by Denise Neville

Created on: August 10, 2009   Last Updated: August 14, 2009

For those that don't know how to remove ink from leather, an ink stain can send chills right through you when you find the stain. Leather is an expensive material and ink is one of the few things that can leave a stain. If the stain is not addressed it will stay on your leather forever. This can happen on the leather that you wear or any leather item you may have in your home, but you don't need to stress over it too much. Ink stains can be removed.

Fresh ink stains

If an ink stain is really fresh, it is quite possible that it can be removed just by using a mild soap and water. The fresher the stain is, the better the chances are of removing it. Ink sticks or gel may sometimes work when the ink stain is fresh; it could possibly take the ink stain away with very little effort. Always do a test patch before trying anything on leather.

Before You Start

It is very important before you start on your ink stain to test any cleaning product on an inconspicuous place. This will tell you if the color will run and leave a bigger mark than the ink stain you are trying to remove. Leave the cleaner to sit for at least ten minutes before you remove it. If it hasn't caused any reaction on the test patch, you can continue on removing your ink stain.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol can prove to be a life saver when you're removing ink from leather. If you have tried your patch test and it seems to be working okay, start by placing some alcohol on a white cloth or cotton swab, and using a circular cleaning motion. You'll find that your ink stain will disappear. When you have removed all the ink, combine a gentle detergent in warm water and rinse off the alcohol from the leather. Once you have done this, your couch will look like new.

Types of leather

Depending on the types of leather you have, an ink stain can set into it and can't be removed by any type of cleaner. This applies to anyone that owns aniline style leather, which is extremely absorbent and the ink will have soaked right through the leather itself. You should never use any type of solvent on aniline style leather; you should contact the manufacturer first. Don't use any cleaning products you have around your home; you may do more damage to your leather than the ink does. Protect your leather from the beginning by applying a good leather protector.

Leather is absolutely beautiful whether you're wearing it or sitting on it in your living room, but you want to keep it in the best possible condition you can. An ink stain doesn't need to be the end of the world for most leathers, and can be easily removed once you know how to remove ink from leather.

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