Getting stains out of a battlemat

[argo]

Hey all, got a little problem here. We used a new set of "washable" markers on the battlemat the other night and one color just won't come out. We tested the markers before using them but as it turns out all the colors except red wash away with no problem but this one red marker has left a stain.

We tried:
- washing with water. This took out all the other markers
- washing with rubbing alcohol. No effect
- washing with warm soap water. No effect
- washing with vinegar. No effect
- washing with warm salt water (hey, we're desperate ). No effect.

So I'm asking the collective wisdom of ENWorld: any clever tricks for getting marker stains off a battlemat? :\

Thanks.

 

[Sammael]

Just one quick question: what brand is it?

I had the exact same problem with the Crystal Caste battlemat I purchased. I tried the same things you did, to no avail. I also tried an ammonia-based bathroom cleaning liquid (as recommended by some people), with no results. An e-mail to the manufacturer yielded no solution other than "we sell thousands of those things and we haven't had any complaints so far."

All I know is, I am never purchasing a Crystal Caste product again.

 

[Brain]

Try beer (not joking)

 

[Ryltar]

Same here Can't get the reds and blues off the map. But I'll try your idea, thanks Brain.

 

[Romnipotent]

Coke as well, just as silly and we use it for blackboards.
Dab it on a cloth
soak it a little
leave your teeth in it

I use Staedelt (sp?) water markers, grey casing, and a Chessex dual sided megamat and its fine, little water within the 5 hours and its gold.

OH, option B is to find out what will melt the map. Shellite, Metholated Spirits, Kyrosene, etc... we used it to get rid of the graffiti at a place I worked once, found out Shellite was the thing to use. Maybe you need a corrosive flamable liquid.

 

[Gilladian]

Try Acetone (finger nail polish remover is sometimes acetone based). Use it sparingly, briefly, and followed by a quick rinse with warm soapy water. It "will" dissolve the gridlines if you use too much and rub too hard. At least it did on my chessex matt a few years ago.

I find that red seems to stain the worst, but eventually even it will come out. Just keep washing it every couple of days, and the color will fade.

Another possibility is to leave the matt somewhere it can get bright sunlight. That's also how I take out the occasional wrinkle; lay flat on a table, open the blinds, and leave for 3-4 days. The warmth generated by the sun helps the vinyl relax and release the crease.

Red colors are notorious for not being lightfast.

Gilladian

 

[rumblehed]

cleaners

I use a Crystal Caste mat and Expo Vis-a-Vis markers--black, blue, red, and green. I use water to clean it and, so far, have had no problems keeping the mat from staining. Occasionally, I'll wipe it down with one of those generic orange-based cleaners just for good measure. If you can get the red out, perhaps you should try a different brand of marker.

rumbles

 

[the Jester]

Anybody got any tips for getting sharpie out of a Battlemat?

Two mats, both have permanent 'features.' :\

 

[broghammerj]

Sharpie typically wipes away with 70% ethyl alchol (the same stuff in liquor, otherwise known as ETOH). I'm not sure where one gets pure ethyl alcohol though? We used to use it to sterilize things in our research lab and used sharpies all the time to label things. I can remeber one of the docs making a drawing on the counter top that was 2 ft x 2ft to illustrate some mechanism in a cell. Lots of marker all over. Then woosh...a tablespoon of ETOH and is was all clean.

Rubbing alcohol is 70% isopropyl alcohol and not the same stuff. Some companies used to sell ETOH as rubbing alcohol but this has been generally stopped in the US since alcholics/children could easily obtain cheap liquor that way. I guess you could try any heavy liquor like vodka, etc. Everclear is 95% ETOH but I would never buy that poison. Never tried any bottled beverages on battlemats so use at your own risk!

 

[jmucchiello]

Try Acetone (finger nail polish remover is sometimes acetone based).

No, no, no. I've seen oyster colored Chessex battlemats with large WHITE areas (no grid, no oyster) caused by acetone.

Generally I only use green and brown on my (Chessex) battlemat. Other colors are too hard to clean off if you leave them on too long.