maryaswoodworker
Member
If the surface is quite smooth you could try burnishing cream, it acts like T cut.
Advice on how to remove "sharpie" writing on a guitar case please?
- Thread starter Brig
- Start date
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How you would do this, or whether it would work, I don't know but I was shown this tip many years ago by an old watchmaker for removing stains from the paper dials you often find on old pocket watches. Brush some Zippo fuel into the dial, then place it face down in a saucer of cornflour and leave it for an hour or so. The flour draws the fluid out of the paper, bringing any staining with it. You have to repeat it several times, but, in this instance anyway, it does work and you can go from a badly stained piece to something that looks almost like new. For a sharpie mark alcohol might be better.
the great waldo
Established Member
Hairspray is a thin laquer, I don't think it's going to work on a soft tolex finish and might even seal it into the tolex
Cheers
ANDREW
Hi
Naptha (Lighter Fluid) is pretty good, it's also good for removing crud on guitars as it doesn't harm the finish. Isopropyl alcohol normally works with Sharpies as I sometimes get it on sound desks at work after labelling and it comes off fine
G
Naptha (Lighter Fluid) is pretty good, it's also good for removing crud on guitars as it doesn't harm the finish. Isopropyl alcohol normally works with Sharpies as I sometimes get it on sound desks at work after labelling and it comes off fine
G
Sheptonphil
Scrumpy junkie
Can’t see in the thread you tried Isopropyl Alcohol. That’s a definite marker pen remover.
Stevekane
Established Member
I think youve probably tried your best chances of removing the marks,,,so what about re dyeing the case a different colour?,,vinyl dyes are very effective.
steve
steve
the great waldo
Established Member
Cozzer
Established Member
TheUnicorn
Established Member
my normal stain / tack removers are 'sticky stuff remover', hand sanitiser, vinegar and acetone (last resort normally)
as you have tried all the normal solvents I'd give milton baby bottle steriliser a go, probably held in place with a wall of plastacine as per waldo's suggestion above, and left overnight
also just a thought, tomato stains will sun bleach away, maybe leave the case on a sunny window sill and see if it improves?
as you have tried all the normal solvents I'd give milton baby bottle steriliser a go, probably held in place with a wall of plastacine as per waldo's suggestion above, and left overnight
also just a thought, tomato stains will sun bleach away, maybe leave the case on a sunny window sill and see if it improves?
Crikey what a lot of answers.
As a professional chemist I can say that most if not all the above solvents will remove Sharpie on most plastics with a smooth surface or not too old.
However I suspect in your case the dye has got into the pores of the plastic and the dye binder has probably bonded to it making it stick.
A chemical degradation of the dye is probably your best bet. Here is a summary of what chemicals to use in what order and also of different solvents.
Chemical degradation:
As with solvents however need to be careful to not discolour the rest of the plastic. So start mild, Try soaking in a solution of backing soda, (Sodium hydrogen carbonate) dissolved in water. This raises the ph to about 11 it can be used on fridge and other plastic surfaces to remove stain and odour. apply with a kitchen towel (use gloves) and leave wet for a few hours or over night. 250 G Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate Bicarbonate of Soda E500 Baking Soda Baking Soda Sodium Salt : Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care
If that does not work then try CIF again leave it for 30 minutes and then extend, but check it does not yellow the plastic.
Then try washing soda ( Sodium carbonate) dissolved in water, ph up to 12. or see Vanish below for a bit more of a kick.
At this point I'd probably skip onto the mild bleach section bellow, before coming back to the next chemical.
If a bit desperate try dilute caustic soda (drain cleaner), use gloves as these chemicals will degrease and burn your skin, Caustic soda will take ph to 14 ie maximum, a teaspoon in a pint of water is probably all that I would risk. paint stripper strength is more like a 250g bottle in a litre of water which would wreck your case.
Bleach
If that does not work then try a bleach,
One of the best things at this point is try something like 'vanish Vanish Fabric Stain Remover Gold Oxi Action Powder, Crystal White, 1.41 kg : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery
It contains most of the above alkaline ph ajusters ie baking soda and washing soda, but it also has a peroxide bleach, peroxy sodium carbonate. very mild.
The up the anti with:
if you have hydrogen peroxide (in the first aid box?) try that first, then as powerful chlorine based bleach such as dilute form of Milton (baby bottle sterilant)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Milton-L08...=drugstore&sprefix=milton,drugstore,78&sr=1-6 ie chlorine bleach, but be aware that it could discolour and yellow the plastic quite quickly so watch this one carefully and leave it for just a few minutes to start with. (domestos is also chlorine bleach but again dilute it well, its like Milton but has thickening agents in it. I would keep trying the chlorine bleach and washing it off carefully each time and not leave it overnight as there is a high risk it will discolour your case.
I would not apply anything stronger or you will degrade the plastic ie don't use strong caustic soda,
In terms of solvents, you seem to have tried them except DCM which I don't recommend as it will attack the plastic.
Solvents:
As a general rule when trying solvents there is a strength order ie ones that are more likely to damage the plastic so try them last. Also the polarity of the solvent matters as some dyes/stains respond best to polar solvents and some to apolar solvents.
So starting mild and increasing in solvation effect.
Hydrocarbon solvents, these are apolar in nature (oil like): white spirit, then petrol, then getting more polar toluene and xylene. each one gets stronger (and nastier), dont use benzene its highly carcinogenic.
Polar solvents: water, vinegar (acetic acid), ipa (isopropyl alcohol), denatured methylated spirit - (ethyl alcohol), rubbing alcohol (methyl alcohol - beware toxic), ethyl acetate (in some lacquer thinners and some nail polish removers) Cellulose thinners (methyl ethyl ketone MEK and isobutyl ethyl ketone IEK), acetone (dimethyl ketone). Nail polish remover is often MEK, acetone or isopropyl ketone, non acetone nail remover is usually ethyl acetate depending on the brand. In the past and in the US it sometimes has NMP (Nmythyl pyrrolidinone) but that is toxic and not recommended
The third class is chlorinated solvents, most of which are now banned, DCM dichloromethane will lift almost anything, especially if mixed with methanol, but you now require to be a trained painter with a licence to buy this.
There are a few exceptions to these rules, for instance polycarbonate - the tough plastic in PPE glasses etc is damaged by alcohols, so cant use even mild alcohols on them.
Hope this is of some help and explain some of what has gone before.
As a professional chemist I can say that most if not all the above solvents will remove Sharpie on most plastics with a smooth surface or not too old.
However I suspect in your case the dye has got into the pores of the plastic and the dye binder has probably bonded to it making it stick.
A chemical degradation of the dye is probably your best bet. Here is a summary of what chemicals to use in what order and also of different solvents.
Chemical degradation:
As with solvents however need to be careful to not discolour the rest of the plastic. So start mild, Try soaking in a solution of backing soda, (Sodium hydrogen carbonate) dissolved in water. This raises the ph to about 11 it can be used on fridge and other plastic surfaces to remove stain and odour. apply with a kitchen towel (use gloves) and leave wet for a few hours or over night. 250 G Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate Bicarbonate of Soda E500 Baking Soda Baking Soda Sodium Salt : Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care
If that does not work then try CIF again leave it for 30 minutes and then extend, but check it does not yellow the plastic.
Then try washing soda ( Sodium carbonate) dissolved in water, ph up to 12. or see Vanish below for a bit more of a kick.
At this point I'd probably skip onto the mild bleach section bellow, before coming back to the next chemical.
If a bit desperate try dilute caustic soda (drain cleaner), use gloves as these chemicals will degrease and burn your skin, Caustic soda will take ph to 14 ie maximum, a teaspoon in a pint of water is probably all that I would risk. paint stripper strength is more like a 250g bottle in a litre of water which would wreck your case.
Bleach
If that does not work then try a bleach,
One of the best things at this point is try something like 'vanish Vanish Fabric Stain Remover Gold Oxi Action Powder, Crystal White, 1.41 kg : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery
It contains most of the above alkaline ph ajusters ie baking soda and washing soda, but it also has a peroxide bleach, peroxy sodium carbonate. very mild.
The up the anti with:
if you have hydrogen peroxide (in the first aid box?) try that first, then as powerful chlorine based bleach such as dilute form of Milton (baby bottle sterilant)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Milton-L08...=drugstore&sprefix=milton,drugstore,78&sr=1-6 ie chlorine bleach, but be aware that it could discolour and yellow the plastic quite quickly so watch this one carefully and leave it for just a few minutes to start with. (domestos is also chlorine bleach but again dilute it well, its like Milton but has thickening agents in it. I would keep trying the chlorine bleach and washing it off carefully each time and not leave it overnight as there is a high risk it will discolour your case.
I would not apply anything stronger or you will degrade the plastic ie don't use strong caustic soda,
In terms of solvents, you seem to have tried them except DCM which I don't recommend as it will attack the plastic.
Solvents:
As a general rule when trying solvents there is a strength order ie ones that are more likely to damage the plastic so try them last. Also the polarity of the solvent matters as some dyes/stains respond best to polar solvents and some to apolar solvents.
So starting mild and increasing in solvation effect.
Hydrocarbon solvents, these are apolar in nature (oil like): white spirit, then petrol, then getting more polar toluene and xylene. each one gets stronger (and nastier), dont use benzene its highly carcinogenic.
Polar solvents: water, vinegar (acetic acid), ipa (isopropyl alcohol), denatured methylated spirit - (ethyl alcohol), rubbing alcohol (methyl alcohol - beware toxic), ethyl acetate (in some lacquer thinners and some nail polish removers) Cellulose thinners (methyl ethyl ketone MEK and isobutyl ethyl ketone IEK), acetone (dimethyl ketone). Nail polish remover is often MEK, acetone or isopropyl ketone, non acetone nail remover is usually ethyl acetate depending on the brand. In the past and in the US it sometimes has NMP (Nmythyl pyrrolidinone) but that is toxic and not recommended
The third class is chlorinated solvents, most of which are now banned, DCM dichloromethane will lift almost anything, especially if mixed with methanol, but you now require to be a trained painter with a licence to buy this.
There are a few exceptions to these rules, for instance polycarbonate - the tough plastic in PPE glasses etc is damaged by alcohols, so cant use even mild alcohols on them.
Hope this is of some help and explain some of what has gone before.
this crossed in the post, I'd agree but just soak a kitchen towel with milton etc and leave on the surface. see my comment for where to get these things
Hi,
Swansolv solvent may work. It’s used for degreasing Oxygen pipework. It’s very gentle on the skin and is now recommended and approved rather than the types like Genclean which are now banned I think. It’s available from Kendall in Norththumberland. Just google for Suwansolv.
Swansolv solvent may work. It’s used for degreasing Oxygen pipework. It’s very gentle on the skin and is now recommended and approved rather than the types like Genclean which are now banned I think. It’s available from Kendall in Norththumberland. Just google for Suwansolv.
ey_tony
Established Member
I do quite a bit of fret levelling on guitars. Briefly after masking the entire fretboard, I use a one or more Sharpies to mark the tops of the frets and then lightly run the levelling beam over the frets. The Sharpie marking lets me know which frets have been rubbed by the levelling beam.
I use lighter fuel, often referred to as Naphtha to remove any occasional traces of the Sharpie's ink which may have found it's way down the side of the fret onto the fretboard. It doesn't happen often but I've had success with lighter fuel in removing any traces.
I also keep methylated spirits and rubbing alcohol as cleaning agents but I'd advise caution in case what you're applying them to, reacts and ruins the finish completely.
I'd be inclined to try some kind of foam cleaner if lighter fuel won't work to see if it will lift the ink traces or as a last resort if nothing will shift it, get a new label made up of your own choice to cover the writing. At least that way you can relate to what is written on it.
I use lighter fuel, often referred to as Naphtha to remove any occasional traces of the Sharpie's ink which may have found it's way down the side of the fret onto the fretboard. It doesn't happen often but I've had success with lighter fuel in removing any traces.
I also keep methylated spirits and rubbing alcohol as cleaning agents but I'd advise caution in case what you're applying them to, reacts and ruins the finish completely.
I'd be inclined to try some kind of foam cleaner if lighter fuel won't work to see if it will lift the ink traces or as a last resort if nothing will shift it, get a new label made up of your own choice to cover the writing. At least that way you can relate to what is written on it.
This admittedly is a long shot but I've used Car waterless wash and wax products for removing stains from various surfaces, just shake and apply not as a spray but as a drip and work in with your finger (it's harmless) no doubt you'll need several attempts, also let it soak in before wiping off.
Good luck
Good luck
the great waldo
Established Member
I think if none of the solvents work painting it with something like Fiebings leather colour in as close as possible to the shade of the cream on the case and wiping it off(or even leaving it on if done carefully ) Worth a go??
Cheers
Andrew
Cheers
Andrew
