8 Household Products You Can Use To Get Crayon Marks Off Your Walls

Toddlers are a fun age group. They are curious and funny, have their own quirks, and are developing their own personality. Part of that exploration is art. Kids love arts and crafts, and that includes the use of markers, crayons, scissors, and sometimes, even glitter (eek!). As will happen to most parents of little ones, those colorful writing tools will most likely end up on walls, dressers, tables, and chairs when least expected. Kids are learning, and lessons will be taught about where drawing can happen — and where it's not allowed.

Unless the crayons bought are the washable kind (thanks to the inventor who made that call), it's time to call on some household items that can get that purple crayon or permanent marker off that white wall. Want to know some tricks that'll hopefully save a panic attack the next time a crayon Picasso drawing is in the works? Read on to check out solutions that may work.

According to Homedit, rubbing alcohol is safer than a lot of commercial products out there, and can even effectively remove permanent marker if your little artist decided to grab a pink sharpie. The smell can be intense but will dissipate pretty quickly, especially if you don't use a lot to clean the affected area. It's an item most every household has in its arsenal and can help in a flash when needed.

Try to use a little at a time to see how the paint reacts, as sometimes, depending on the paint color and brand, rubbing alcohol can lighten the shade a bit. A 1:3 ratio is a good start, mixing 1 part alcohol to 3 parts water to dilute the solution a bit. Try to gauge how much you'll need depending on how much of the crayoned wall you need to clean. Even a few tablespoons mixed with water can do the job.

A little elbow grease is needed to get this one done, but it works and it won't make the entire living room or kitchen smell like vinegar or rubbing alcohol, according to Home Cleaning Family. Hot water, dish soap, and a textured rag is all that's needed to get those crayon marks off your wall(s). The hot water melts the crayon a bit, and the dish soap and water help to scrub it off. Turn up the heat even more by holding a blowdryer on the area for a few minutes.

Any dish soap on hand works, whether natural, fragrance-free, or commercial. The action needed to remove grease and residue from dishes is the same one that will work to get that orange crayon stick figure on the wall off and clean. Be prepared to spend some time scrubbing, and take a break if needed. The crayon will come off with a little but of patience.

Not only is baking soda used for cooking and baking, but it can also aid in cleaning the washing machine, deodarizing some very stinky clothes, and refreshing carpets and rugs. Luckily, baking soda can also be used to clean that crayon rainbow drawing with all the colors that was beautifully created on the living room wall. Best of all, it doesn't cost a lot and can be bought in bulk.

According to Budget 101, baking soda works well and doesn't require the amount of scrubbing that dish soap and water do. Just take a damp washcloth with warm water, dip it in baking soda, and gently rub the area. A little goes a long way, and using a little bit at a time can direct how much or how little is needed. As always, do a test check to make sure the wall paint isn't affected, but we wouldn't worry about that too much.

Not just for greasing squeaky doors, removing glue, protecting power tools, or removing dust from saws, WD-40 can serve a multitude of other purposes. Did you know that it can also wipe off that crayon ocean drawing complete with whales and orange fish off the wall in the kitchen? WD-40 is affordable, readily available, only takes a little to really get the job done, and is something you probably already have in the home.

The application is simple and doesn't take that much time. According to WD-40, all you have to do is spray the magical liquid onto the crayon marks, leave it on for a few minutes, and then wipe off with a clean rag. The crayon marks should easily come off with the solution, easy as that. It's also safe on walls, so you don't have to worry about paint coming off or turning a shade lighter where you applied the solution.

While this one you need to actually purchase, and may or may not already have in your home, Magic Eraser will get the job done when it comes to those crayon marks on your wall(s). This awesome product works like a charm but isn't the most affordable if the crayon drawing was big, or you need a ton of them to get all the crayon off, so be cautious when looking at the Magic Eraser as the only option.

According to Five Star Painting, all you need to do is get the sponge wet, start rubbing it on the wall where that creative dinosaur scene was drawn, and watch it disappear. There is no soap or excess water needed, the sponge does it all. We recommend getting a few of these to have in your household arsenal, for that day that a quick clean-up is needed (followed by a teaching lesson), but, again, not a massive project as it can get expensive.

Similar to the popular baking soda, vinegar has so many uses. Especially after COVID, it's become a household staple. Distilled white vinegar can be used to wipe kitchen counters, clean the washing machine drum, remove stains, and a whole bunch of other things, including crayon off the wall. Try this vinegar trick the next time your little one has drawn a self-portrait on the hallway walls.

Home Made Simple suggests using a toothbrush and dipping it into a cup of vinegar and scrub away. Then use a washcloth to wipe away any remaining marks. If you don't like the smell of vinegar, just use a mild dish soap and water to wipe away the rest and clean off any remaining vinegar. The vinegar is gentle on walls and a natural stain remover, so there is no worry about using harsh chemicals on the walls, especially with little ones around.

If you have little ones, chances are you have a ton of pencils with erasers. Older kids will even have a drawer filled with fun, animal shaped erasers that came out of a treasure box for good behavior, or the multitude of party favor treat bags from all of those birthday parties. While those are fun, you need just a basic eraser here. This method doesn't work every time, but it's worth giving it a go.

According to Choose Marker, use a regular pencil eraser and gently rub against the crayon marks for about five minutes and see if it starts to come off. Since pencil erasers are softer they will do less damage, making it a good trick for walls that have specialized paint, wallpaper, or anything else that are easily damaged if you use rubbing alcohol or vinegar. If after five minutes there is no improvement, try the tips above.

This one is a weird one, but if you've exhausted all your options and tried the tricks above, it's worth a try. Full fat mayonnaise is needed for this one, as the secret sauce is the oil inside that will break down the crayon marks, according to Lifehacker. Dip a washcloth in some of that sandwich spread and rub it on the crayon marks. Let it sit for about five minutes and then wipe off. It should come off with the mayonnaise, but if it doesn't, try to apply some pressure and see if that works.

We hope these tricks help the next time your little one has a creative streak and decides they need a bigger canvas to display their artwork. It's a lesson that needs to be learned, and parents all over have gone through it at least once. Whether it's mayonnaise or rubbing alcohol, those crayon marks don't stand a chance.