The Monday meeting starts, and last week's targets are still on the board as a grey haze that no eraser will shift. Knowing how to clean a whiteboard properly fixes most of this in minutes, and a few habits stop the haze coming back.
This guide covers daily wiping, ghosting and dried marker, what each surface can take, and when a board needs replacing. The erasers, kits and refills below are in our whiteboard accessories range.
How to clean a whiteboard every day
Wipe the board soon after each meeting, while the ink still sits on the surface. Marker left on for days bonds more firmly and starts to leave a shadow. Use a clean, dry eraser in long, overlapping strokes so loose ink lifts away instead of smearing.
An eraser that stays on the board gets used. Our magnetic Cleaning Accessories ($5) come as a soft foam eraser measuring 115 x 60 x 20 mm, or as an all-in-one eraser, 50mm in diameter, that holds the black whiteboard pen supplied with it.
Once a week, give the board a wet clean. Spray whiteboard cleaning fluid on the board or a cloth, wipe the whole surface, then buff it dry with a microfibre cloth.
The LUMIÉRE Premium Starter Kits (from $32) put that routine in one box: a 237ml pump pack of cleaning fluid, a black microfibre cloth and a strong magnetic eraser with a replaceable fabric pad. The whiteboard kit adds 8 chisel tip markers, while the glassboard kit adds 6 bullet point markers and a magnetic pen and eraser caddy.
Removing ghosting, dried marker and permanent ink
Ghosting is the faint shadow of old writing that stays after you wipe. It builds up when ink sits for days, when a dirty eraser smears residue around, or when the surface is worn. Start gently and stop when the shadow is gone:
- Wipe with a clean, dry eraser to clear loose ink.
- Write over the shadow with a fresh dry-erase marker and wipe it straight off. The fresh ink loosens the old residue.
- Spray board cleaning fluid on the area and wipe with a microfibre cloth.
- Finish with a cloth dampened in clean water, then dry the board fully.
The same trick rescues a board after someone grabs a permanent marker. Trace over the permanent ink with a dry-erase marker, wipe it off while it is wet, and repeat until the mark fades. Deal with it the same day, as permanent ink gets harder to move the longer it sits.
A dirty eraser spreads ink instead of lifting it, so replace the pad once it turns grey. The Lumiere Premium Glassboard Accessories (from $5) are sold separately, including a 237ml board cleaning spray, a strong magnetic eraser and replacement pads, 125 x 45mm, in a pack of 5.
What to avoid on painted, porcelain and glass surfaces
Many budget boards are painted steel, where the paint itself is the writing surface. Porcelain, also called vitreous enamel or ceramic steel, is fired onto steel and is much harder. Glass is non-porous, so ink sits on top. On all three, avoid:
- scourers, cream cleansers and abrasive foam sponges, which dull the surface;
- strong solvents and general-purpose sprays, which can soften paint or leave a film;
- soaking the board, as water that runs into the frame is hard to dry;
- tape on the writing area, which leaves adhesive behind;
- permanent markers of any kind.
The LX6 Slim Edge Magnetic Whiteboard (from $243) has a hardwearing magnetic surface for general use, made for drywipe pens and guaranteed for 8 years. For boards in use all day, the LX8 Slim Edge Magnetic Porcelain Whiteboard (from $296) has a porcelain (vitreous enamel) surface. Its page calls it highly resistant to scratches and stains, with a 25 year life time guarantee.
Cleaning glass whiteboards without streaks
Glass resists ghosting, but its glossy face shows smears. Wipe off the ink, clean with board fluid and a microfibre cloth, then buff with a dry cloth. Keep metal scrapers and scourers away from the glass.
The Accent Ultra-White Glassboard - Magnetic (from $93) is toughened ultra white 4mm safety glass, and its page says the non-porous glass cleans quickly with no ghosting. It mounts with no visible fixtures and carries a 5 year warranty.
A dark board shows every streak, so give it a final dry buff. The Glassboard - Lumiere Magnetic Black (from $406) is 4.5mm toughened safety glass, and its page says the surface will not ghost or stain over time. It has a 50 Year warranty on the erasing surface.
Here is how the four boards in this guide compare.
| Board | Surface, as stated | Guarantee | Cleaning notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LX6 Slim Edge Magnetic Whiteboard | Hardwearing magnetic, general use | Surface guaranteed for 8 years | Dry wipe daily, fluid weekly, no abrasives |
| LX8 Slim Edge Magnetic Porcelain Whiteboard | Porcelain, scratch and stain resistant | 25 year life time guarantee | Same routine; fluid lifts stubborn marks |
| Accent Ultra-White Glassboard - Magnetic | Toughened 4mm safety glass, non-porous | 5 year warranty | Fluid and microfibre, then a dry buff |
| Glassboard - Lumiere Magnetic Black | 4.5mm toughened safety glass, will not ghost | 50 Year warranty on the erasing surface | Buff dry, as streaks show on dark glass |
When a whiteboard is worn enough to replace
No routine to clean a whiteboard can restore a surface that has worn through. Replace the board when ghosting survives a full clean, when scratches or dull patches hold ink, or when fresh writing looks faint in one area but not another.
Porcelain or glass is the usual step up for a busy room. Our magnetic whiteboards and glass boards hold more sizes, and our guide to choosing a magnetic, glass or mobile whiteboard compares the types side by side.
Whiteboards in Australian offices and classrooms
Australian schools run on four terms, and each break is a natural time to deep clean every classroom board. In offices, a quarterly sales tally or a financial-year plan often stays up for weeks, which is exactly how ghosting starts. Clean long-running boards fully at the end of each quarter.
If contract cleaners look after your office, leave board fluid and a microfibre cloth beside each board, because a general-purpose spray from the trolley can leave a film. Summer heat also dries out uncapped markers, so cap them after every use.
Each product page has a Delivery line naming the metro cities it can be delivered to. The LX8 goes to metro Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide but not WA, while the other products here also reach metro Perth.
Whiteboard cleaning — frequently asked questions
What is the best way to clean a whiteboard?
The best way is a dry eraser after every use and a weekly wet clean with whiteboard cleaning fluid and a microfibre cloth. Dry the board afterwards, and replace eraser pads once they turn grey.
How do you get rid of ghosting on a whiteboard?
Write over the ghosting with a fresh dry-erase marker, wipe it straight off, then clean the area with board fluid and dry it. If the shadow returns after a full clean, the surface is probably worn.
How do you remove permanent marker from a whiteboard?
Trace over the permanent ink with a dry-erase marker and wipe it off while the new ink is wet. Repeat until the mark fades, then finish with cleaning fluid.
Do glass whiteboards ghost?
Glass boards resist ghosting because the surface is non-porous. The pages for both glass boards in this guide state that they do not ghost.
Shop the range
Every product in this guide is listed below in the order it appears. Our whiteboard accessories, magnetic whiteboards and glass boards hold the full range.
- Cleaning Accessories ($5): magnetic foam or all-in-one erasers that stay on the board between meetings
- LUMIÉRE Premium Starter Kits (from $32): markers, eraser, cloth and cleaning fluid in one kit for a new board
- Lumiere Premium Glassboard Accessories (from $5): cleaning spray, a magnetic eraser and replacement pads, each sold separately
- LX6 Slim Edge Magnetic Whiteboard (from $243): a slim-edge general-use board with a surface guaranteed for 8 years
- LX8 Slim Edge Magnetic Porcelain Whiteboard (from $296): a scratch and stain-resistant porcelain board for rooms that write all day
- Accent Ultra-White Glassboard - Magnetic (from $93): a non-porous glass board that wipes clean with no ghosting
- Glassboard - Lumiere Magnetic Black (from $406): a black glass board with a 50 Year warranty on its erasing surface
Metro delivery is a flat $75 per order, and prices include GST.
