[mellyflori]

The Benevolent Dictator’s teacher has decided that part of their school supplies this year are permanent black pens. Last year all the supplies she used were washable so this year I sent her off in all my lovely hand made garments. Two days in a row she’s come home with a big line of black pen up the front, one on her brand new Hopscotch top and one on her brand new After School top. Assume for a moment that I’m insane and “Don’t send her to school in those” isn’t an option… have you guys had any luck with proactive stain proofing stuff? I’m specifically eyeing up a can of Scotch Guard left over from our new sofa.

[meleliza]

Permanent marker? Seriously? With myboldest just in K this year, I’m new to the school thing but I’m really starting to suspect that schools actually know very little indeed about children.

[Liesl Gibson]

Ooof. I’ve had great luck removing ink stains (ballpoint pen) with hairspray, but permanent marker? That may be outside the realm of stain removal.

What about sending her to school with a smock or apron and asking the teacher to be sure she wears it during permanent marker time? That doesn’t seem like an unreasonable request, and surely the other parents are experiencing similar issues?

Good luck!

[TriMama]

Pemanent marker? Seriously? I’d complain to the teacher that elementary students should not be using permanent markers. Even if you dressed your child in bargin bin RTW clothes you’d be mad if she came home with them ruined.

[Ampersand Design]

In Australia, we have a stain removal guru by the name of Shannon Lush. She has numerous books out with ways to remove pretty much any type of stain from every type of material. One method I know she recommends is applying rotten milk solids to a permanent marker stain and leaving for a day and then washing off.

This is her website: http://www.shannonlush.com

Try googling shannon lush and permanent marker

HTH

[Ampersand Design]

I know I didn’t actually answer your question, but thought that you might want to give stain removal a try on the already marked clothes.

[JohannaO]

1. There is NO way on earth this teacher has kids. Seriously, she has to be insane. How old are these kids? My first grader doesn’t even get to play with the permanent markers.

2. I have had no luck getting permanent marker out of clothes, but I have had some luck using carpet Resolve to get Dry Erase markers out of clothing. I should own stock in Resolve. (I used the Pet Stain version of Resolve, as we had that on hand at the time.)

3. I don’t think Scotchguard is very useful against permanent marker.

4. If you are going to Scotchguard, I would spray the fabric before construction, just to make sure that everything gets a nice layer. (Why do I know this? Because my daughter thinks that everything, including peaches, taste better with Ketchup.)

5. I really like the idea of a smock.

6. My Nana used to believe that there are no mistakes in sewing, only chances for embellishment. Is there any way you can put an applique, buttons or a ribbon flower on top of the “scar”?

[beachmom]

How to Remove Permanent Marker Ink from Fabric

I read your post this morning and then this afternoon while reading a blog, clicked a link to another blog and saw the above linked post in the popular post section. I can attest to how great Folex is on stains.:)

[Nicole]

Scotch Guard is an excellent product for shoes but there is NO WAY I would spray it on my children’s clothes. It is full of horrid chemicals,many that can be absorbed through the skin.

I think Liesl is on the right track,prevent the stains with a pinny.

My children ”wear” what I make,otherwise,whats the point sewing all these clothes?

PS Sharon Lush rocks!

[Violaisabelle]

Nicole took the words out of my mouth…I would never use Scotch Guard on my children’s clothing!!!

I would also consider using an apron, but only after I had a chat with the teacher and hope to persuade a change in supplies for the students.

For removing the stain, I have not used the product suggested, but I have used dish washing detergent (what’s used in dish washing machines) with great success on permanent ink. I put a small amount of dish washing detergent in a pot and then put in hot water to make up a paste. I then use a tooth brush or something similar, depending on the size of the stain, and start scrubbing. Depending on the fabric content/colour, I might even soak the shirt in that mixture for a while. I have had to repeat that process, but have had excellent results with it. Take your time, it likely won’t come out immediately, but will with a bit of time, scrubbing and soaking.

Good luck!

Carol

[mellyflori]

My hand to God, you guys, this woman is teaching preschoolers and she put these: http://www.staples.com/Paper-Mate-Flair-Felt-Tip-Pens-Medium-Point-Black-Dozen/product_228452 on their supplies list. *sigh* I tried all sorts of things yesterday and they faded a bit but still there. I had these notions of being able to pass them down if we had another kid, but at her age it’s silly to think Id’ be passing them down pristine.

Nicole, I totally agree with you, clothes are meant to be worn and kids clothes are meant to be really worn. And if she were the kind of kid who didn’t have scraped up knees and some weird bruise somewhere from climbing a tree she wouldn’t be the kid I love so much.

I’ll check out Sharon Lush’s advice, do what I can, and know that when I pass these on I’ll remember all the great times she had wearing them and not that I made her sit in a bubble so they wouldn’t get stained. Oh, and I’ll try to find more busy prints, they hide a multitude of sins. 😀

[Adrienne]

As a kindergarten teacher, I’m kind of surprised that preschoolers would use those….but of course, I can also see how allowing children to use different types of pens, pencils, markers, etc. helps build fine motor skills in little hands….and little ones think writing with a pen is cool. 😉 (They feel so grown up!)

However, stains on homemade clothing…..I feel your pain! Especially if it was the first time she wore them! Ugh! I found this article online that had some suggestions for removing felt tip marker/pen. It’s worth a shot!

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/stain-buster/stains-felt-marker-may07

Good Luck! And definitely talk to the teacher….she may not have realized what the pen would do to clothing! ; )

[sayiamyou]

I have nothing useful to add, but I think that teacher is nuts! There is no way I would send my daughter with those pens. Crayons/colored pencils = preschool, NOT those markers! Good luck!

[meleliza]

I would simply send her in with washable crayola markers.

I’m really fed up with teacher supply lists. Ours was extremely vague and didn’t include half the stuff she wanted, resulting in endless note home asking for one more thing. Like I have time to drag three kids to Target every day to hunt down one school item at a time. After 20 years of teaching, don’t you think she could have managed a simple school supply list by now? Sorry. We were on your teacher. I would never give my kids permanent marker. That’s all there is to it.