how to clean an ink stain?

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I had a pen in my car, and I guess from the heat of the sun, it started leaking. So now theres black ink spots on the console, and a little on the leather seats…

How would I remove this?

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  1. annieR says:
    September 20, 2009 at 2:50 am

    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
    If the ink is on a pigmented leather then the first thing you should try is an LTT 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 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 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 LTT Leather Protect on your suite. 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.

  2. Rebecca S says:
    September 20, 2009 at 2:50 am

    Rubbing Alchohol might work. You might also try "goo gone".

  3. aman says:
    September 20, 2009 at 2:50 am

    use Petrol for cleaning dat…or use vanish concentrate…or try Shout Gel

  4. LittleBedRock says:
    September 20, 2009 at 2:50 am

    It may not work, but in the dry cleaning business, when they have ink in a grament, they use hair spray.

  5. yoohoo says:
    September 20, 2009 at 2:50 am

    AEROSOL hairspray is a great helper! (NOT pump, Aerosol)……… May have to let it sit & sink in, may have to reapply. If not completely gone, look for cleaners that especially remove ink in the grocery store.

  6. Marcus C says:
    September 20, 2009 at 2:50 am

    1. Saturate the stain with an alcohol-based hair spray
    2. Place some paper towels underneath the garment and dab (don’t rub) it dry with paper towels. The ink should start wicking into the towels.
    3. Repeat the last two steps until the stain is gone, or it is no longer fading.
    4. If the ink stain persists, repeat steps 1 and 2 using an alcohol-based nail polish remover in place of the hairspray.
    5. If the ink stain still persists, soak the garment overnight in whole-fat milk, then launder normally. Don’t put it in the dryer until the stain is gone, or you’ll make it harder to remove.

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