How do I remove blue ball point ink from cream leather car seats ?

Answer 1

Yuk!! I had the same problem years ago. Only my seats were pure white, a tougher problem than yours. I got about 95% of the ink off is the best I could do without rubbing off the white dye. Here's what I did:

Don't laugh because of how this might "Sound", but I took a clean soft white towel and dipped it in 'Mineral Spirits' [Paint Thinner] (NOT lacquer thinner!) & squeezed out 90% of it and kept rubbing until the white was "almost" ready to show signs of fading. Then I stopped and let the leather air dry for 1 hour.

I can't say whether I partly removed most of the dried on ink & partly transferred some of the towel dye to the seats or if I removed 95% of the ink this way. All I know is, when I was done, if you didn't know where the ink was, you'd never know there was any. I'd recommend trying this using a cream colored towel.

Finally, I then put some moisture back into the leather by applying a liberal amount of "Saddle Soap"! It's made to do exactly what you want to do and is only used on leather. Most hardware stores carry it, just follow the instructions to the letter. This step is what restored the softness and lustre to my white seats.

After that ordeal, I made certain to keep ALL writing instruments in a pocket or purse when in that car!

Answer 2

Car seats are always pigmented leather so 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 a pale leather and/or children!!!!
You should also be using a good quality leather protector on a pale leather This will act like a 'scotchgard' and will make any more mishaps easier to clean off.
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.

Hairspray sometimes works but can also make the matter far worse as it can spread the ink over a bigger area. Nail varnish remover or any other solvents will remove the finish and pigment which will need replacing.

Baby wipes are about the worst thing you can use on a leather as they break down the finish and will eventually ruin it

Answer 3

The best thing to remove ink is to first wipe it down with baby wipes then use a 1 part alchol to 3 parts water.Then use a good leather cream

Answer 4

rubbing alcohol will usually remove ink, but I am concerned about the leather. dab on the alcohol but then try some leather conditioner to put moisture back into the seats. you can usually buy this at target, or wal-mart in the shoe department, at a leather store like Wilson's, or even some drycleaners.

Answer 5

buy the right stuff from a leather furniture place, be carefull not to rub too hard or you may rub the colour out of the leather. i used it on my suite at home and it came off with no problem

Answer 6

Aerosol hairspray works well. Not the pump but the big old fashioned can.

Answer 7

Hairspray. Just spray a little bit on and it comes straight out.

Answer 8

WD 40

Answer 9

try using a product call WINNING COLORS I know Home Depot sells it.

Answer 10

Have you tried either meths or white spirit?