Pencils are great because they allow you to go back and make changes to what you've written. The marks they leave on surfaces other than paper can be a different story. Follow these tips to erase graphite and pencil lead stains.
The first step in removing graphite and pencil lead stains is to identify the stained material.
Below are the most common types of materials that can become graphite-stained, with steps on how to remove graphite and pencil lead stains from each:
- Non-washable fabrics such as Acetate, Burlap, Carpet (synthetic or wool), Rayon, Silk, Triacetate or Wool
- Washable fabrics such as Acrylic Fabric, Cotton, Linen, Modacrylic, Nylon, Olefin, Polyester or Spandex
- Hard surfaces such as Acrylic Plastic, Aluminum, Asphalt, Bamboo, Cane, Ceramic Glass/Tile, Cork, Ivory, Linoleum, Marble, Paint (gloss), Plexiglas, Polyurethane, Porcelain Dishes, Porcelain Fixtures, Stainless Steel, Vinyl Clothing, Vinyl Tile or Vinyl Wallcovering
- Stone surfaces such as Bluestone, Brick, Concrete, Flagstone, Granite, Limestone, Slate or Terrazzo
- Leather or suede
- Paint (flat) or wallpaper