Please Help! How to get pen off a leather sofa

McKneff

Lady_Aitch wrote: »

Thanks McKneff, I will give it a try.

when it startsto moooo stop:rotfl:

Bongedone

Yes milk works. Used in work shirts a few times. OH did not believe me after she tried everything else.

looby75

body spray gets biro off just about anything

McKneff

try milk first, i think it would be the least harmful of the lot. (n chemicals)

MKS

I have always used hairspray and it's always worked.

Rachel85

I'm so pleased I came across this post as I was wondering how to get a biro mark out of the very small amount of white leather on my car seat! Tried baby wipes (which are my answer to everything!) without success so will have a go with hairspray and/or milk. My concern with the milk is that I'll end up spilling it on the non-leather parts and the smell will never come out, so may have to buy some cheap hairspray.

Thanks!

missmuffins

lil_me wrote: »

Hairspray worked on mine, sprayed, left on for few minutes and wiped off then washed with some water to remove the chemical. Repeat if needed. Worth testing as with anything on an unseen area first. Cleaning company told me it would be impossible to shift and would need £200 of work to replace the leather, so DP googled it, now I have had hairspray in my cleaning cupboard since, tesco value one does the job.

This worked 1st time, i thought it would ruin the leather, but it doesnt, it works even with a number 1 strength, i recommend this first time off, my leather was white, no marks, no stains, brilliant! thanks foor the tip! :T

judyb

Please be careful what you use for removing ink on leather. Using the wrong product may damage the finish on the leather and may not remove the ink.

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 (most car interiors are this type)

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 protector 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). Hairspray may work on some finishes and ruin others.

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. Usually contains alcohol.
Nail Varnish remover/solvents (acetone) - 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 cleaning and leather industries