Permanent Stains: How Permanent Is A Permanent Marker?

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How permanent is a permanent marker? People are always getting dirty by accident or on purpose. Permanent Marker stains are difficult to remove if you don’t know which solvents to use. Many people use different household items to remove the stains. My hypothesis was if I were to dab the area where the permanent marker is with rubbing alcohol, then the rubbing alcohol will remove the ink better than the other solvents. This experiment was supposed to prove if vinegar, rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, or bleach would have removed the stain better off the pieces of fabric. I used two types of permanent marker: Type A and Type B. I used two types of markers to see if different brands would have affected the removal of the ink. Different color dyes also make a difference. So, I used a black permanent marker. Knowing which solvents can remove the ink can lead to the making of permanent marker removals, but most importantly, it can to remove the stain off your favorite shirt.
Permanent markers are made up of three ingredients: resin (polymer), colorant, and carrier, which is a solvent. A colorant is what gives a permanent marker its permanence and color. “Pigments do not fade like dyes nor do pigments bleed through paper.” (Allison, page 1). A dye is a coloring material that is dissolved in a solvent, such as water, to become a water soluble substance. On the other hand, a pigment is an insoluble substance. “Technically, a permanent marker need only meet these two qualifications to be considered permanent: it must use dyes or pigments, and it must adhere to most surfaces and/or be water resistant.” (Devlin, page 1). Solvents are used as the carrier in permanent markers. Resin is a substance that adds the “adhesion...

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... surface, one can rub rubbing alcohol onto it and it will vanish. This relates to how bad attitudes and misfortunes aren’t permanent. If one perseveres, one may rid the negative attitude and adapt a positive attitude. This makes one a step closer to moralization and a step closer to self-actualization. To be self-actualized, one must help others fulfill their needs so that others may become self-actualized, as well. Also, positive attitudes are contagious, so one can pass it on to others. This experiment also relates to the quote “What goes around, comes around” because it takes an alcoholic substance to remove an alcoholic substance. That means that if one has a negative attitude and doesn’t change it, a misfortune may be fallen onto them. In conclusion, permanent markers can be removed by alcohol based substances, as negativity can be overcome with perseverance.

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