How to Clean a Chalkboard – 5 Tips for Keeping Chalkboards Clean

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Whether it be in the classroom, the specials board at a restaurant, or in the kids’ bedroom at home, chalkboards are a fun and creative way of playing, planning, learning and communicating.

However, chalkboards can also be a hassle to clean.

Many know of and have experienced the countless attempts of cleaning dusty erasers and boards. Do not fear – we are here to show you how to clean a chalkboard with our five best tips to make sure the chalkboard looks as good as new. We will outline the basic ways of how to clean a chalkboard as well as:

  • How to Clean a Chalkboard Without an Eraser
  • How to Clean Crayon off a Chalkboard
  • How to Clean an Old Chalkboard

Plus, we’ll also include some bonus tips on how to clean a chalkboard using household and natural products.

Chalkboard Cleaning – The O.G Method

Who doesn’t remember as a kid wiping the chalkboard down at the end of the day and someone going outside to bang two erasers together trying to rid them of chalk dust? Every couple of weeks, the blackboard might even get a wash with a sponge and water. But your chalkboard would still be left with some traces of dust or even a faint grey wash leftover. Time to learn how to clean a chalkboard like a pro! We will even explain how to get crayon off a chalkboard for those stubborn chalkboard stains.

Set Up A Good Routine

Try and clean your chalkboard after every use with an eraser. This quick and simple action will remove most of the dust and prevent significant build-up. Reducing build-up will make it easier to maintain and extend the lifetime of your board. Start in the top left-hand corner and work your way down to the boards bottom right to ensure you cover the whole area and use long, consistent strokes to ensure you remove as much dust as possible. 

While water can be an effective way to help clean your chalkboard it can also leave residual stains. Using as little water as possible, try using a squeegee after cleaning to remove excess water from the board and avoid any potential stains. Just like with your eraser, ensure you are using long consistent strokes to avoid any unwanted streaks.

Don’t forget: Although your board may look nice and clean and you are eager to use it again, make sure it has dried out before starting. Using chalk on a wet board will significantly increase build-up, which means more cleaning!

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How to Clean Crayon off a Chalkboard

Crayon pencil and ink stains can sometimes be a little harder to remove than the chalk and require extra attention. For these, try using a mild household cleaner that is non-abrasive and non-oily. There you go, now you know how to get crayon off of a chalkboard. Before cleaning make sure your bucket and cloth are free of any contaminants such as dirt and cleaning products for other surfaces.

How to Clean a Chalkboard Without an Eraser

No Eraser? No worries. It is still easy to clean your chalkboard using a dry cloth. Use it just like an eraser, if you want to go a step further use a dusting product on the cloth before wiping or even purchase a specific chalkboard cloth.

How To Clean An Old Chalkboard Using Natural Products

Want to know how to clean a chalkboard using natural products? It’s certainly possible! There are many natural products around the house which you can use to revive your dusty old chalkboard. Start with the same method of using an eraser or cloth to get off as much chalk dust as you can, working from top left to bottom right. 

Vinegar

Once you’ve done that, prepare a warm bucket of water with half a cup of vinegar. Use as much of this mixture with a cloth as needed to get those extra stubborn marks. White vinegar is best as it is free from colouring compared to other vinegar such as balsamic.

Lemon Oil

Prepare a small cloth with two teaspoons of lemon oil in a small Ziploc bag, letting it sit overnight to absorb the citrus oil. After letting it sit, wipe your chalkboard with the cloth to leave it smooth and clean of residue.

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How To Clean An Old Chalkboard Using Household Products

Using Cola

Although not a natural product, many of us have a bottle or two of cola around the house – at the least it is an expensive product that can be picked up from your local shops. Now I know what you’re thinking – isn’t it going to be messy, sticky and ruin my chalkboard? In actual fact, using cola is a fairly easy and effective way to clean a chalkboard.

This can also be an effective way to clean a chalk wall at home, which requires more attention and something you will definitely want free of dust and build up. Fill a bowl with enough cola to wet your cloth with and begin to wipe down your chalkboard. Once the cloth is dusty rinse it in the cola and repeat the process. Some higher use sections may require more attention, but you should quickly see the build-up coming off. Some even claim using cola to make your chalkboard look as clean as the day you bought it!

Dishwashing liquid

Dishwashing liquid is another great product to help you clean your chalkboard. Prepare a warm bucket of water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid in it and apply using a clean, soft cloth to your blackboard.

Windex

Windex is perfect for removing liquid chalk. All you need to do is spray some Windex onto your board and let it sit for a period of time before wiping it off with a soft cloth. If you can still see writing after the first run, repeat the process and it should be off in no time.

Shop Chalkboards Online Today

So, there you have it, now you know how to clean a chalkboard, how to get crayon off of a chalkboard and even how to clean a chalkboard without an eraser or using a can of coke! Here at Whiteboards and Pinboards, we offer a variety of blackboards for uses in offices, schools and retail spaces. We also provide fast and reliable shipping Australia wide. Check out our full range of chalkboards today or call us on 1300 849 152 to learn more.

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