EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Marker Pen Abuse!!!

I don't know what kind of amazing markers they must be using, but isopropanol and elbow grease has always worked for me, with no damage to cases.

You seem very concerned with what H & S will think. My question is who is going to tell them what your using, and why would they?

Who ... me? Hardly.

I agree with Cyberdog, IPA has always worked for me. Sometimes a faint residue remains, but a wipe with bleach soon gets rid of it.

But if it's a question of the cheapest - "bang for the buck", or whatever - then that would have to be warm soapy water and a washing-up sponge (soft on one side, mildly abrasive on t'other). And for the purists out there ... this is the method almost always recommended by manufacturers, as well. Add a few grains of Daz (Tide)* or even Ajax (Vim)* as necessary.

Another one (for crud ingrained into a scratched surface) is a dab of Mr.Sheen* (again) or one of those sink (bath) cleaning creams (the lemon fragrance is always nice) and a rub with light grade Emery paper.

Needless to say, T-Cut (when skilfully applied) also has its uses, especially when "refurbing" kit, or getting paintwork on old stuff presentable (for sale, or donation, for example).

* Many other easily found household cleaning products are available.

We have that problem here and find that if we leave good old bleach on the offending tag, its gone by the morning. Havent had any problems with the plastics used on the equipment yet.

Whatever your solvent weapon of choice: One of those microfibre cloths will take the sting out of the job as far as the old elbows are concerned and will lift the newly dissolved crud instead of just spreading it around. V.

Just remembered a solvent from the dim and distant past we used to call "cat pee". I don't know what it was but it worked a treat with marker pen and I never had a problem with any plastics. The main drawback was the smell, as you can imagine. V.