Leather cleaning - pen ink removal.

Discussion in 'Interior Car Care' started by supercharged, Apr 23, 2010.

  1. supercharged

    supercharged DB Forum Supporter

    What do you guys use to remove pen ink from leather? I tried Gloss It leather cleaner with their sponge and it didn't do it...Thinking of Leather Master Ink away, as well as LM Super Remover...
    What do ya all use?
     
  2. judyb

    judyb Any Rag Vehicle Washer

    Please do not scrub with anything as this will almost certainly remove the finish on the leather and this will be expensive to rectify.
    Checkout the details below before you try anything.

    For ink removal (applies to car leather as well as furniture)

    Ink Removal
    Removing ink 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 auto leather)
    If the ink 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 car if you have pale leather and children!!!!

    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

    If an ink gel 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 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 un-repairable (even by a technician)

    DO NOT USE THE FOLLOWING:

    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.

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

    Magic sponges or erasers (Mr, Clean Magic Erasers). These have been tested by experts in the leather industry and have found to do a lot of damage to certain finish types on leather.

    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 over time.

    I would not recommend trying LM Super Remover unless you have had experience with it as it does contain solvent which if used incorrectly will remove hte finish on the leather
     
  3. Audi2.7t

    Audi2.7t Two Bucket System Washer

    Check this out: Ink-B-Gone

    Seems like it works pretty good. I've personally never used it but it seems like a good review. Hope this helps!
     
  4. Audi2.7t

    Audi2.7t Two Bucket System Washer

    Check this out: Ink-B-Gone

    Seems like it works pretty good. I've personally never used it but it seems like a good review. Hope this helps!
     
  5. Jedidiah

    Jedidiah Guest

    togwt had this detailed somewhere in the forum
     
  6. detailersdomain

    detailersdomain Administrator

  7. richy

    richy Guest

    That place is less than 1/2 hr from my house. I will be getting some to try. Thanks for the link!
     
  8. supercharged

    supercharged DB Forum Supporter

    thanks for all replies...Phil, I'm gonna give it a try...probably with some other goodies...need more Uber sponges...
     
  9. supercharged

    supercharged DB Forum Supporter

    Just ordered LM Super Remover, LM Ink Away Ink Remover, and Uber Sponge (gotta have an extra sponge). Order # 16485. Thank, Phil.
     
  10. froboy272

    froboy272 Obsessive Detailer

    just another way to justify placing an order with phil huh? iv been fighting the itch but im having a really hard time.
     
  11. supercharged

    supercharged DB Forum Supporter

    just give in and do it...:applause2:
     

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