Children love making artwork of themselves. If you leave a small child with a Crayola marker, you will find the same child with smears and marks and colorful lines all over their skin. Fortunately, Crayola markers are non-toxic and safe for the skin. But how to get Crayola marker off the skin?
That is the question. The process is simple enough since most Crayola markers are water-based. However, if you want to make the process quicker, you can employ materials other than water. You can use alcohol-based products, sanitizers, baby wipes, or for more sensitive skin, oils.
How to Get Crayola Marker Off Skin the Simplest Way
The simplest way to get Crayola marker stains off skin is to use soap and water. In fact, this is the method Crayola suggests you should do to get their marker off the skin.
Materials Needed
- Water
- Soap
- Clean towel
Step 1: Moisten the Skin
This process is pretty straightforward. The first step is to wet the skin. It does not matter if the water is warm or cool; it will still be effective.
Step 2: Use Soap
Even though Crayola markers are water-based, washing the marker-stained with water alone is not entirely adequate. The skin produces oil, and the pigments from the markers stick to the oil. Cleaning with water will not dislodge the pigments from the skin because water and oil do not mix well.
Soap is the magical potion that fixes that little problem. Soap molecules are pin-shaped – one end bonds with water, and the other end bonds with oil and fats. So basically, soap not only bridges the gap between oil and water, it sticks the two substances together.
You use soap to clean Crayola marker stains off the skin. The soap will carry the oil from the skin and the pigments it contains as you rinse with water.
Step 3: Rinse
The soap is useless if you don’t rinse it away.
Step 4: Repeat if Necessary
Keep washing and rinsing the affected skin as long as there are still marker stains left.
Step 5: Dry with Towel
Lastly, dry the now-clean skin with a clean towel.
How to Get Crayola Marker Off If Water and Soap Don’t Work
Crayola admits that the water and soap combo is not always effective due to different body chemistry and skin types. If this is you, you will have to look for other ways to get Crayola marker stains off the skin.
Hand Sanitizer
The primary ingredient of hand sanitizer is alcohol, which is a powerful cleanser. If you want a quick and surefire way to get Crayola marker off your skin, alcohol is the way to go. Here’s how to use hand sanitizers:
- Apply a small amount of hand sanitizer to the stain.
- Massage the sanitizer gently on the skin until the ink spreads and softens.
- Use a cotton ball or paper towel to wipe the stain off.
The only problem with alcohol is that it can be too strong.
Makeup Remover
Makeup remover is a strong facial cleanser; it is capable of removing the most stubborn of hardheaded eyeliners, eyeshadows, and even waterproof makeups. But, unlike alcohol, makeup remover is formulated to be gentle enough for facial skin, which is one of the most sensitive types of skin.
There are two types of makeup remover, one is water-based and the other oil-based. Here’s how to use water-based makeup remover to remove Crayola marker stains off the skin:
- Use a cotton ball for the application of a small amount of makeup remover.
- Gently rub the cotton ball on the stained skin in a circular motion until the marker ink disappears.
- Rinse the treatment area with water.
Here’s how to use oil-based makeup remover:
- Apply a small amount of the makeup remover on the stain.
- Massage the substance until the stain softens and spreads.
- Use a paper towel or cotton ball to wipe the makeup remover and stain off.
The only problem you may encounter with makeup removers is that you may not have one.
How to Get Crayola Marker Off Sensitive Skin
What if the affected skin is far too sensitive for strong cleansers and the water-and-soap combo does not work? What other options do you have?
Baby Wipes
Like hand sanitizer, baby wipes are alcohol-based cleansers. They are an all-around cleanser, able to clean grime, stains, and even Crayola marker ink off the skin. And fortunately, baby wipes are far gentler than hand sanitizer.
- Gently rub a sheet of baby wipes on the stain in a circular motion.
- Keep massaging the wipes until the stain is removed.
Baby Oil, Olive Oil, or Coconut Oil
Baby oil, olive oil, or coconut oil are typically not used to clean the skin, but they are effective against Crayola marker stains. Plus, these oils are very gentle on the skin, and they moisturize the skin, too. So that’s a plus. Here’s how to use them:
- Apply a small amount of baby oil, olive oil, or coconut oil to the stained skin.
- Gently massage the oil until it removes the ink.
- As the ink disappears, rinse the affected skin with water and soap.
- Repeat the process if necessary until the stain is completely gone.
Of all the methods here, using baby oil, olive oil, or coconut oil is the most suitable for the most sensitive types of skin. However, these substances are perhaps the least accessible.
Conclusion
Many methods exist for how to get Crayola markers off skin in the safest way. Depending on the sensitivity of the skin, the safest way differs from person to person.
- Soap and water is the simplest and general method.
- Sanitizers (and other alcohol-based products) and makeup removers are the strongest solutions.
- Baby wipes, baby oil, olive oil, and coconut oil are for the most sensitive skin.
So, whether your skin is sensitive or not, you can still get Crayola marker off your skin safely. We hope that you find this article helpful. If you have a problem with paint in your hair, We also have a guideline to remove it.