Oh No! Sharpie on the Battlemap!

[Sejs]

I know I've seen people post methods of getting permanent ink off a wet erase map but I can't find the threads. Any one have any tips?

Now, I just need a way to keep the gm from mixing up the vis a vis and the Sharpies...

Rubbing alcohol, q-tips, and patience.

A lot of the things that will get rid of the sharpie will also nuke the lines on your map as well. Be careful.

 

[Yttrai]

Please test these suggestions first in a discrete location!!!

I've been told that using nail polish remover, vineager, or acetone will work, depending on the type of material that the battle board is made from.

Actually, try to avoid the nail polish remover (ethyl acetate or acetone) or anything else that is acetone. Not only will they erase the lines, but they will melt the mat a little as well.

Isopropanol is your best bet, but do test it first to see if the lines fade. They really shouldn't, but not all mat inks are created equal.

Some people buy prepackaged baby wipes. The "write over" method works great in an emergency.

WD40 should also work, but then you'll need to clean with soap and water afterwards. Basically anything in the house that has "that smell": hairspray, "Oops" brand cleaner, paint thinner (NOT paint stripper), bug spray, bike lube, etc etc, will contain a solvent that might work.

Just always test for line integrity, and wipe with isopropanol or soap and water when you are done.

Good luck.

 

[Xath]

Yep, Vis-a-Vis are the creme de la creme imho.

QFT

Even with those though, don't let red sit on the mat too long. It'll leave a residual stain. For the most part now, we just don't use the red one.

 

[cmanos]

Please test these suggestions first in a discrete location!!!

I've been told that using nail polish remover, vineager, or acetone will work, !

Nail polish remover is acetone, most of the time. It *should* work but it also may melt your battlemat. Do test on a corner first. Apply and wait around 15 minutes. If the plastic doesn't look cloudy or completely dissolve, you should be good.

 

[frankthedm]

I hear plain windex works for cleaning battlemats, but when sharpie hits my mats, I reach for rubbing alchohol. Cleans the mat and cleans the wounds the person who did the marking just suffered from me.

What are good brands of eraseable markers to use on Chessex battlemats ?

Children's Washable Markers work well in my experience on battlemats.

 

[devilbat]

Just lay it out on the grass, on a sunny day, stained side up. It worked perfectly for me when I had the situation arise. No damage or fading on the rest of the mat, but the stain was gone after a few hours.

Wierd, but true.

 

[Arc]

I've always used a regular dry-erase pen over the Sharpie - both wipe right off, and the dry-erase doesn't seem to suffer any damage. When drawing permanent structures, or maps that I don't want smudged/accidentally erased, I'll do it in Sharpie, and put non-permanent bits over it with a dry erase. It also makes secret doors easy - do them in Sharpie, then write over and wipe off when it's found.

 

[Thaniel]

Have you tried Charlie's Soap?

 

[greymist]

The last thread I recall recommended automobile brake cleaner.

I used WD40 a few weeks back on a Sharpie-stained battlemat and the Sharpie faded quite a bit although it did not disappear entirely. Then again the Sharpie stain was about 2 years old!

 

[countgray]

Denatured alcohol works super well for removing sharpie marks. It may just take out any red marker stains too.

The testing part is a wise idea. You want to first make sure its not going to remove your gridlines as well.