Pencil marks on paper can be frustrating. They show up when you’re trying to pencil in a drawing or if your pencil is too light for the paper being used for your artwork. Sure, penciling can be dealt with by an eraser, but that makes dark smudges all over the sheet.
How do we remove all pencil marks, then?
The good news is, you can get rid of pencil marks on paper without having to erase them; here’re the best tips to follow:
Contents
How to Get Rid of Pencil Marks on Paper with an Eraser?
Method 1: Use a Kneaded Eraser
The most common way to get rid of pencil marks on paper is by using a pencil eraser. And among various choices, a kneaded eraser will do a good job.
Rub the eraser over the marks until they are gone. Be sure to use a light touch, or you may end up smudging the ink as well.
Method 2: Use a Pencil Eraser & a White-Out
Suppose you have pencil marks on paper, but the pencil marks are not very dark or bold. In that case, you can use both methods mentioned above to get rid of them quickly.
Simply rub an old pencil over any ink that is still visible. Then dabs some white-out onto the end of another cotton swab and remove all remaining traces with ease!
Method 3: Utilize Hairspray & a Pencil Eraser
Hairspray is another excellent way to eliminate pencil marks if you have no other means available.
You can simply spray some onto one corner of a cloth or sponge and rub over pencil marks just as before! Be sure not to saturate your paper too much so that it does not become damaged by being wet for prolonged periods.
If this happens, hurry up and try rubbing out any excess water from your sheet once it has dried enough so that there are no more ripples on the surface.
Method 4: Combine Pencil Eraser & Rubber Band
If you have an old pencil that has already been sharpened down to just about nothing, you can use this to your advantage if there is still some ink on the page.
Simply hold one end of the pencil in between your thumb and forefinger so that only half of the lead is exposed. You can create tension against the paper as well as moisture from being pressed together.
Then simply run it lightly across any pencil marks until they are gone. This works best when used quickly before too much friction forms between the skin and moistened graphite.
Also, remember to sharpen pencils more frequently when using this method to avoid smudging.
How to Remove all Pencil Marks without an Eraser?
Method 5: Nail Polish Remover can be a Life-Saver
Suppose you have a lot of pencil marks on your paper and nothing else seems to work. Then, you can try using some acetone-based fingernail polish remover. Put a little bit onto a cotton swab and then rub it over the pencil marks until they are gone. Make sure that everything is dry before going ahead with whatever task needs doing!
Method 6: Mix Rubbing Alcohol & Water
Another way to get rid of pencil marks on paper is by mixing equal parts rubbing alcohol and water in a small bowl or cup.
Dip one corner of a clean cloth or paper towel into the mixture and then rub it over pencil marks, using light pressure. The pencil will come off with ease!
Method 7: Rub Toothpaste
If you have no other means of removing pencil marks on paper, you can try toothpaste as a last resort.
Put some onto a cloth or sponge and then rub it over the marks until they are gone. Be sure to wipe off any residue with a soft piece of cloth afterward, as toothpaste may not be good for your paper!
Method 8: Use Baking Soda Paste
Another way to get rid of pencil marks on paper is by making your own homemade paste using just three ingredients:
- Water
- Baking soda (or sodium bicarbonate)
- Corn starch
Mix warm water and some baking soda in the ratio of 1:2. Stir the solution a bit until it forms a nice thick slime-like consistency.
Then, you can take some of the mixture and put it on a piece of soft cloth or a cotton swab.
Afterward, dap and rub the pencil marks with the paste and let it sit for about 30 seconds till it dries.
Finally, you can wipe the mixture off with a paper towel.
Method 9: Use Some Baby Wipes
Last but not least, if you’re in a bind and have no other means available for getting rid of pencil marks on paper, try using baby wipes.
They may not be as effective as some of the other methods listed here, but they will at least get the job done in a pinch!
Conclusion
There are plenty of ways to get rid of pencil marks on paper. Still, the most effective ones usually involve using an eraser. So, if you wonder about the esiest ways to remove pencil marks, we recommend using a quality eraser with other items above.
Be sure to try out a few different methods and see which one works best for you, depending on the severity of the marks and how much time you have available!