Permanent marker

In detail

A permanent marker works by carrying dye in a volatile solvent with a resin that fixes it as the solvent evaporates, which is exactly what makes it hard to reverse: the dye is bound into the surface by a film rather than sitting on it. The carpet institute's database contains a large family of ink entries, and reading them side by side produces one clear result. Felt-tip marker routes to the solvent branch, opening with nail polish remover and a dry-cleaning solvent before any water is involved. Permanent ink does something no other entry read in this catalogue does: it opens at 'Call a Professional', with detergent and vinegar listed after that as what may be tried rather than what should be tried first. A trade body whose whole database is do-it-yourself procedures telling a reader to stop before starting is an unusually strong signal about a stain's difficulty. On hard, non-porous surfaces the outlook is much better — an alcohol-based solvent lifts most marker from glass, glazed ceramic and finished metal — but on anything porous or coated, the two risks are that the solvent spreads the dye further and that it attacks the finish underneath.

Why

• Permanent marker is explained by Solubility and polarity
• Permanent marker is explained by Capillary absorption
• Permanent marker is explained by Pigment retention
• Permanent marker is explained by Adhesion and cohesion

Hacks and claims involving this

• Nail polish remover to lift a stubborn mark Supported