How To Revive Dried Out Markers: Dry-Erase, Sharpies, & More

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow 3 Ways to Fix Your Dried Out Markers

Download Article Co-authored by Hunter Rising Reviewed by Renee Day

Last Updated: February 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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Dry-Erase Markers

Permanent and Alcohol-Based Markers

Water-Based Markers

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Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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This article was reviewed by Renee Day and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Renee Day is a Crafting Expert and Content Creator based in Michigan. She is a master of paper crafts, and also specializes in brush lettering, journaling, embossing, stamping, stenciling, doodling, and crocheting. Her Instagram account, thediyday, has over 300K followers. She published a book called Creative Journaling: A Guide to Over 100 Techniques and Ideas for Amazing Dot Grid, Junk, Mixed-Media, and Travel Pages. The book contains 52 projects, from crafting colorful pages to creating dot grid, junk, mixed-media, and travel journals. She also created Chunky Letter Calligraphy, a 30+ page (PDF) all about lettering. She runs a thriving Amazon Storefront, where she curates craft supply collections for her followers. She previously worked as a photographer, capturing engagement sessions, weddings, boudoir, and landscapes. She received a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,360,098 times.

Have you ever needed to write or draw something, but the marker you’re using looks faded and dried out? Rather than throwing the markers away when they stop working, there are a lot of things you can do to get a little more life out of them. Keep reading for all of the best ways you can revive dry-erase, permanent, and water-based markers so the ink stays vibrant and easy to see!

Things You Should Know

For dry-erase markers, pull out the tip with pliers and flip it to the other side. Alternatively, try twirling the marker on a string to force ink to the tip.
For permanent or alcohol-based markers, soak the tip in 90% rubbing alcohol to rewet it. You can try filling the marker with rubbing alcohol as well.
For water-based markers, dip the nib in water before using the marker. You may also spritz the tip with glycerin or filling the marker with water.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Dry-Erase Markers

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1 Pull out and flip the marker nib if you need a quick fix. Pinch the soft felt nib with a pair of needlenose pliers and pull it straight out from the marker. Turn the nib 180 degrees so the part that was inside of the marker now points out. Then, carefully push the nib back into the end of the marker so it’s ready to use again.[1] X Research source
- This works best for dry-erase markers that have a chisel-shaped nib.
- Work over a sink or put some paper towels down in case leftover ink comes out from the end of the marker.
- The ink will soak through the dried end of the tip again, so you can try flipping the nib if the marker ever dries out again.
2 Swing the marker on a piece of string to move the ink to the tip. Put the cap on your marker and make sure it’s secured tightly. Wrap a piece of string or dental floss around the end of your marker. Secure the string with a piece of masking tape, leaving about 1–2 feet (30–61 cm) of loose string. Hold onto the end of the string and spin the marker over your head like a lasso for 10–15 seconds.[2] X Research source
- The force from spinning your marker will push all of the ink to the tip so you can get a little more life out of it.
- You may be able to get similar results just by shaking the marker in your hand.
- If you need to revive multiple dry-erase markers, put them in a cup with the tip side down. Tape the string to the outside of the cup and quickly spin it around. The force from spinning the cup will keep the markers from falling out.
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3 Add more ink to your marker if it’s refillable. Get a dry erase ink refill for the color of your marker. Unscrew the tip from the main barrel of the marker and set it vertically on your table. Use a dropper to add the ink to the marker barrel until it’s full. Screw the tip tightly back onto the marker.[3] X Research source
- If your marker doesn’t come apart, getting a new marker may be the best solution.

Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Permanent and Alcohol-Based Markers

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1 Soak the tip of the marker in rubbing alcohol to rewet it. Fill a small bowl with 90% rubbing alcohol so you have enough to submerge the tip of your marker. Keep your marker vertical so the tip points down and dunk the tip in the alcohol. Leave the marker until you see the ink start to run in the liquid. Then, just take the marker out, put a cap on it, and let it sit for 15 minutes before using it again.[4] X Research source
- Tape your marker to the edge of the bowl or lean it up against something so it stays upright.
2 Pour rubbing alcohol inside the marker to draw out leftover ink. Grip the end of the permanent marker just above the nib with a pair of needlenose pliers. Gently pull the tip off of the main barrel of the marker to expose the ink pad inside. Fill a dropper with your rubbing alcohol and squeeze a few drops into the opening at the end of the ink pad. Push the pieces of your marker back together and wait 1–2 minutes before using it again.[5] X Research source
- Be careful handling the ink pad since it could get permanent marker ink on your skin.
3 Store your marker with the cap on and tip pointed down to keep it wet. Permanent markers and alcohol-based felt-tip markers can dry out when you store them horizontally or upright with the tip face-up. Put the caps tightly on your markers and set them with the tip down in a cup or pencil holder. That way, gravity pulls the ink to the nib so it’s ready to use.[6]

Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Water-Based Markers

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1 Dip the tip of the marker in warm water before using it to easily rewet the tip. Keep a small bowl of warm water near you whenever you need to use your markers. If the marker is dried out and not writing well, quickly dunk the tip in warm water and shake off the excess. The water will help the ink move through the dry nib so it’s easier to write with.[7] X Research source
- This also works well for highlighters since they’re water-based.
- When you’re finished using your markers, dip the tips in the water for 5 seconds before putting the cap on them. Then wait 1 day before using them again.[8]
2 Try spraying a glycerin solution on the nib for a quick refresher. Fill a small spray bottle with 1 part glycerin and 3 parts water. Spritz the tip of your marker with your glycerin solution right before you use it to help the ink move through the nib smoothly.[9]
3 Pour water into the marker to rewet any leftover ink. Grip the nib with a pair of needlenose pliers and carefully pull it straight out from the end of the marker. Hold the marker vertically and splash a few drops of water into the barrel and onto the nib. Then, just push the nib back into the end of the marker and try using it again.[10] X Research source
- Avoid completely filling the marker with water since it will dilute the ink and make it less visible.
4 Store the marker with the tip pointed down to revive the marker in 1 day. When you’re finished using the marker, put the cap on tightly and put it in a cup or pencil holder so it stays vertical. After a day, gravity will help any of the remaining ink flow into the nib so you get a little extra life out of your markers.[11]

Expert Q&A

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Question How do I revive alcohol markers? Kieren Dutcher Professional Artist Kieren Dutcher is a Professional Artist and a Teaching Artist at the NIAD Art Center in Richmond, California, and other venues around the Bay Area. With 30 years of experience, she specializes in colorful illustrations inspired by folk art, nature, and color. Kieren earned her Master of Education in Art Education from San Francisco State University and her BFA from the California College of the Arts. Her work has been published by St. Martin's Press, Uppercase Magazine, Highlights Magazine, in hospitals, and on TV. Her picture book Chinese and English Nursery Rhymes: Share and Sing in Two Languages (2010) won best book of the year from the Chinese American Library Association. Kieren Dutcher Professional Artist Expert Answer When alcohol-based markers like Copic sketch markers dry out, replace the ink with a refill. It's important to put the cap on securely so they don't dry out. Storing them with the tip down can also help. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1
Question Does this work with Crayola markers? Community Answer Yes. It works fine with Crayola markers. Just do the water based markers step. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 43 Helpful 197
Question How do I revive Chromatix markers? Padma Balaji Community Answer The alcohol method would probably work best, because Chromatix pens are alcohol-based. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 29 Helpful 92

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Tips

Put the marker caps on tightly so the tips are less likely to dry out in between uses.[12] Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
Wear gloves while you’re reviving markers so you don’t get any on your skin. Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 8

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

For alcohol-based markers, you can refill the marker itself with rubbing alcohol to revive it. Just remove the tip first.
Check the weight of a marker before buying — lighter ones tend to be dried out already.
Smaller markers tend to dry out faster than larger ones, so size matters when buying.
Be careful taking caps off markers — it can make a mess if not done over a sink.
When reviving, test on scrap paper first before using on anything important.
Use plastic gloves instead of rubber gloves so you can toss them after use.

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Warnings

If your marker still doesn’t work after you try reviving it, then it may be completely out of ink and needs to be replaced. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 5