To children, walls, carpets and wallpaper look like the perfect canvas. Pencil lines on a white wall or a light carpet are annoying, but there is no need to panic: most of these marks come off quickly without harming the surface.
WD-40 dissolves graphite and coloured-pencil pigment, so the mark wipes away with a cloth and little rubbing. Here is how to deal with different surfaces.
What you will need
Important: WD-40 is compatible with most materials, but not with porous surfaces and some plastics. Always start with a test on a small hidden area.
Step 1
Test first
Apply a little product somewhere hidden, such as behind a cupboard or near the skirting board, wait a few minutes and wipe. If there is no stain or colour change, carry on. Faint graphite lines often come off with a white eraser alone, so try that first.
Step 2
Walls
Spray WD-40 Smart Straw over the pencil marks, covering them fully. Rub with a dry cloth or sponge. Repeat until the lines disappear, then wipe the area with a sponge and warm soapy water so no greasy mark remains.
Step 3
Carpets and rugs
Apply WD-40 generously to the mark and leave it for up to 5 minutes. Then clean the area with warm soapy water and a cloth, blotting rather than rubbing. Ink and coffee stains respond to the same method. Finish by blotting with a dry towel.
Step 4
Wallpaper
Only washable wallpaper can really be helped: on ordinary paper you can at best fade the mark, and the paper may be damaged. Moisten a cloth with WD-40 Multi-Use and dab only the line itself, keeping off the rest of the wallpaper.
Step 5
Clothes and textiles
Spray the stain, wait 1-2 minutes and rub with a cloth or sponge. Repeat if the mark is stubborn. Then rinse the spot with warm soapy water and wash the item as usual.
Step 6
Desks
This is the easiest: spray WD-40 on the desk top, wipe with a dry cloth, then go over it with a damp sponge to remove residue. Do not use the product on bare, unfinished wood.
Tip: Pencil comes off glossy and lacquered surfaces faster than matt ones. Keep the microfibre dry: a damp cloth spreads dissolved graphite further.
What next
Once clean, give the children a proper place to draw, such as a roll of paper on the wall. WD-40 Multi-Use also handles wax crayon, marker and sticker residue.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».