Remove Ink of the Leather: Proven Methods to Make Leather Spotless

Ink stains are horrific due to their stubborn nature. When your favorite leather backpack or office messenger falls prey to ink stains due to a ballpoint pen you put without a cap or your naughty toddler finds a marker and uses your leather bag as a canvas for his masterpiece, it is natural to panic but do not as you are about to read proven hacks and tips that work flawlessly to remove ink stains.

Understand the Leather Ink Stains

A prompt response to removing any type of stain from leather is much more effective than letting the staining substance absorb into the porous leather surface and become difficult to remove.

Different types of leather and inks (like gel, ballpoint, or marker) affect the leather surface differently making removing ink stains easy or cumbersome.

Although leather is a rugged and robust material that can handle harsh operating conditions, using aggressively harsh cleaning chemicals for ink stains may tarnish the beauty and appeal of the leather surface.

In this guide, we have provided natural or leather friendly techniques for removing ink stains.

5 Ink Removal Agents Effective on Leather

1. Mild soap with warm water

Mild soap (like saddle soap) solution in warm water is the generic first choice for removing ink stains and works well most of the time. Mild soap solution is soft on leather but effective in stain removal. Add soap in minute amounts and avoid over-stuffing soap in the cleaning solution.

2. Vinegar

Natural vinegar due to its mild acidic nature inherits antibacterial and strain removing properties. It is advised to dilute the vinegar in a 1:1 ratio with water before using it for stain removal for leather.

3. Rubbing alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol commonly known as ‘Rubbing Alcohol’ is an effective and leather friendly ink stain removal agent. Rubbing the damped cotton swab or ball on the ink spot effortlessly uplifts the ink from the leather surface. 

Do not forget to condition the leather after using alcohol on leather as it dries out the leather which is prone to cracking.

4. Nail Polish Removal

Nail polish removal is another option for pesky ink stains that are resistant to soap and vinegar solutions. Be sure the nail polish removal does not contain acetone as it is notoriously abrasive for leather surfaces.

5. Hairspray

Alcohol based hair spray works similarly to rubbing alcohol and can be used instead of rubbing alcohol or nail polish removal as their mechanism of action is the same and similar.

Ink Stain Removal Step by Step Guide

Items Needed

• Cotton swabs or balls

• Clean cloth preferably microfiber cloth

• Bowl

• Gloves

• Cleaning agents (use any of the ink stain removal described above)

• Leather Conditioner

Precautions Before cleaning

• Use natural and mild cleaning agents first before moving towards alcohol based chemicals as these are more safer for leather. 

• Never forget to perform patch tests on small areas before removing the ink stain to avoid any further damage.

•  Be gentle while removing and avoid aggressively rubbing the stain.

• Clean in well ventilated areas as cleaning agents may cause fumes when come in contact with leather.

Cleaning Guide

1. Blot Ink Stains Quickly

Using a paper towel or cloth try to blot the ink from the leather surface quickly or as soon as you notice to avoid any further seepage of ink into the leather pores.

2. Move from Natural to Chemical Cleaning agents

For fresh ink stains first try to handle it with natural and mild cleaning agents like vinegar or soap solutions as it can serve the purpose well without damaging the leather surface

For old stubborn stains prefer alcohol based cleaning agents like rubbing alcohol, or nail polish removal.

3. Be Gentle while Stain Removing 

Dampen the cotton swab or ball with the appropriate ink-removing agent mildly and gently dab the surface in a circular pattern starting from the peripheries and moving towards the center. Avoid aggressively rubbing the stain as it may deepen the ink stain on the leather surface.

Use white cloth if possible and occasionally swap the cloth surface after every episode of cleaning leather so that ink doesn’t spill over the cleaned surface.

4. Condition Leather Surface

After clearing the stain off the leather surface, do not forget to condition the leather as its surface gets dry after using the cleaning agent.

5. Get professional leather cleaning when DIY Do not workout

If dealing with a costly leather product or an accessory with emotional attachment for you, it is advised to opt for professional leather cleaning options rather than relying on DIY solutions.

Avoiding Ink Stain on Leather Bag

The best solution to avoid the hassle of removing ink stains from your lovely leather bag is simply to avoid staining it with ink. Following are some precautions:

• Cap pens while carrying

Always vigilantly keep the pen with caps on while carrying it along with you in your leather bag.

• Use a leather protector

Using a leather protector provides an extra protective layer that acts as a stain repellent. Most of the leather conditioner and protector sprays available in the market contain bees wax or natural oils that produce a thin protective layer over the leather surface.

• Do not wait to address ink stains

Promptly address ink or any other stains, as with time the staining agents deepen down to the pores of leather and become difficult to remove.

Precautions while Cleaning Ink Stains

• Do not use acetone based cleaning agents on leather as they destroy the leather surface.

• Do not use an excessive amount of cleaning agent on stains as it can smudge the removed ink to clean areas. Always mildly dampen the stain with a cleaning agent using a cotton swab or clean cloth.

• Do not rub the stain aggressively as along with spreading the ink it can damage the leather surface.

Final Wordings

Managing ink stains promptly and effectively using the right approach as described above assures a spotless surface for your loving leather bag. 

Be sure to take precautionary measures to avoid any ink stain in the first place, but if the leather gets stained do not panic and step by step follow the guidelines to give your leather bag a new spotless sparkling life!