How to Clean Chalk Pen Off of a Chalkboard Wall

Examine your chalk pen or its packaging to determine what kind of chalk ink you’ve used. Most chalk pens wipe clean with water, but some pens used for chalkboard artwork require an ammonia based cleanser. If you can’t determine what kind of chalk pen you’ve used, first try removing the pen marks with water only, and then proceed to other methods.

Wet a clean, lint-free cloth with water. Wring out the cloth so the rag is damp instead of drenched. Wipe your chalkboard wall with the wet rag to remove the pen marks.

Dampen your cloth with an ammonia-based cleanser; most glass surface cleaners contain ammonia. Wipe away the chalk pen marks with the ammonia dampened rag.

Dab at stubborn pen marks with the wet edge of a melamine sponge if the ammonia doesn’t work. Since the melamine sponge can remove your wall’s chalkboard paint, only use very gentle pressure.

Break in your chalkboard wall before using it again. This step is necessary since, upon drying, wetness on a chalkboard surface creates a chalk-resistant glaze with existing chalk dust. Use the side of an oversized piece of chalk crayon to completely coat your chalkboard wall, and then erase all the chalk with a felt chalkboard eraser or lint free cloth.