Ink Removal
Removing ink from leather is not generally a cleaning problem
Most regular leather cleaners will not remove ink unless a very good leather protector has been used on a regular basis
A lot of 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 Ink Remover
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 the ink remover does not work it simply means that the ink has moved too far into the finish and will require some expert intervention

You should also be using Ultra Leather Protect on your leather as 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 really 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) and some can visibly remove pigments and finishes (particularly on two tone leather) which will then need repairing

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 leather as they break down the finish and will eventually ruin it
• Milk or Toothpaste – these will leave sticky residues on the surface which will help to break down the finish on your leather and milk will cause bacteria and odours
• 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 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

Extra care must be taken when removing ink from a Two-Tone leather as the top finishes are less stable and colour loss is more likely – this would be particularly so if household products are used

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 and attempts are likely to make the matter far worse

DO NOT try ink removing products on aniline style leathers as most will leave a greasy residue which will then cause other issues

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 on a regular basis with Aniline Cleaner and Aniline LeatherGuard Protector will help to dissipate the ink

©LTTLeathercareLtd 2010