My friend Rick Butts ran into a little snafu on his remarkable Whiteboard demonstration of using Twitter and other social marketing platforms to successfully promote your marketing operations.

Sadly he had a Sharpie in his collection of dry erase markers and didn’t notice until he was unsuccessful in erasing the red marks.

I did a quick search for any remedies for the removal of permanent markers from a whiteboard even though I have an idea of what I believe will work 100% effectively.

In Wikihow they give a few suggestions, one being to cover the permanent marks with the dry erase ink and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, but I believe my solution is much quicker, and just as (if not MORE) successful in removing the offending marks.

I believe Oil of Wintergreen would completely remove the marks. I’ve used it successfully on black permanent marker on laminate surfaces and arborite table tops. Slick and clean as a whistle! But who has Oil of Wintergreen close at hand?

So here’s MY suggestion to successful removal of permanent marker from a whiteboard. It’s WAY tastier, and you’re more likely to have this in your home right now.

Take a fresh orange (a navel orange will work well)  slice it into quarters, and eat the juicy flesh. Then taking the rind between your fingers in a pinching motion, squeeze it hard with the orange side towards the offending marks so the oil of the orange rind squirts onto the marks. Then take your napkin, and wipe the stain from the board.

The added benefit of successful removal of the ink is a nice citrus scent to your board

Hope you’re reading this Rick!