Wet-wipe marker facts for kids
Wet-wipe markers, also known as wet-erase markers, are special pens used for writing on smooth surfaces. You might see them on restaurant menus, office calendars, or even mirrors and windows. They work well on any surface that doesn't soak up liquid, like plastic or glass. These markers are made from water, a sticky substance called resin, and a white powder called titanium dioxide.
How Wet-Wipe Markers Work
Wet-wipe markers are a lot like dry erase markers because they are used for similar things and come in many colors. However, they are different in an important way. Wet-wipe markers use a quick-drying liquid paste for their ink. This paste makes the marks semi-permanent, meaning they won't easily rub off.
Because the ink is a paste and not alcohol-based, you cannot wipe it away with a regular whiteboard eraser. You need a damp cloth to clean off the marks. This also means the paste is less likely to cause skin reactions than the dust from chalk or the alcohol in dry-erase markers.
Using Markers for Templates
Since wet-wipe markers are semi-permanent, people often use them to draw a base or "template." For example, teachers might draw lines on a whiteboard that stay there for a long time. Students can then write over these lines with dry-erase markers. The dry-erase marks can be erased without affecting the wet-wipe marks underneath. This is very useful for things like calendars or charts that need a fixed layout.
Markers and Projectors
In the past, wet-wipe markers were often used with overhead projectors. These projectors showed images from clear plastic sheets called transparencies onto a screen. Wet-wipe markers were perfect for writing on these sheets because they were easy to store and carry. This was much simpler than using a large chalkboard.
Today, most classrooms and offices use computer slide shows, like those made with PowerPoint. Because of this, overhead projectors are not used as much. This has also meant that wet-wipe markers are not as common as they once were. Still, they remain useful for many other tasks.
See also
- List of pen types, brands and companies
