen Off Walls
Now, I am going to go through some awesome ways to remove pen marks off the wall! Unfortuantely this happens a lot, especially when you have young kids in the house! But at least now you won’t panic when your child leaves ugly pen marks on your wall, when you see how easy it is to remove them!
Use these methods to get rid of pen marks such as ballpoint pen ink, permanent marker ink stain, and other pen marks in your home.
#1 Magic Eraser
Magic erasers dampened with water work great for many types of stains. Some types of paint may react negatively to gentle abrasives like these. It would help if you test a small, inconspicuous area of the wall paint first.
Just make sure your magic eraser is damp with clean water before using it. To remove pen marks from the wall, gently rub a magic eraser over the stain in circular motions until the stain disappears.
Depending on how old and dried the pen ink is, you may need to repeat this several times. But, again, you want to gently rub the pen ink.
#2 Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol (also known as isopropyl alcohol) is also effective at removing ballpoint pen ink from walls. This method is one of the best ways of removing pen ink on walls. You can break down the ink when you apply rubbing alcohol, which lifts ink stains off surfaces easily.
- Lightly moisten a clean cloth or sponge with rubbing alcohol, taking care not to oversaturate it, as excessive moisture can harm the paint.
- Delicately rub the pen marks on the wall using the cloth or sponge that has been dipped in rubbing alcohol.
- Continue rubbing until the pen marks begin to diminish. Should the cloth or sponge become overly saturated or dry, consider reapplying rubbing alcohol as needed.
- Once the pen marks have been successfully removed, rinse the area with a clean, damp cloth to eliminate any residue or excess rubbing alcohol.
- To finish, either pat the wall dry with a clean towel or allow it to air dry.

#3 Baby wipes
Did you know you can get rid of ink stains using a baby wipe?
Alcohol and detergent are both found in baby wipes, so you can remove ink easily using these.
Using a baby wipe, rub the ink stain off the wall. You may need to repeat this several times to remove pen marks and clean the wall completely.
Other unsightly stains can also be removed using this process. Apply damp wipes consistently to the wall until the stain is gone.
#4 Baking soda & water
Honestly, is there nothing baking soda can’t fix!
The following five steps will guide you through the process of cleaning your walls with baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda). You may want rubber gloves for your hands.
- Mix baking soda and water in a bowl with a 2:1 ratio, 2 parts baking soda and 1 part water.
- Use a clean white cloth or sponge and put the baking soda paste directly on it.
- Apply the baking soda paste to the ink mark, make sure to cover the ink mark completely Let the paste sit there for at least 10 minutes.
- After the paste has had time to work, gently scrub the stained ink mark area in a circular motion with the cloth or sponge. Be gentle, as you work the paste into the pen marks on the wall.
- Make sure to squeeze exces swater out and then go over the stained area with a slightly damp cloth.
- Then blog the wall dry with a clean cloth
Steps 1-5 can be repeated if necessary. If the ink marks persist, repeat the process several times until they are gone for good.

#5 Toothpaste
You can also remove stains from walls with white toothpaste. It’s just a matter of rubbing non gel toothpaste on the ink stain for a couple of minutes.
You want to make sure you are only using non-gel toothpaste so it doesn’t have any abrasives in it.
Whitening toothpaste should not be used for this!
To get started removing an ink mark, follow these steps:
- Get a clean cloth and squeeze a tiny bit of white toothpaste on it.
- Gently rub the ink marks using this cloth in a circiular motion. Gently rub the toothpaste into the stain, the mild abrasives in the toothpaste help to lift the ink off the wall!
- You should notice that the ink mark is getting lighter and lighter. When you see that happen, take a damp cloth, and use that to remove any leftover toothpaste residue from the stain.
- Then, rub the mark with a clean white cloth or cotton wool towel in a circular motion to wipe it away.
- Then use a dry cloth, or a towel to gently dry the wall. Do not go at the wall in a harsh manner or you will damage the paint.
#6 Nail polish remover
Nail polish remover works to remove ink, but be wary. Even though removing ink will be accomplished, everything else will be removed as well. Scrubbing harder will result in more paint being removed.
To remove the pen from the wall, pick up a small bottle of nail polish remover.
- To remove pen marks, use a hand towel or cloth dampened with fingernail polish remover. DO NOT apply the remover directly to the wall. It’s so strong, it will get rid of the ink mark and your paint.
- Apply the nail polish remover to a piece of cloth, then gently rub from the outside towards the inside to get the pen ink off the wall.
- Remove the ink stain with as little pressure as possible. Paint will come off the wall more if you apply more pressure. Go gently.

#7 Foam Wall Cleaner
You will be relieved to know that this method can handle large ink splotches easily. No elbow grease or time will be wasted scrubbing.
- Carefully read and adhere to the instructions provided on the foam wall cleaner’s packaging. Different brands may offer specific guidelines and recommended usage instructions.
- Ensure that the foam wall cleaner is well-mixed and prepared for use by shaking the canister or bottle.
- Hold the canister or bottle upright, directing the foam directly onto the pen marks on the wall. Make sure to thoroughly cover the entire affected area with the foam.
- Allow the foam cleaner to sit on the pen marks for the duration recommended on the packaging.
- Next, follow the provided instructions to effectively remove the foam cleaner. This process may entail using a clean cloth, sponge, or rinsing the area with water. It is crucial to follow the recommended method as per the product instructions.
- After removing the foam cleaner, carefully inspect the wall for any remaining pen marks. If necessary, you can repeat the process.
#8 Alcohol hair spray
Permanent marker on the walls can be removed with hairspray that contains alcohol. Not all hairsprays contain alcohol, so make sure yours does if you want the desired effect.
Apply a small quantity of hairspray onto a clean cloth, then gently dab the pen marks on the wall. Continue to blot the area carefully, repeating the process until the hairspray effectively removes the pen marks from the walls.

#9 Ammonia, Lemon Juice, and Detergent Mixture
- Combine ammonia, lemon juice, and detergent to create a stain-removing mixture for pen ink on walls.
- Properly mix the three components and transfer the mixture into a spray bottle.
- Maintain a 1:1:2 ratio, using two parts detergent for every one part of lemon juice and ammonia.
- Apply the mixture to the ink stain on the wall by spraying it directly.
- Gently pat the area dry to effectively eliminate the ink mark from the wall.
Can You Paint Over Ink Marks?
It is possible, but make sure you use a primer before painting. You need to treat ink like other stains since it can bleed through the paint over time.
To prevent it from appearing after a while, use a blocking primer, or latex based primer.
The Proper Process For Painting Over Ink
If you have tried everything and you still can’t remove pen marks from your wall, this is your last resort! It is the best method for people who have too much pen on the wall, have tried the above methods (and other methods) and are unsatisfied with the results.
The area that has been stained needs to be painted in a color that matches the rest of the wall.
Sometimes you might have to paint the whole wall during this process, which can be a little expensive. As long as you do it right, the wall will be perfect.
Start by cleaning the wall itself, making sure it’s free of all dust, dirt, and debris. It’s best to clean the entire area of the wall, including nearby ceiling fans.
When applying primer, be sure to use a high-quality brush or roller and start in the corners of the room, working your way out. Once the primer is dry, you can then begin painting your chosen color. Let the wall dry before touching or hanging pictures.
Try the various household cleaners above and you should easily be able to remove ballpoint pen ink, or remove ink stains of any nature. Make sure to scrub gently, rubbing hard will take the paint off your walls.
How To Get Pen Off Walls Summary
So, I have shared my top tips for getting those pesky pen marks off walls. Follow the directions above and you will indeed, be able to remove pen ink from the walls of your house. As mentioned, scrub gently so you don’t damage the walls! Try aalso putting any pens out of reach of your toddlers so they can’t cause anymore damage! I hope you feel more prepared to remove the ink from your walls, and not panic when you see a new mark – because there will be more ink stains. It’s inevitable when you have kids!
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Grainne Foley
Grainne Foley is a wife and mother of 2 great kids. During her 5 years of full time RV travel, Grainne learned to become very efficient at household chores, in order to make time for family adventures. Now, back in a house, she has continued to create tools and techniques to help others lighten the load of household organization and cleaning.
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