OS Cleaning Tips and Quick Questions...

grannigrunt

Does anyone know how to remove biro marks from leather, please? It's a burgundy leather suite and the marks are on the arm. I've read that hairspray works but am a bit worried it may spoil the leather by leaving a mark.

dandy-candy

Even with all the bicarb & vinegar eco goodness, or the "special" cleaning creams that won't scratch your surfaces, I still LOVE Vim!! It never let's me down and there is something massively satisfying about scrubbing the stickiest, greasiest surface clean in seconds without having to "Wait 2 minutes for the product to work". Now that it comes in a plastic container rather than the old cardboard one that got damp and unpeeled under the sink (and the tin top used to get a bit rusty) it is perfection Any other Vim fans?

Farway

I was a Vim / Ajax fan until my new plastic bath was installed, now it has to be Mr Muscle foamy stuff

Can't even use Vim on the stainless steel kitchen sink either as scratches the surface, and not on work tops for same reason

Gintotmelinda

Hi all

Stardrops-those of you that use it for general cleaning-how do you dilute it? OH put it neat into a spray thingy but I'm sure that's not right.

Thanks in advance

Gintot

judyb

Hello

Sorry to hear about your biro problem. Please do not use hairspray or baby wipes on your leather as both of these are likely to cause more damage to the finish on the leather.

For general ink removal guidlines:
It is crucial to know the type of leather you have before you try to remove ink from leather as some cleaners (particularly household cleaners ) etc can damage certain types of finish. Many leathers are not finished with a heavy top coat and can be much easier to damage if the wrong product is used.

Removing ink stains from leather is not a cleaning problem.

Most ink removal products will not work simply because of the length of time the ink has been on the leather.

Ink is a dye and has re-coloured the leather (this is what it is meant to do).
The longer the ink has been on the leather the harder it is to remove because it soaks into the finish. Once it has soaked into the finish you have to use very strong products to remove it, which will also remove finish and pigment which then need replacing.

Pigment/Protected leather

If the ink stain is on a pigmented leather then the first thing you should try is an Ink Removing Gel specifically formulated for leather. (do not use household cleaners like Goo Gone or Krud Kutter which may damage some leather finishes permanently). The fresher the ink the more chance you have of removing it. It is a good idea to have one in your house if you have pale leather and children!!!!

Old ink stains will be harder to remove than a new ink stain and may mean resorting to solvents which will also remove the finish. This is probably best left to the experts.
If an ink stick doesn't work a solvent based remover will need to be used and it may also remove finish and pigment so is best left to the experts.

You should also be using a very good quality leather protect on your leather. This will act like a 'scotchgard' and will make any more mishaps easier to clean off.

You will see many people recommending household products to remove ink – this is not recommended as most simply will not work, some may appear to work but the damage they cause can make a much bigger problem which is then unrepairable (even by a technician).



Aniline Style Leather
As aniline style leathers are largely absorbent it means that the ink will have soaked straight into the leather itself. This makes it impossible to remove. No product will successfully remove the ink.

DO NOT try ink removing products on aniline style leathers as most will leave a greasy residue which will then cause another problem.

Because aniline style leathers are absorbent the ink will carry on moving through the leather and may become less obvious over time. Cleaning and protecting will also help to dissipate the ink.



DO NOT USE THE FOLLOWING ON INK STAINS:
Household cleaners that have not been professionally tested on leather as these are very likely to damage the finish on the leather and will make it much more costly to fix.
Hairspray - This is very risky as it can make the matter far worse by spreading the ink over a bigger area and can sometimes then be impossible to fix.
Nail Varnish remover/solvents - will remove the finish on the leather even if you cannot tell it is doing so and this will then need replacing, and alcohol may do the same depending on the strength of the finish on the leather.
Baby wipes - just about the worst thing you can use on a leather as they break down the finish and will eventually ruin it.
Milk or Toothpaste - these are just silly ideas that will leave sticky residues on the surface which will help to break down the finish on your leather.
Silicones/furniture polish - should not be used on leather. They will form a coating on the surface of the leather which will not allow any moisture to get to the leather itself and will eventually break all the finish down and cause it to crack.
Hide food - will not remove ink and will leave residues on the leather which will attract dirt and oils.
Magic Erasers - these only remove the ink by removing the finish on the leather which will then be expensive to fix.

Please be wary of DIY products that 'guarantee' to remove the ink as the only way these can work is by damaging the finish on the leather

Most leather cleaners will not remove ink unless a very good leather protector has been used on a regular basis!!.

Hope this helps
Judyb
Professional leather care consultant to the furniture and cleaning industry

Pink.

Hi dandy-candy,

As your thread has dropped down the Old Style board I've added it to the main cleaning tips thread.

Pink

grannigrunt

Thanks for your reply judyb, that's a lot to take in but at least I know what not to use. I'm not sure what kind of leather it is to be honest, but the suite is a Lazyboy. Don't know if they use the same type of leather for all of their suites or not.

grannigrunt

When my son was small I sometimes used to scrub his knees with Vim! Fortunately he's now 42 and still has skin on his knees.

Errata

You could try emailing La-z-boy and ask for their advice. http://www.la-z-boy.com/ContactUs/?WT.ac=sidemenu

grannigrunt

Good idea errata..thanks