Six Unexpected Household Uses for Dry-Erase Markers

You've definitely used dry-erase markers to mark up a whiteboard in a classroom or at the office—they’re so ubiquitous, they’re even replicated in apps that allow you to keep a whiteboard in your pocket. But have you used them "off label"?

There are some uses for dry-erase markers other than the obvious that are actually pretty clever. Given that they’re super cheap, long-lasting, and can often be revived or refilled after drying out, they may be worth keeping around even if you rarely use a whiteboard.

Take notes on glass, stainless steel, and more

You can use dry-erase markers on a lot more surfaces than just a whiteboard—just about any non-porous surface can be used as a dry-erase board, including glass, stainless steel, and plastic. These markers use a silicone polymer that prevents the ink from penetrating the surface, allowing it to be wiped away, allowing almost any smooth, polished surface to serve as a canvas.

If you’re tired of using paper notes for your to-do lists, shopping lists, and friendly reminders to spouses, children, and roommates, use dry-erase markers instead.

• Use them to write messages on a stainless-steel fridge reminding partners, kids, and roommates of important chores or appointments.

• If you and your housemates are on different schedules, write notes on car windows, or bathroom mirrors to stay in sync (or just say hello).

• Invest in some whiteboard paint in the kitchen or entryway and scribble your reminders there.

Mark your measuring tape

You can use dry-erase markers on most metallic tape measures too. You might wonder why this is useful, since tape measures are already marked up with the relevant information, but it can be very handy in a couple of ways:

• It allows you to mark different lengths on the tape so you can measure once and then make multiple cuts.

• It allows you to have a record of a measurement right on the tape so you can more easily reapply the same measurement in various locations.

• You can make notes about each measurement to remind yourself what each tick means (e.g., “length of shelf” or “stud from corner”) to add context to your measurements.

You can buy tape measures that have a built-in note-taking feature, but they’re slightly less useful because your notes won’t be directly visible by the measurement.

Label your food

When you’re storing food in freezer bags or plastic or glass containers, a dry-erase marker is the perfect way to write down all the relevant information about what you put in there and when. A permanent marker means you can't as easily change out the contents of a container or bag, while a dry-erase marker lets you reuse them over and over without any confusion or mess of strikeouts.

Create wine glass labels

Next time you’re hosting a party, skip the little glass charms that force people to remember which avatar represents them, and just write their names on the outside of the glass with a dry-erase marker. These can also double as place cards at the dining table if you have a specific seating arrangement you want to preserve.

You can buy specific “wine glass markers” to accomplish this, but if you have some dry-erase markers lying around the house, they'll work too.

Amuse your kids with a nifty science experiment

If you’ve got a brood of bored children to keep busy, try this combination science experiment and magic trick, which you've probably seen on Instagram: Give everyone a plate and a set of markers and let them decorate the plate any way they want. Then cover the plate surface with water and wait a few moments—the ink will pull away from the plate and float in the water while retaining its shape. It’s a fun activity for kids that can be repeated as often as necessary for you to enjoy a little peace and quiet.

Remove permanent marker stains

Of course, one infamous use for dry-erase markers is removing marks made with permenant markers. This will work on just about any surface that a dry-erase marker would normally work on—that is, smooth, non-porous surfaces. Permanent marker on different kinds of surfaces (your walls, for example) will likely require a different solution. But if dry-erase marker wipes off the surface, it will probably take permanent marker along with it.