How do I get pen markings off of my leather couch?
Question:My two year old daughter drew all over our leather couch with a ballpoint pen. We tried a little rubbing alcohol but it is discoloring the leather. Any good solutions that will take the pen out while not destroying the leather's finish?
Answers:
This really depends on what type of leather it is.
If it is on a pigmented leather then the first thing you should try is an ink stick. 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 a pale leather and children!!
You should also be using a good quality leather protector on your suite. This will act like a 'scotchgard' and will make any more mishaps easier to clean off.
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.
Hairspray occassionally works but can also make the matter far worse as it can spread the ink over a bigger area (especially on an aniline style leather)
Nail varnish remover or any other solvents will remove the finish and pigment which will need replacing.
DO NOT USE Baby wipes as they are about the worst thing you can use on a leather as they break down the finish and will eventually ruin it.
Please do not try milk it is a silly idea that this will work and will leave sticky residues on the surface which will help to break down the finish
If the ink is on an aniline style, there is nothing that will remove it because the ink will have re-dyed the leather. It may dissipate over time with cleaning and protecting.
Old ink will be harder to remove than new ink and may mean resorting to solvents which will also remove the finish. This is probably best left to the experts.
Silicones are the worst thing to use on leather as they will form a coating on the surface of the leather which will not allow any moisture to get to the leather and will eventually break all the finish down and make it crack. Leather needs water and should not be protected against it.
Leather does not need conditioning it needs cleaning and protecting on a regular basis with water based products this will keep it rehydrated and supple. Oils will make things much worse.
Source(s):
www.LTTsolutions.net
Leather care consultnts to the furniture and cleaning industries
Try a Mr Clean Magic Eraser...they are fantastic!
I have bone colored Italian leather couches and Ink will come out with cheap liquid hair spray, you can get ink out of clothes that way too, just spray it on and rub. Also I had blood on my couch from my husbands neck from shaving and the "Mr. clean-Magic Eraser" took it off. So if the hair spray doesn't work at taking it completely off magic eraser will, and it did not hurt my finish at all. Good-Luck!
Try the mr. Clean magic Erasser
I'm all about the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser- it's truly magical. When I moved into my new apartment it was FILTHY- i went through at least three boxes in the first few days- for everything from incense burns on the walls to stains on the carpet.It's awesome and shouldn't hurt the color of the leather at all.
More Related Questions & Answers...