How do You Clean Pencil Marks on Painted Cabs?

16 years ago

My contractor used pencil to mark positioning for the cabinet hardware on my white painted cabinets. They are Hagerstown cabinets, almond finish. Well, his pencil lines extend beyond the handle and are visible on EVERY cabinet. I tried dabbing it with warm water, then tried a little dishsoap with water, but these are stubborn marks. Does anyone have a suggestion for some other means of removing these marks? My contractor has been a dimwit about so many things -- some big ones -- and frankly he's a lousy detail guy, so I'm trying to resolve this on my own because the hassle of dealing with him isn't worth it.

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loves2cook4six

16 years ago

Try a Magic Eraser (from Mr. Clean and can be found at the grocery store or Target. WM probably has them as well. I buy in bulk at Sam's LOL). These things are AMAZING!

I would definitely try in an inconspicuous part first. It's never ruined the underlying surface on anything I've tried it on, however I still use caution and test every new surface first. I haven't yet found a stain, mark or crayon drawing (on my newly painted walls) that the Magic Eraser couldn't handle with aplomb.

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Comments (10)

andreaintx
16 years ago
My GC is here working on my kitchen. He said Goof Off makes something that will break down the pencil marks and won't ruin the finish of your cabinets. I figured since he was here, I would ask him your question. He said that will be your best bet. He can't remember the exact name of the product but it is made by Goof Off.
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tklahr
16 years ago
I second the Magic Eraser recommendation. We use them all over the house and they are amazing!
polly929
16 years ago
I have been cleaning my painted moldings in my house with the magic eraser since it came out- it also takes off artwork with crayons from toddlers.
holligator
16 years ago
You may want to try a regular pencil eraser first. It is, after all, made for the job.
raehelen
16 years ago
Yup,

I second what Holligator said- but FIRST cuz if you didn't think of that right away, you may not have a lot of pencil erasers around...try the eraser on the same pencil mark on paper. NOT all erasers are created equal. The best is the artist's type that looks sort of like a toffee marshmallow.
A BAD (old dried up) eraser can make it worse.
sarschlos_remodeler
16 years ago
DO NOT use a standard pinkish color pencil eraser on your cabs. They leave marks and sometimes streaks. If you're going to try it, at least try it in an inconspicuous location, like the inside of a door.

Try the kneaded grey artists erasers if you're going to use a regular eraser. They are designed for delicate jobs and are the least likely to leave marks.

That said, if I didn't live with an artist and have lots of those erasers floating around, I would turn to Goof Off. That stuff is fan-freakin'-tastic. And never causes damage.

BTW -- in the same vein, if you ever have paint that has gotten onto things that shouldn't be painted (for instance, drips on your hardware, faucets, etc., I highly recommend a product called Painter's Pal. They used to carry it at Home Depot, but I haven't seen it there in a while. I'm a sloppy painter (because I hate taking the time to prep first, bad, I know) and this stuff really saved my behind in several rooms.
bklyn2pok
16 years ago
Either a Magic Eraser - awesome! or a pencil eraser - I find the Faber-Castell white eraser with the blue wrapper works on most surfaces. You can find one at an office supply store.

I'm an accountant so erasers have been near and dear to my heart for years :=)
cstag1
16 years ago
Hi there. My cabinet installer also left many pencil marks on my vintage white painted cabinets. I was not happy! But, I am happy to report, that a white Faber-Castell eraser worked like a charm!
talley_sue_nyc
16 years ago
just a regular eraser ought to work--use a white one or a Pink Pearl, and test it on paper first to be sure it isn't one of the kind that smears.

How do You Clean Pencil Marks on Painted Cabs?

loves2cook4six

Comments (10)

andreaintx

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