Chalkboards exist to make our lives more convenient. They allow us to write down often-important information which can easily be wiped away at a later time. And, with the invention of chalkboard paint, more of us use chalkboards on a regular basis than ever before.
Whether you’re a teacher in a busy classroom, a business owner writing down menus on chalk paint, or a parent whose child loves to draw with chalk, there will come a time when you need to give your chalkboard a cleaning – and we don’t just mean a quick erase. Chalk does accumulate on a chalkboard over time, to the point that a layer of it covers the entire board and makes it difficult to write on.
Fortunately, giving your chalkboard a solid deep clean isn’t nearly as much of an ordeal as you may worry it is, especially when you have the most effective products in your arsenal. We’re gonna walk you through the process, and even share some do’s and don’ts along the way.
Can I Clean a Chalkboard with Water?
First things first: it’s natural to want to grab a cloth and some water in an effort to get that chalkboard clean once again. But, water alone will not be nearly as effective as you want it to be. If it’s all that you have available, it can do an okay job, but mostly, it’ll just pass the chalk residue around and around. You need something that’s capable of actually breaking up that residue, to make your chalkboard really look like new again.
Cleaning a Chalkboard without an Eraser
Good news folks, if you’ve lost your chalkboard eraser, you can still give the board a proper and effective cleaning. Really, any microfiber cloth will do just as good of a job at getting that chalk off of the chalkboard. This applies to both regular cleanings, and simply wiping chalk off after using the board to write something new.
Still, at the end of the day, a chalkboard eraser works best for erasing. Plus, it puts you at less risk of scratching your nails on the board, which is, understandably, something that most of us would really like to avoid.
How Often Should You Clean a Chalkboard?
How often you should clean a chalkboard really comes down to how often you use it, and how much chalk is used per session. To an extent, it also has to do with the quality of the chalk, as lower-quality chalk may be more likely to leave behind residue after it has been erased.
So, basically, if you’re using a chalkboard daily, then a weekly cleaning would probably make sense. But ultimately, you will know when it’s time to clean your chalkboard, as it will no longer look perfectly black.
What are the Best Products for Making a Chalkboard Look Brand New?
Like we said, water alone isn’t going to give your chalkboard the intensive cleaning that it probably requires after several uses. You need a product that’s capable of breaking down the chalk residue so that it lifts away from the surface and wipes away easily.
Thankfully, you don’t need to spend tons of money in order to find the ideal chalkboard cleaning product. Nor do you need to use harsh chemicals in order to get a solid clean. In fact, distilled white vinegar is considered one of the best products that you have lying around your house already. The acidity of the vinegar dissolves chalk easily so that it wipes away with minimal effort.
Even better, you can find natural, environmentally cleaning products made specifically for chalkboards, which are formulated to dissolve chalk quickly and effectively so that cleaning your board regularly takes little time and effort.
At Grab Green Home, we offer the most effective solution on the market, and on top of cleaning chalkboards, it’s equally effective at cleaning dry erase boards, blackboards and more. Included is a free microfiber cloth, so that you will have everything that’s needed.
Grab Green’s Whiteboard & Chalkboard Cleaner relies on natural, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly ingredients to get the job done, while allowing your chalkboard to look like new again. Just a couple sprays instantly breaks down all of that chalk residue so you can wipe it away with one swipe. It’s also a fragrance-free formula, meaning that there is no scent whatsoever, and no noxious odors of any kind.
What if My Chalkboard is Stained?
The most common stain you’ll find on a chalkboard is food or grease, and thankfully, you can remove it. Simply wipe down the stain with a damp cloth dipped in water. Once it dries, cover the stain in chalk and allow it to sit overnight, before using our cleaner spray to clean the chalk off. The chalk will absorb the stain so that it lifts away from the surface of the board.
Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Cleaning?
Chalkboards have a protective coating that makes them easy to wipe down, and even allows the chalk to stick to the board. Using a gentle spray like the chalkboard cleaner at Grab Green Home will not remove this coating, but if you’re using harsher cleaning solutions and materials, it may wear down over time. This is why we cannot stress enough, sticking to a natural and gentle cleaner, and only using microfiber to do the job.
