How To "Refill" Permanent Markers

You can "refill" or extend the life of an alcohol-based permanent marker, such as a Sharpie marker, with rubbing alcohol. Pop off the end cap of the marker, slowly apply a few drops of rubbing alcohol into the ink sponge, and replace the end cap. After settling a few minutes, the marker will start writing pretty well, but the color of the ink will not be as intense as before. This is good enough for general use until you can buy a replacement.

I tried 70% rubbing alcohol in my permanent markers with good results, and, since the alcohol is what dissolves the left-over ink, I'm not sure that the 50% variety would do as well. Pliers can help pop off the end cap, and a saturated cotton ball is useful for applying the drops. The ink sponge isn't very large, so it takes only a few drops before absorption visibly slows down. It'll be interesting to see how long these refilled markers last.

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