diff --git a/drf_renderer_xlsx/renderers.py b/drf_renderer_xlsx/renderers.py
index a2b7469..081b8b9 100644
--- a/drf_renderer_xlsx/renderers.py
+++ b/drf_renderer_xlsx/renderers.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from collections.abc import MutableMapping, Iterable
 from django.utils.dateparse import parse_datetime
 from openpyxl import Workbook
+from openpyxl.cell.cell import ILLEGAL_CHARACTERS_RE
 from openpyxl.styles import PatternFill, Border, Side, Alignment, Font, NamedStyle
 from openpyxl.drawing.image import Image
 from openpyxl.utils import get_column_letter
@@ -305,6 +306,7 @@ def _sanitize_value(self, raw_value):
         # prepend ' if raw_value is starting with possible malicious char
         if self.sanitize_fields and raw_value:
             str_value = str(raw_value)
+            str_value = ILLEGAL_CHARACTERS_RE.sub('', str_value). # remove ILLEGAL_CHARACTERS so it does'nt crash
             if str_value.startswith(ESCAPE_CHARS):
                 return "'" + raw_value
         return raw_value