Suggestions for removing ballpoint ink from H&M sofa

[drkwin]

My 2 year old somehow discovered a ballpoint pen in the living room and proceeded to scribble a 2-3 inch area on our new H&M Journey sofa. The leather is Document Copper, and the scribbles were done today sometime. What is the best way to remove the pen? I've looked on the web and find people have used rubbing alcohol, hair spray, and even Krud Kutter Graffiti Remover with varying degrees of success...but I'm terrified to try any of these and risk discoloration or damage to the leather. Any ideas??

Thanks!

[drcollie]

Yes! Ballpoint ink is difficult to remove. It can be done, but you have to be very careful or you will wind up removing the pigment from the leather.

The Leather Magic kits I have in my store have ink remover in them ($ 39.99) along with cleaner and conditioner. This chemical is designed exactly for that purpose, but there is a trick to using it. If comes with an applicator brush , but I prefer to use a fine artist's brush to apply it, one no thicker than the width of the pen mark. As we all learned in 1st grade coloring...stay within the lines! Brush the ink remover over the ink marks, trying to stay only on the ink area itself and not wander off onto the surrounding leather. Let the ink remover work for a minute. Then, very carefully....get a microfiber towel and blot the stain, be very careful not to rub the cloth side to side or scrub the stain in any manner. Its blot...blot...blot. Vertically into the stain with the microfiber towel and straight off again. Repeat as necessary. Doing this carefully will remove the ink without damaging the color around it. Should you decide to use a circular motion on the stain after the ink remover is on it, you WILL remove the Document Copper color and have a noticeable spin mark on the hide. I'd suggest practicing on the cutting swatch under the center seat cushion first, before going right to the damaged area.

Good Luck, and if you need a kit shipped out to you call me at the store and I can mail one out to you.

[drcollie]

Oh, one other thing to mention....

If the ink is on a seat cushion or loose back, where the cover can be removed - it can be sent to H&M and they will either remove the ink entirely or sew a new piece of leather in the damaged area. They are one of the very few companies that will do this for a customer. In fact another customer just when through this with his new sofa in Heirloom Chestnut and called me today to say he just got the cover back and was very pleased as it was like new again, and wanted to know how much he owed as there was no invoice or bill in the box, not even a charge for return shipping. I told him there probably wouldn't be a bill coming - but if one turns up I'd let him know.

H&M is a classy company .

[drkwin]

Thanks so much. I just called H&M and the woman I spoke with suggested only an ivory soap solution. I inquired about whether they could fix it and she said I would have to pay to have a whole new cover made. Ugh. I'll scout out the Leather Magic kits and will call you if I go that route.

Thanks again!

[drkwin]

By the way, how much do you charge to ship the leather kit? I'm in southern VA.

[drcollie]

They have to tell you that at H&M, but Ivory Soap and water is not going to get your ink out. They are VERY conservative in that respect, because what I am telling you can potentially pull color from your leather, which Ivory Soap won't do (but it won't get the ink out, either). Again, you have to go very slow and steady with the ink remover, and be very conservative with it. And if you goof it up, I'm not responsible! But it does work, you will actually see blue ink on the microfiber when blotting it. As you can probably imagine, in a showroom with 50 leather pieces on the floor, I'm always using it to get ink off that customers leave behind on showroom models.

If you're not comfortable using the ink remover unzip the cushion cover and put it in a box to ship to Leather Magic and they'll take it out for you for probably $ 75 to $ 80 I'm guessing. No need to buy a whole new casing.

The Leather Care kit with ink remover is $ 39.99 and $ 7.00 to mail. Included Cleaner/Conditioner/Ink Remover.

[AZJoe]

Yes! Ballpoint ink is difficult to remove. It can be done, but you have to be very careful or you will wind up removing the pigment from the leather.

The Leather Magic kits I have in my store have ink remover in them ($ 39.99) along with cleaner and conditioner. This chemical is designed exactly for that purpose, but there is a trick to using it. If comes with an applicator brush , but I prefer to use a fine artist's brush to apply it, one no thicker than the width of the pen mark. As we all learned in 1st grade coloring...stay within the lines! Brush the ink remover over the ink marks, trying to stay only on the ink area itself and not wander off onto the surrounding leather. Let the ink remover work for a minute. Then, very carefully....get a microfiber towel and blot the stain, be very careful not to rub the cloth side to side or scrub the stain in any manner. Its blot...blot...blot. Vertically into the stain with the microfiber towel and straight off again. Repeat as necessary. Doing this carefully will remove the ink without damaging the color around it. Should you decide to use a circular motion on the stain after the ink remover is on it, you WILL remove the Document Copper color and have a noticeable spin mark on the hide. I'd suggest practicing on the cutting swatch under the center seat cushion first, before going right to the damaged area.

Good Luck, and if you need a kit shipped out to you call me at the store and I can mail one out to you.

Is this the kit you sell Duane?

1-8 oz. Bottle of Leather Cleaner
1-8 oz. Bottle of Leather Conditioner
1-4 oz. Bottle of Ink and Stain Remover
1-8 oz. Bottle of Leather Protection Cream
1-8 oz. Bottle of UV Absorbant
1- Cleaning Sponge
1- Conditioner Application Sponge

I will probably order one as well, along with a few extra bottles of cleaner/conditioner.

Do you typically use all the UV Cream, and Protectant cream, or is typical cleaning conditioning enough? My room gets almost no direct sunlight.

[bubbaonline]

Do you typically use all the UV Cream, and Protectant cream?

Isn't this how Barry Bonds got in trouble?

[drcollie]

That's the $ 59.99 kit. You don't need it if you have no direct sunlight. Get the $ 39.99 one, which is the same thing but has no UV shield and no Protectant. (Conditioner and cleaner is all that's really needed,).

[AZJoe]

That's the $ 59.99 kit. You don't need it if you have no direct sunlight. Get the $ 39.99 one, which is the same thing but has no UV shield and no Protectant. (Conditioner and cleaner is all that's really needed,).

Roger that. Thanks.

Have you ever tried any other cleaning/conditioning products? Or just stick with that brand?

I had used Zaino on my current sofa with good results, but don't want to use anything that is not H&M, and Duane approved..lol