Refrain from purchasing expensive cleaning products, and instead, wipe a chalkboard clean with a solution made from products that are available at hand. With this HomeQuicks post, you will find 7 easy, yet effective ways to clean a chalkboard every time.
Just a Heads-up
Before writing on a freshly cleaned chalkboard, ensure that it is thoroughly dry or else the chalk will stick to the board and will make it difficult for you to wipe it clean later on.
Majority of you will remember seeing teachers and our peers pounding two erasers together in order to remove chalk dust out of them. These erasers, and perhaps water, were the only means used to clean a classroom chalkboard. But even the erasers had a short lifetime and couldn’t keep the boards squeaky-clean for long.
Today, with more and more people adopting home cleaning methods, the task of keeping a chalkboard clean is simpler. Whether you need to clean a chalkboard in a classroom, at a restaurant, or in your home, there are several effective ways to get the job done. Follow the cleaning tips and techniques mentioned below to get a sparkling board in a few moments.
Regardless of the cleaning method and supplies, always begin to wipe a chalkboard in long, up-down movements starting from the top-left corner, working your way till the bottom-right corner.
Cleaning a Chalkboard Regularly
If you are using a chalkboard on a regular basis, it is essential that you clean it at regular intervals as well. Avoiding this crucial task will lead to the board collecting unnecessary chalk dust over its surface.
Warm Water
- With an all-felt eraser, start wiping the board according to the method we mentioned earlier.
- To be even more thorough, use a clean, lint-free, and dry chamois to wipe the board one more time.
- Dip a clean, soft cloth in a bucket of warm water.
- Squeeze out as much water as you can from the cloth and wipe the board properly.
Cleaning a Chalkboard Occasionally
At times, using water alone can leave some residue behind. If this happens with you, then every once in a while, clean the board with the following solutions.
Water and White Vinegar
- Wipe a chalkboard wall or table with an all-felt eraser according to the method we mentioned earlier.
- In a bucket, mix 4 cups of lukewarm water with ½ cup of distilled white vinegar.
- Dip a clean, soft cloth in the mixture and squeeze out as much liquid out as possible.
- Thoroughly wipe the wall and let it air-dry completely.
Water and Dishwashing Liquid
- Wipe the board with an all-felt eraser according to method we mentioned earlier.
- Fill a bucket with lukewarm water and add few teaspoons of mild dishwashing liquid.
- Dip a clean, soft cloth in the solution and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
- Wipe the board properly one more time.
- Dip the cloth in another bucket filled with clean water, and squeeze out water.
- Finally, wipe the board one last time and let it air-dry completely.
Lemon Oil
- Drop 2 teaspoons of lemon oil in the middle of a clean, soft cloth.
- Fold the cloth into a square and place it inside a Ziploc bag overnight.
- The next day, wipe the board with an all-felt eraser according to the method we mentioned earlier.
- Remove the lemon oil-soaked cloth out of the bag, and wipe the board with it properly.
Coca-Cola or Pepsi
- Wipe a chalkboard wall or table with an all-felt eraser according to the method we mentioned earlier.
- Fill the bottom of a bowl with the drink and dip a soft sponge.
- Squeeze out some liquid so that the sponge isn’t soaking wet or dripping.
- Wipe the wall in sections.
- If you have to cover a large area, rinse the sponge thoroughly with water and then dip it back into the soda to wipe the next section.
Windex
- For a chalkboard that has been written on with liquid chalk, firstly, you’ll need a bottle of Windex.
- Spray some Windex on the entire board and let it sit for some time.
- With a clean, soft cloth, wipe the board properly.
- If the writing is still visible, follow the same steps one more time to get the liquid chalk out.
Non-abrasive Cleaner
- In order to remove crayon or pencil marks off the board, spray a non-abrasive, non-oily cleaner all over the board.
- Let it sit for a few minutes and wipe it with a clean, soft cloth according to the method we mentioned earlier.
- If this doesn’t work, then follow the steps mentioned in technique #3.
As there are various methods to thoroughly wipe/clean a chalkboard or a wall/furniture painted with chalkboard paint, try all the techniques to find the one that suits your needs the most. Finally, if you still feel that a store-bought cleaner (designed specifically for this task) will do a better job than any of these homemade cleaning solutions, then it’s best to follow your instincts.