Cleaning permanent marker off of Equitainers?

[rideagoldenpony]

With breeding season almost upon us, I was tidying up my Equitainers this afternoon. My "backup" containers are the smaller ones, and as I bought them used, someone had written ALL over them with permanent marker. Not to mention one of the newer ones I have, they wrote right on it at the post office! I'd love to get these cleaned up a little better -- but I'm not sure what to use to remove the permanent marker -- or even IF there is any way to do that!

Also, it might have been Kathy who suggested running the isothermalizers through the dishwasher. I've never done that, but I'd like to try it. Is there anything I need to know in advance?

[FLIPPED HER HALO]

Are they plastic? If so, I always use finger nail polish remover to get permanent marker off of things (tuperware etc).

[arnika]

I have a pen at work that removes permanent Sharpie ink from plastic transparencies. I can't remember the name but will try to check on it on Monday.

[risingstarfarm]

Acetone - I believe found in nail polish remover - will remove permanent marker.

[Brockstables]

SOMETIMES Purell hand sanitizer removes permanent marker. Got it off my coffee table, my car interior, my white leather couch, and my coat. No guarantees it won't harm the fabric a bit, but since you are removing the marker from plastic containers, it can't hurt to try! Let it soak a bit, then rub vigorously with a rough towel of some sort.
And keep permanent markers out of the hands of dangerous marker-uppers!

[Griffyn]

if you scribble over the perm marker with a wipe off marker, and then wipe it off, both will usually come off. Works on dry erase boards that accidentally get sharpie marker on them

[Hillside H Ranch]

If you have some lying around (a lot of horse people do) you can use a tiny amount of DMSO. But please wear gloves while doing this!

[Daventry]

We ran into this dilemma after purchasing several Equitainers off of eBay. The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser took the marks off of ours.

[sniplover]

Most permanent marker inks are ethanol-soluble. If you have any laying around (even if you need to raid the bar for vodka) a little bit should dissolve it and it'll wipe off. There are some ethanol-insoluble ones around as well, but they tend to be very fine point for writing on test tubes and the like.

Becareful with acetone; it can and will dissolve some plastics!!

[092556]

WD40 works great, takes off the residue from old labels too.

I always cleaned up the Equitainers before returning them, they look almost new. I started doing it years ago when I was breeding to a friend's popular WB stallion as a favor, she started sending me the Equitainers that where the worst condition but I always got put at the top of the list for semen going out the day I needed it. Some stallion managers are not good about keeping track who has returned the Equitainers, I can always say "Is There a real clean one? That's mine."

[Delkredere]

I have a used one I just purchased and it has marker all over the side of it. I tried, nail polish, WD40, googone, and it took surface marker off, but not the marker 'bled' into the plastic. Anything else I can try?? Hubby used a bit of sandpaper on a small part... I was like NNNNNOOOOOO..... but the damage had already been done.

So, any other suggestions? I am at the point of simply covering that side with something. I just don't think this stuff is going to come off.

[rideagoldenpony]

I have a used one I just purchased and it has marker all over the side of it. I tried, nail polish, WD40, googone, and it took surface marker off, but not the marker 'bled' into the plastic. Anything else I can try?? Hubby used a bit of sandpaper on a small part... I was like NNNNNOOOOOO..... but the damage had already been done.

So, any other suggestions? I am at the point of simply covering that side with something. I just don't think this stuff is going to come off.

I haven't had a chance to try any of the above ideas yet. But what I did with mine was print out a full sheet that said Return To: with my adddress on it in big letters. I then used LOTS of packing tape all over the sheet of paper and the whole exterior so there was nothing to catch on anything!

[Katy9532]

aerosol hairspray gets permanent marker off!!!

[Tasker]

This is probably a feeble request but I'm going to throw it out there...

If any of the Equitainers happen to have Watermark Farm, 101 Muddy Run Road, Oxford PA 19363 or William & Anne Rawle on them...please let me know. We've had 15 Equitainers go 'missing' over the years and no reimbursement, so while we won't ask for them back (they've been replaced) it would be nice to figure out where they've have ended up.

TIA.

[Delkredere]

Tasker... Didd you track who you sent them to? That is alot of lost $ over the years. Do you charge for a deposit on them?? Might be a thought. Or ask for a CC# to hold on file that will be charged if it is not returned.

I usually use the cardboard ones, but found a deal on one, and jumped on it. I bought this one from a breeder who's stallion died and she was selling because she didn't need it anymore. I don't know if I should scribble over the old writing, and then tape a piece of laminated paper with my info on it. Looks like the only option right now :(

[Tasker]

D - These Equitainers are from the days before breeders (us included) got security deposits, collection fees, handling fees, airline fees...all of that stuff used to be included in the STUD FEE when our contract was nice & simple. And if it took 8 collections for the mare to take, well, the MO had paid the stud fee, so what's the problem? :winkgrin: And it is a nice chunk of change that certainly adds up over the years. The lack of return on these is one of the reasons we use a place like SBS who is set up to deal with non-payment, broken/damaged Equitainers or those that get 'lost' in transit.

This isn't to imply that anyone has any of our old shippers...it is just a request that if anyone comes across one, it would be interesting to learn where the Equitainer is at this point regardless of how it got there. The Muddy Run Road address is the giveaway that these are older Equitainers, too...the road got renamed about 15 years ago.

[SpruceLane]

I have a used one I just purchased and it has marker all over the side of it. I tried, nail polish, WD40, googone, and it took surface marker off, but not the marker 'bled' into the plastic. Anything else I can try?? Hubby used a bit of sandpaper on a small part... I was like NNNNNOOOOOO..... but the damage had already been done.

So, any other suggestions? I am at the point of simply covering that side with something. I just don't think this stuff is going to come off.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em...meaning if the removal of the old marker is not working why not get a can of spray paint the same colour as the Equitainer and spray paint the bottom. Voila! Fresh canvas for your details.

My dear sweet father did mine when I got a pair of used containers. Thanks Dad!!!

[SportNCurls]

plain old Rubbing alcohol

and there is now a perm spray paint made for plastics.. (I like Krylon paints) I used it to freshen some of my childrens' outdoor hard plastic play things such as tables and slides.. worked really well even repainted an old plastic bouncy horse looked new.

[Fred]

some great suggestions here,thank you!
I have tried the MrClean scrubbers, and they work ok, but I will certainly give some of the other suggestions a try.

Don't you just hate it when a brand new equitaner comes back with big post office/fed ex scrawls all over it?

aaaargghhh.

[ise@ssl]

Avon Skin So Soft.
I use it for cleaning paint off my hands - even oil base. It takes it off most surfaces.