Don't Throw Out Your Whiteboard Until You Watch This! | How To Renew Your Dry Erase Board + Update

[@c-qc-q2021]

Saved my 30 year old whiteboard that was stored in the garage for the last 15 years! With enough spritzed alcohol and elbow grease, 98% of the ghosting was removed. Thanks for the WD-40 tip/trick! I soaked the board and spread the WD-40 with a small sponge, let it sit for a couple of hours, then wiped it with a paper towel until the greasy-wet residue was gone. Looks great and works well!

[@JeremyBorumComposer]

11-minute video in short: Alcohol for little jobs, WD-40 if you want to leave a protective film behind.

[@malapoyo]

TY!

[@aquamagie]

Thank you

[@mattt6854]

Cheers!

[@best-pro570]

Thank you, the lady in the video is annoying and very slow. 🙄

[@qwantellatay]

Thank you!!

[@shikeridoo]

4:22 start. Great tips, thanks. - clean with alcohol - renew surface to 90% of new with WD-40 - redo when board gets bad again

[@mattlewandowski73]

I am designing a truck bed drawer system. This is a good idea for adding a slide out whiteboard in the drawer system (It makes it easy to work out plans with a group traveling together before hitting the road or trail, and also has potential since I am an Amateur Radio Operator and do Emergency Communications for organizing an emergency field communications center). It will not take much to add a slide out and tilt up panel to my design. I was researching where to find dry erase material when I found your $35 diy and this update. A fair bit of handy information, thank you.

[@neet6374]

In the video, Quynh Pham explains how to renew the surface of a dry erase board and also how to maintain it so that it stays easy to erase and prolongs the life of the board. The video starts with Quynh mentioning a video she made a year ago about creating a DIY giant whiteboard for $35. She then says that she received a few questions about how the board is holding up after a year of use and decided to make an update video. In the update, Quynh talks about the mounting method she initially used with command strips. Because the adhesive wasn't strong enough to hold the whiteboard up due to the heat, she switched to mirror mounts, which are sturdier. Next, Quynh discusses how the surface of the board after a year of use became harder to erase, especially for certain colors. She also noticed ghosting, which is when faint impressions of the marker remain on the board even after erasing. To address this issue, Quynh decided to refinish the board. The refinishing process involves using several items including three to four microfiber towels, isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle, and WD-40. Here are the steps involved: First, wipe off as much marker as possible with a dry microfiber towel. Then, use the isopropyl alcohol solution to remove any remaining marker, especially for stubborn colors. Once most of the writing is erased, use another clean microfiber towel with the alcohol solution to remove any leftover marker residue on the board. Be sure to use circular motions and keep the towel clean throughout this process. After the board is spotless, apply a very thin layer of WD-40 onto a clean microfiber towel. Work in sections across the board, applying the WD-40 in a thin layer similar to applying car wax. Finally, use a dry section of the same towel or another clean towel to wipe off any excess WD-40 on the board. The board should have a nice shine to it, but not look greasy. Quynh recommends doing this process every couple of months or whenever you notice the board’s erasing ability diminishing. This will help to prolong the life of your whiteboard and make it much easier to write on and clean.

[@q7winq7]

My home depot white board (4x8' cut to 3x4') I attached to my bathroom door (outside side with screws). I used a sharpie to make a calendar grid then used dry markers for the dates and notes on the inside. After a few months erasing, the dry markers won't come off. CLEANING THIS WAY: I put a gallon of hot faucet water in sink with dish soap to make soapy water. Wet a sponge or rag in the hot soapy water then just wipe over the whole thing first to "soak" the writing with soapy water. Wipe drips at bottom. Do this a couple or three times with the hot soapy water. Then use a fiber scrub pad and hot soapy water to "gently" scrub the marker area and then wipe dirty soapy water off - re-apply soapy water then wipe again. Do that for the whole board area. Dry with toilet paper or towel. Apply ISP alcohol to wad of toilet paper and rub onto stubborn shadows and dry with toilet paper. Use soapy water method before using alcohol as the alcohol "smears" the dry marker ink. After shadows removed, spray WD40 onto wad of toilet paper and smear on whole board. Let sit for couple of minutes and wipe it off with more toilet paper. (Micro fiber or towel if you don't want to use toilet paper.) I've been doing this for the same white board material for about ten years. If sharpie lines fade, just re-do with more sharpie pen. Cheers.

[@honortruth5227]

Apply a very light coat of WD-40 to a new white board before using it for the first time.

[@Mehwhatevr]

Wish I had done this.

[@JohnSanders33]

I used nail polish remover and it worked great!

[@monacosunshine]

I just found two of your videos helpful, thank you. OAN some people are so rude, don’t forget to black that crap. Your positive energy is precious.

[@QPlife]

Sesalee Boelter thank you so much for your kind words! 😊

[@tomservo75]

Thanks for making this! My whiteboard is not in as bad a shape, I wouldn't say I have ghosting per se, but I can see black and blue "speckles" in various places. The board is still usable and usually erases fine unless I've left the writing there a long time. Hopefully I'm not being over-picky and your solution will work for it too.

[@mayuresh1704]

Excellent! Best video on YT on this topic!👌

[@gloriabarajas7175]

Hi QP, I bought a white board this same way, I was about to throw it out because of everything in your video and searched others options and you came up. Thank you, I will try this and save my board :)

[@dancingpeanut106]

A magic eraser with a bit of water works great for my whiteboard!

[@hanuraob]

Thanks for updated video. This helps for my new board purchase.

[@Sebak222]

I really appreciate this video, Thank you!!

[@helenposee2508]

Starts at 7:27😊 you're welcome

[@lathankyles687]

Thanks cuz all the other stuff was unnecessary

[@orlandohernandez0908]

Thanks sweety... Going to finally clean mine the right way..

[@LesterElm1]

Another, if not better, way of renewing the surface is to use carnuba wax. Apply using the Mr. Miyagi method - wax on, wax off.

[@hollyallen6461]

Can't wait to try this on my classroom board!

[@mguess]

Thanks for the video. The process worked great on my kegerator Dry Erase tap handles.

[@QPlife]

mguess you’re welcome! so glad you found it helpful! 😊

[@RyanocerosNipples]

Worked a charm, thanks QP!

[@QPlife]

Ryan Nicholls so glad it helped! 😊

[@tcwrightmusic]

Thankyou so much. This helped me so much. Liked and subscribed!

[@tiffanytu3421]

Thanks for the video 😊 How does well the whiteboard erase for 1-month-old writing, 6-month old writing, or even 1-year old writing?

[@indo3052]

Do u think the quality of the whiteboard is different when diy vs actual whiteboard buy?

[@Blackaudix]

i love it so many ideas 💡 go on that whiteboard. I use it to design networks

[@yuranimations]

Hit like if you love Quynh

[@tarshiabaker4987]

Hand sanitizer works good on cleaning dry erase marker

[@juderogers4826]

So wierd that we’re both here right now

[@digiscrappin]

I took my white board to girls camp and got tree sap on it. Nothing took it off until I tried hand sanitizer. 😅

[@akshaymehmi4713]

For mounting the mirror mounts, did you have to use a stud finder to know where to mount them? Thanks!

[@hollythomas1545]

I wanna like but can't so here u go👍👍👍

[@tedhitsman841]

Only one method has worked for me: use a new whiteboard marker, any colour, and use it to scrub into the letters on the whiteboard. It will dissolve very old markings. Use a microfibre cloth to wipe off the inks. Then, finish with a Mr Clean white cleaning pad. This worked for me on a whiteboard with writing from 12 years ago.

[@marcusedwards9904]

thank you for making this.

[@keithclark8030]

Thanks for the video.

[@hariTheHuman]

hi Quynh, Hari from India here. Love that board there and nice video though. My both kids scribbled on the entire surface of my white 5X3 foot board almost 5 years ago. Now its fully dried up. After looking at videos like yours, i used alcohol and cleaned it. But those ghost marks are not going away even after rubbing it until my shoulders hurt bad. Did so for a couple of times but still can't lose those ghost marks on my board. Any tips you can suggest me?

[@KP-uo1gb]

Toothpaste will remove it. It will leave microabrasions though so you will need to do the WD-40 afterwards.

[@CesarCordova]

Perfect!

[@ytgodzilla]

Great tips. Thank you.

[@maxin3231]

Also W40 silicone, works best

[@jenvaher]

Do you wash the rags/microfiber cloths in warm water in washing machine??? Or do you toss them?

[@MelonBreadVR]

Video starts at 4:27

[@flyingumbreons]

Thanks

[@TheCanon66]

Thank you for this!

[@ginnyl7949]

How about doing a worn out one that you can see the dark board that suppose to be whiteboard .

[@danielkwon9540]

Texasssssss!! :) wife and I moved here last year :)

[@amillionwhooshes]

Thank you!! :D

[@ivygeni55]

I'm thinking of making my own DIY Whiteboard, and to prep way ahead, I'm thinking of getting the paint, and putting a coat or two on, so the problem of seeing the faded writing could be prevented. Do you think that is a good idea? Thank you for sharing these tips. I looked it up, the size I'd want on wheels is around $700, that is beyond crazy.

[@QPlife]

Rhonda Smith that’s a great idea! I can’t think of why it wouldn’t work so maybe worth a try. It really is ridiculous how much some dry erase white boards are, especially when most naturally lose their finish over time. I’ve had my board for almost 2 years now and as long as I use the wax trick once every few months, it works like any other whiteboard. If you do give it a try please let me know how it works out for you! I would love to know! 😊 thank you for watching!

[@sandEffect]

TOTALLY. Go for it! What you want should not be allowed to cost more than $100. It's basically a smooth board with Dry-Erase paint, and a way to hold it.

[@camibohn1017]

Did you try the paint? Was it easy to apply? How did it hold up? Thanks!

[@ivygeni55]

@@camibohn1017 No, haven't had a chance to try it. Life and Grandchildren got in the way.. So I ended up buying a small one from wm. The grands love it, might have to get them their own. I was going to use mine for DNA sorting, Notes, and Quickstarts for the next day. Maybe soon.

[@KJ7JHN]

Thanks for the update. I wish WD40 didn't evaporate. Thank you.

[@korganrivera4659]

I know this is an old video but: might be a good idea to use drill cleaning pads to apply and remove alcohol and wd-40 to the board. It would be less work.

[@QPlife]

That’s a great idea! I will totally look into that the next time I clean the board! Thank you! 😊

[@blackwidor]

Drills have cleaning pads? Oh my god! Thank you 😊 💓

[@tk421tt]

this video shoul've been 1 min max.

[@hammerandgrindpodcast]

Using straight Acetone will clean everything off the board with ease. Then use the WD-40 to treate it.

[@Mehwhatevr]

video starts at 4:26 Apply it like you would RainX... I wonder how well RainX would work

[@ge2719]

If it really is the oil in the wd40 that's doing the job then you could also just use mineral oil, which is used on tools to prevent rust, also known as baby oil.

[@sirivaniswathi7209]

thanks

[@itsamemario6588]

Actual video starts at 5:00

[@andylim6643]

Do you have a link to the mounts you used?

[@lauramay9717]

It worked !

[@mistylee717]

I want to make a white (dry erase) board with a permanent time line on it. Any suggestions? I was thinking I could just turn a regular board into a dry erase board after drawing the time line. Or is there a permanent marker that can be used on dry erase boards that won’t come off when you wipe off the other marks?

[@mattlewandowski73]

you can use paint or stickers on it. and yes some permanent markers (sharpie and that big black marker with the faceted cap (sorry I am forgetting the brand at the moment)) will mark a board so the dry erase does not work, but will wear off til they are barely visible. I have used pinstriping tape to make a grid on a dry erase board

[@NM-ql7ey]

My daughter used electrical tape to make grids. You could also use washi tape. Both can be removed later when you no lnger need them.

[@moondoggiemn9456]

FUN FACT: HEET in the red bottle is 99% IPA*, & it's cheap! It's available at every auto parts store, convenience store, & Walmart I've ever been in. (HEET is gas line antifreeze, so may be more difficult to find in the South.) *Isopropyl Alcohol

[@sunsethillwindowcleaning]

Cleaning off a white board with a bunch of tape… tip fron window cleaning 0000 STEEL WOOL. No scratches at all, takes the adhesive off wonderfully… if you pick up a beat up white board with adhesives on it

[@Bot]

Nice video, you’re channel is so underrated u should have 1 million+ subs!

[@QPlife]

You're so sweet! Thank you so much! Also, I'm sorry I've been horrible at responding to comments recently! I'm working on getting back to comments a lot quicker! 😄

[@raquelragon3251]

It's because of how long the video is.

[@xochiltjimenez3441]

What kind of clips did you use to hold your board up?

[@jeffgrimes7590]

Have you had issues with the board warping?

[@tk421tt]

if the board uses a porous substrate (such as MDF) make sure that it's sealed first before mounting to wall. you can use wood sealant or sanding sealer.

[@dflyingdragon]

thank you, I was just about to throw out my w/b

[@JasonLihou]

Errrrmmm, didn't really work that well for me, but thanks for the tip. I just wish Dry Wipe Markers actually dried to a powder that would easily wipe away. I'm sure I've seen some that do this?! I think that maybe glass boards are better.

[@thybigballs]

Don't use disinfectant wipes as it will leave a film of soap that will absorb the dry maker. Only use ISP alcohol.

[@Boom-oq5yj]

nah that doesn't work

[@thybigballs]

@@Boom-oq5yj if alcohol isn’t working then your board is already damage

[@devanshyadav6581]

I brought a new whiteboard yesterday but wheb wrote the first sentence on it and try to rub with a cloth it leave a black shade

[@chunnooviraj2336]

Make sure to remove the film sticked plastic from the new white board.. All whiteboards have a thin plastic on it, which should be removed before use..

[@tvandang3234]

Thanks Q. I think you should strap your micro fiber towel to your Homit electric brush cleaner and clean this board at an instance. 😁

[@QPlife]

ArtIntel lol! That is a brilliant idea!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@raquelragon3251]

I was thinking about a drill brush!

[@ksr8424]

I used hand sanitizer and it really worked well

[@mrunalsalgond2745]

Can we clean it by wet cloth

[@mehdighourchian7276]

I have just bought a whiteboard but i can't clean it easy,does it work for a brand new whiteboard too?

[@chunnooviraj2336]

Make sure to remove the film s sticked plastic from the new white board.. All whiteboards have a thin plastic on it, which should be removed before use..

[@JoseGarcia-ip4pl]

gracias

[@chunnooviraj2336]

Make sure to remove the film sticked plastic from the new white board.. All whiteboards have a thin plastic on it, which should be removed before use..

[@vk912399]

Sometime ago i bought white sunmica to diy my own whiteboard but unfortunately that sunmica a little texture 😢, so its not erased marker pen😫

[@ewliang]

Maybe I should apply some WD40 on a new board (planning to get one after I saw your initial video) after a quick wipe off of store dust. 🤔

[@fsmith68]

Alcohol in a spray bottle works like a charm w/o the greasy residue

[@paulthepainter2366]

This did not repair damage from a pencil eraser rubbed against dry erase board

[@chadfetter6085]

How long does the board smell after the WD40?

[@CoreySosner]

Magic eraser get it done quickly

[@RyanMcComas]

Hey Quynh! my whiteboard is feeling rough in some places and isn't as smooth, its doing the ghosting in those spots and when you write in those areas it sounds really bad. I was wondering if you think that the WD-40 might solve this problem?!

[@raquelragon3251]

That is LITTERALLY what she said you need to do in the video

[@arvindbhardwaj2982]

Please tell me how to remove scratches from whiteboard

[@LagrangePoint901]

I used 70% rubbing alcohol, ...no problem, took off old ink with ease.

[@JaydenLawson]

I'd imagine 2-3 coats, with drying in between coats, would bring it back to approaching 100% new

[@teacuptoe2143]

Has anyone done this, but applied the dry erase paint on the surface? 🎨🖌

[@kailove8767]

it just did'nt work for me. Maybe my board need more work

[@Rahmatali-oj8we]

शुक्रिया 🙏

[@eng1476]

4:31 is the DIY

[@myrajuju02]

Resurfaced it how???

[@MultiBranden123]

I didn’t even watch the video because it’s 11 minutes. So here’s what I got from the comments that’s way more useful than the video: 1. Wipe with alcohol 2. Apply WD-40 and let sit 3. Wipe WD-40 off after it sits It’s like seasoning a cast iron pan. You’re welcome. Like & Subscribe for more comment summaries so you don’t have to watch 11 minute videos about 10 second solutions 👍🏻

[@dhaimamartin6830]

Is there a way to make this magnetic?

[@ingefallang6762]

You can buy magnetic whiteboard paint!

[@raysofgreys]

Just saw someone suggesting a baking soda + vinegar mix, which will only create more stains, as the baking soda is abrasive and will cause micro scratches, trapping the ink!

[@DagrtOne]

Always remember to erase your boards with up-and-down strokes, never side to side. You don’t want that habit.

[@kickstand927]

When I used to record videos I would get the same comment about rambling. Now that I watch everything on KZbin and instructionals, I 100% agree & revise myself to read their criticisms as an nternet troll's way of providing constructive criticism. I mean let's be real, it's still the Internet cruel par for the course & it takes a bit to learn how to let it roll off your back.

[@ljk075]

Skip to 4:27 to see what’s this about

[@mariluvly]

Mr.Clean eraser works great for me on my board and fridge cause I use my fridge as a board in my kitchen

[@codytanksley6673]

magic erasers are melamine, so it removes the physical outer layer of most materials. highly suggest you don't use it!

[@elsen715]

So I did try this but I substituted some cooking oil for WD-40. ANd IT WORKS. Took a little elbow grease to get all the marker stains out. But anything oil based should be able to do this. You could probably try veg oil/sunflower oil, canola oil etc. etc.

[@QPlife]

That's great to know! Thank you for sharing! I will definitely keep that in mind 😊

[@natalijamoukminov9338]

cooking oil will eventually oxidize and leave some smell. WD-40 is 100% chemical, so wont oxidize.

[@AthenaLouise-yc1zb]

i used a permanent marker on my white board and i scrubed it off with the back of a sponge and it got scrached now i cant use it with my new white marker

[@drleo6409]

maybe EDITING the video with the command strips that fell after the room got to warm.would be a good idea.. My board fell and killed a my pet baby turtle. No just kidding. But perhaps a small white board would work with command strips.

[@QPlife]

kirk arnold unfortunately, I can’t go back and edit the video itself but I will definitely put it in the description. Thank you for the feedback!

[@drleo6409]

Thank you for noticing my reply and responding. I will keep watching your videos.

[@nxtsuh]

Tried this, it did not work at all. To reference, My whiteboard's coating is nearly gone. Marks of expo marker are still left after erasing the board, I thought cleaning it and putting a thin layer of wd40 would restore it like the video suggested, but it's still the same.

[@Katniss0000]

can't save a damaged whiteboard.This tip will just make the whiteboard more easy to erase. But if you can't erase it it means the board is already damaged.

[@ItCantRainForever2]

Interesting lol

[@miagizelettbatula7444]

does it covers the scratches? please help me

[@QPlife]

It covers very small surfaces scratches. It pretty much fills those in so that the ink doesn’t sink into the tiny scratches on the board which makes it difficult to remove. If you have deep scratches, this may not help. You can try going over it with a layer of whiteboard paint if it is severely scratched. I hope this helps 😊

[@miagizelettbatula7444]

Quynh Pham thank you btw how much does it cost?

[@QPlife]

Kim Austine the WD40 is pretty cheap. I’m not sure exactly but I’m pretty sure it is under $10. I think you can get whiteboard paint for a decent price also from the hardware store

[@ampzamp]

...one of the most striking Asian women I have ever seen! :)

[@prakharjainxi1353]

Please help me I use alcohol on my new board and it is not rubbing properly pls help 🥺🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭

[@QPlife]

Try working in small sections and apply liberally. Also, are you using alcohol or acetone? Acetone might strip the coating and damage it

[@prakharjainxi1353]

@@QPlife first thank you for reply . I was using hand sanitizer on my board but after the cleaning the board ,when I wrote something on board and rub the ink it is not rubbing properly and my board becomes very ruff . so, please help if you can . ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@QPlife]

@@prakharjainxi1353 see if you can get some isopropyl alcohol. Hand sanitizer has added ingredients that might leave a film behind. Once you’re able to get the board clean, get some WD40 and apply a thin layer on the board with a clean, dry towel