The Whiteboard Wizard

It's not the most exciting of topics but a clean whiteboard helps to focus the mind and makes the content easier to understand. So let's talk about effective cleaning equipment.

I used to spend too much valuable time trying to clean whiteboards before and after team sessions, where capturing and visualising ideas & concepts would only really be engaging on a bright, clean surface. Being frustrated at the lack of decent pens and cleaning equipment, I eventually bought my own. Wow, why hadn't I done it sooner.

I high alcohol content cleaner is vital. I use a Whiteboard cleaner and maintenance Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol 99.9% pure without additives. You can get them in 500ml and I used to be able to get it in a spray bottle, but have struggled to find these lately. Something like this is ideal:

So too is the cloth. Microfibre has a massive surface area, making for an efficient wiping and cleaning outcome. But it is also gentle on the whiteboard surface. Paper cloth is abrasive and damages the surface of the whiteboard, allowing ink to get engrained into the micro-scratches, which in turn makes cleaning even more difficult. This can arguably be reversed, see below.

Can old whiteboards be restored?

I have tried a few different techniques and the one that worked best for me was using a car wax. Before writing this article I researched online to see what others have tried and what was successful. Success rates understandably varied but a standout success story is below:

I have been very successful at reconditioning white boards by following these steps.

1. Wipe off the board of existing marks using the conventional felt eraser.

2. If there is any tape or sticker residue on the board or around the edges use an orange oil material such as Goo-Gone to remove it.

3. Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the board. For a badly gummed up board this will take some serious elbow work. I have cleaned with cotton cloth. Both seem to work equally well.

4. Let the cleaned board dry out completely.

5. Apply a generous layer of carnauba wax based auto finish to the white board. I have applied it using the small pad that comes in the car wax package but a cotton cloth can be used as well.

6. Let the wax dry for several days. It will look all yellowish colour, particularly if it was put in extra thick.

7. Use a microfibre cloth towel to rub off all the excess dried wax. This also requires some elbow grease and you want to really rub and buff the surface of the white board. If properly buffed out the board will be very smooth with none of the yellowish wax residue left anyplace on the board.