The other day Big Sister Z was drawing and coloring a picture for her cousin G. She asked me if she could use the red marker and I said yes without verifying which marker she was talking about. Turns out, it was a sharpie! The ink bled through the paper and seeped into my oak wood table. I couldn’t even be mad because I am the one who told her that she could use the sharpie. I immediately turned to Google to find out how to remove the marks from the table.

Google offered various solutions, but most of them did not work (Peroxide, soap and water).


Before giving up, I saw a post that suggested using non-gel toothpaste to remove the stains. At that point, I had nothing to lose so I decided to try it. I used a generous amount of Aquafresh children’s toothpaste and rubbed it on the stain/marks. I used a washcloth and firmly rubbed the spot in circular motion. The stains came off immediately. If you have been wondering how to remove permanent marker/sharpie stains from wooden furniture, simply rub non-gel toothpaste and wipe with a wet rag.

You can thank me later!