Urgent Help !!! Need to remove pen from tiles

[squashedfrog1]

I know this sounds weird but swmbo has used this method with success.

It works on ink on fabric so it wouldn't hurt to try it.

take some full cream milk and leave it in the sun to go off. Seriously. Must be full cream, must sour by itself, you cant accelerate it with vinegar or anything.

Then strain some of the lumpy bits into your fingers and sit them on the ink. On fabric the ink will actually bleed up into the milk solids. It might take a while though to get it up thru the tile. Not sure how that will go.

rinse with a mild vinegar solution.

[flashman1207]

mmm thats an interesting one.... will bear that in mind should nothing else work. Thanks

[Shedhand]

I did some research on the web and normally porcelain tiles are very good against stains as impervious layer forms when they are fired. When they get polished however, the pores in the tile are opened up thereby making them porous. makes sense I suppose. As for getting the mark out I guess it depends wether the ink can be 'drawn out' of the pores......

How many tiles we talkin' about here?

[flashman1207]

7 tiles, 600 x 300. I gave the following a go last night to no avail:

Thinners
Acetone
Screen cleaner
Whiteboard cleaner

None of them shifted the ink at all ......

As I am obviously gonna have to seal the tiles am gonna open a new thread on the subject?

[jimc]

Enjo make a marble paste to remove stuff nothing else will touch. I used that to remove leached in graphite from my porcelain floor tiles with lots of success.

an altenative, although much slower would be toothpaste.

You got to use major amounts of elbow grease and keep applying pressure to the pad/rag you use. Justr make sure its a little damp.

cheers

[Master Splinter]

Paint stripper (methylene chloride).

If that doesn't shift it, try bleaching it with the thickened (toilet cleaning) domestos.

If that doesnt work, then there are breakers available at bunnies for about $80. That'll get them (the tiles) off in no time.

[flashman1207]

Thanks everyone..... have tried just about everything.... gonna replace the tiles now.

[DJ’s Timber]

Dang, what a bummer. Hope this will be at the tilers cost?

[Barry_White]

Try and contact this lady. If she hasn't got an answer just replace the tiles.

http://www.abc.net.au/hobart/stories/s1628526.htm

[squashedfrog1]

definately try contacting Shannon Lush. She's the bee's knees when it comes to cleaning the most obscure things.

Nice one Bazza

[flashman1207]

Thanks all....

[Wood Butcher]

This maybe a dumb question, but what sort of tiler uses a pen to mark the tiles for cutting knowing it may stain the tiles. My FIL was a tiler and his comment on this is that this tiler is a complete wanker!

[gpkennedy]

There is a sponge product in supermarkets which I have used to remove ink stains from walls and furniture. One goes by the brand name Magic Sponge.
But there are other brands, including Chux Magic eraser (hard surface cleaner)
You use them with water. Give one a try. They are also good to clean grubby benchtops and similar.
If this does not work get a whiteboard marker, generally matching the colour of your tiles, and just dab a bit on the permanent stain and wipe off when still wet.

[flashman1207]

Tiler has replaced tiles, problem solved.... i guess he has learned a valuable lesson !!!! And so have I......

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

This maybe a dumb question, but what sort of tiler uses a pen to mark the tiles for cutting knowing it may stain the tiles. My FIL was a tiler and his comment on this is that this tiler is a complete wanker!