How to Clean and Take Care of Your Whiteboard

Simple design, yet incredibly functional. A high-quality whiteboard can prove a valuable tool in a number of different educational, domestic and work environments. Whether it’s schedules, lists, lesson plans, work rotas, drawings, or your latest revolutionary idea that needs bringing to life in glorious dry-wipe marker, there’s nothing more satisfying than getting it down on a fresh, pristine-white surface.

But how do we keep those white surfaces…white?

I’m sure we’ve all walked into an office space and noticed the whiteboards on the wall looking a little on the disheveled side—the faded leftover notes of the last meeting still visible, the sheen of the surface not quite as sparkling as it should be.

Thankfully, the process for how to maintain your whiteboard is alarmingly simple and will require minimal time and cost to keep on top of!

Erasers and cleaning solution

While erasers are a perfectly effective means of removing dry-wipe marker—over time, this approach will offer ever-decreasing returns if your whiteboard isn’t cleaned properly on a regular basis.

That means, a dose of high-quality cleaning solution to work with your dry eraser. Luckily, here at Creative Solutions, we have an excellent range of erasers, cleaning solutions and valet kits available to our customers. All of which are designed to keep that surface looking sharp and brilliant white!

Remove whiteboard ghosting

If dry-wipe marker is only erased without the use of cleaning products, eventually, the chemicals found in whiteboard markers will build up and form a residue on the board.

This residue will cause a gloss difference on your whiteboard between marked and unmarked areas which produces “ghosting” or outlines of previous work even after erasing—a common complaint among whiteboard users. To get rid of ghosting, wipe the board with a cloth dipped in a mix of isopropyl alcohol and water — the most effective whiteboard cleaner.

Homemade whiteboard cleaner

While Creative Solutions supply the very best in cleaning products for your whiteboard, there are a few other options you might consider to maintain the performance and aesthetic of your product.

Using a cloth moistened with a whiteboard cleaner is enough to keep a board clean if used every week, while warm soapy water, window cleaner and peroxide all work well, too. Be sure to stay away from wax-based cleaners as they leave an unpleasant film on your whiteboard.

Clean your whiteboard frequently

It’s largely dependent on how often you use your whiteboard, but a general rule of thumb would be to clean it properly after a day’s consistent use.

In a classroom environment where lesson plans and notes are written up throughout the day, or an office where a whiteboard wall is relied upon heavily for meetings and brainstorming sessions—these are occasions where a comprehensive clean is in order.

It might be the case in an office that team notes and schedules are kept on the whiteboard for an extended period—and it’s just not logical to wipe, clean and rewrite each day. On these occasions, the content should be erased and the board cleaned thoroughly before rewriting the content again.

How to remove permanent marker

Since the creation of the whiteboard, there’s not been a single person who hasn’t accidentally used a permanent marker on the dry-wipe surface and descended into a spiral of panic.

But fear not! Even the most persistent of permanent marker can be removed.

Simply trace the permanent marker content with a dry-erase marker, erase it, and you’ll find what remains is a clean surface thanks to the non-polar solvent in dry-erase markers. To help you in your mission to remove permanent marker, we’d advise a liberal pray of our cleaning solution.

Finally...

If you’d like any advice or tips regarding the maintenance of your whiteboard, or would need any guidance in finding the perfect Creative Solutions whiteboard for your needs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team!

Artwork and Design

Your artwork should be sent to us in PDF format if possible. Ensure all critical information is within a 50mm bleed around the outside. We are able to help design, print and produce your whiteboard for you.

For further information, please read our Artwork Preparation guide or call our artwork studio on 01297 630130.

Need help with your Whiteboard?

Why not use our in-house design team to help you make the most out of your Whiteboard.

Our designers will work with you to create a professional design to your exact specifications. You can be as involved in the design process as you want to be, either working side by side with our designers or giving them your design brief.

Unlike some other companies, we want to offer value for money, so we ensure that you are only charged for the actual time taken to create your design (minimum 15-minute intervals). Formatting a quick layout may be free of charge where all logos and text are readily supplied.