How to Remove Crayon From a Wall Without Damaging the Paint

Reach for these 6 ingredients to take marks off of your walls

removing crayon marks from walls

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

In This Article
Project Overview
  • Total Time: 5 - 15 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $0-5

Walls adorned with crayon marks are inevitable when sharing a home with young children, but your walls don't need to stay covered in crayon forever. Crayon stains on walls are similar to splattered candle wax stains. Crayon is an oil-based stain so it's necessary to break down the wax and absorb it when removing it from the wall. With these six methods, you'll learn how to remove crayon marks from walls, and even wallpaper, using ingredients and household helpers you probably already have on hand.

Tip

Like many stains, it's easier to get rid of crayon marks when the stain is fresh versus when it's had the chance to sit for a while. So act fast on crayon marks rather than waiting around.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Old toothbrush
  • Dish or bowl
  • Clean cloths
  • Hairdryer
  • Paper towels

Materials

  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Melamine sponge
  • Toothpaste (regular only)
  • Baking soda
  • Mayonnaise
  • Liquid dish detergent

Instructions

How to Remove Crayon From a Wall

  1. Try White Vinegar

    Use the household cleaning powerhouse that is white vinegar—not only can it remove all kinds of stains, but it can also remove crayon marks from walls too. The acidity of vinegar helps break down the wax and pigment in crayons, ensuring you won't need to scrub too hard.

    Use vinegar to remove the crayon by dipping an old toothbrush into a small dish of vinegar and gently scrubbing the crayon with the toothbrush until the stain lifts away. 

  2. Use Magic Erasers

    Try a melamine sponge. The extra-helpful Magic Eraser (or a melamine sponge) contains microscopic abrasives that cause it to act like extra-fine sandpaper when wet. This makes it great at removing crayon marks, but it can also unintentionally remove wall paint too. Because of this, only use melamine sponges on walls with a glossy or satin finish—matte-finish paint can too easily be damaged by these cleaners.

    To use melamine sponges in the fight against crayon marks, dampen your sponge with water then gently rub it onto the stain. Stop scrubbing at it as soon as the crayon marks are gone so that you don't damage your wall's finish. 

    Warning

    Make sure you test this method in an inconspicuous area before treating the more visible parts of your walls with a melamine sponge.

  3. Use Toothpaste

    Scrub with a non-gel white toothpaste. Toothpaste may seem like an odd item to purposely put onto your walls. However, toothpaste contains a mild abrasive—which is what helps clean your teeth so well—that can be effective at removing crayon stains from walls. But make sure you use regular white toothpaste. Do not use dyed or gel toothpaste, which can be ineffective or stain your walls even further.

    Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto your finger and rub it into the stain. Next, scrub the toothpaste-covered crayon with an old toothbrush or cloth until the crayon disappears. Wipe away any excess toothpaste with a damp cloth, then let your wall air dry.

  4. Try a Hairdryer

    Melt crayon with a hairdryer. The heat of a hairdryer melts the wax in the crayon marks, allowing you to easily wipe away the once-stuck-on crayon.

    Blast the hairdryer on the low-heat setting, and point it at the crayon marks. Once the wax starts to melt, wipe it away with some paper towels. Do this quickly so that the crayon won't have the chance to drip down your wall and further stain it.

  5. Use Baking Soda

    Try baking soda for an extra-stuck-on crayon stain. It's even more abrasive than toothpaste or vinegar, making it a great household cleaning ingredient to use on tough stains.

    To use baking soda on crayon marks, add a few tablespoons of it to a small bowl, then add just enough water to create a thick paste—it should be the consistency of toothpaste. Then, dip a damp rag into the mixture and use it to gently scrub at the crayon-covered wall. Once the crayon is all gone, wipe the area down with a damp rag and let it dry.

  6. Try Mayonnaise

    Pull out the mayo. Another unusual cleaning ingredient can be found inside your fridge: mayonnaise. The high oil content in mayonnaise makes it an effective cleaning agent against wax stains like crayon marks. But make sure you test this ingredient out in a hidden corner of your wall before going all-in on it—the oil content of mayonnaise also makes it more likely to stain your wall.

    Place a small amount of mayonnaise onto a clean cloth, then rub the mayo-laden cloth onto the crayon stains. Gently rub at it until the crayon marks disappear, then rinse the wall with another clean cloth dipped in soapy water (using a couple of drops of liquid dish detergent). This will ensure the oil in the mayonnaise doesn't get left behind.

Other Solutions To Consider

  • Glass cleaner: Spray it on the mark, leave the cleaner on for a few minutes to soften the wax, then wipe it off with a damp, clean cloth.
  • Dish soap: This super-easy solution may work for light stains. Dip a sponge in a bowl of soapy water and gently rub the crayon stain in a circular motion to remove it, then dry the wall with a clean rag.
  • All-purpose cleaner: Generously spray a grease-cutting all-purpose cleaner on the mark and wipe the crayon off with a paper towel.
  • Pencil eraser: This solution works great for small marks. Slightly wet the eraser with water and begin erasing the mark. Remove the rest with cleaner and a rag, if necessary.
  • WD-40: Spray WD-40 on the stain and wait five minutes so the liquid can break down and dissolve the wax. No scrubbing is needed with WD-40, just wipe away the liquid with a dry rag.
  • Goo-Gone: This adhesive remover gets rid of crayon on walls, too. Spray the gel on the stain, let it sit for up to three minutes, and wipe it off with a clean, white cloth. Finish by washing with hot, soapy water and dry with a clean towel.
  • T-shirt and iron: This method which works for removing crayon from clothing can work on walls, too. Fold an old T-shirt into a thick "pad," put it over the crayon mark, and run an iron on medium heat over the stain to melt and lift it off the wall and onto the cloth.

Tip

Consider painting playrooms or dining rooms (or other areas where you know crayons are more likely to be used) with paint with a glossy finish so that the walls are easier to clean.

FAQ
  • What erases crayon from wallpapered walls?

    Try using any of the traditional ways to erase crayon from wallpapered walls. However, if those methods do not work, try the cleaning power of steel wool. Use a fine-grade steel wool pad for this task (you can find this at home improvement stores). Add a drop of liquid soap to the pad. Lightly graze the steel wool pad over the crayon to "erase" it from the wallpaper, finish with a damp cloth and soapy water, and dry the wall.

  • Can you paint over crayon marks on a wall?

    You cannot paint over crayon marks. The wax in the crayons will show up through the layers of paint, giving your walls a scarred look. It's best to remove crayon before painting.