Well, that could have gone better. Another moment, another catastrophe, and this time you managed to spill an unsightly glop of ink onto your prized leather purse while dissecting a misbehaving pen. Bad pen!

Good news is, it’s not the end of the world. Or even the end of your bag. Don’t panic. While ink is a resilient pest, and more difficult to clean out of leather than most other materials, it can be removed. Act fast, and it will find no foothold in your leather valuables. Take note that these instructions generally work best the sooner you try to clean ink stains on your leather. Latent ink two days old is unlikely to removed, so do not delay in tending to your leather ink stain.

The first step before performing any type of cleaning is to determine the type of leather that you have. If it is “naked” or unfinished leather, the ink will directly affect the leather and might require more drastic measures to get it clean. If it is “treated” or finished leather, it will have a layer of protection over it that helps protect it from being harmed by liquids, or in this case, ink. To learn more about finished and unfinished leathers, read our blog “How to Identify Types of Leather.”

Before using any leather care products to clean ink stains, try blotting the ink up with a clean, dry paper towel. This is particularly effective if you catch the stain right away. Avoid the temptation to rub, even if you think the rigorous action will help you get your frustration out – that will only cause the stain to set. Instead, you should gently blot, occasionally lifting the paper towel to see your progress. Smile with each little bit that you get up, and keep going. The smile is really important.

You must be careful before using any products on your leather. If you are going to use any commercial products, make sure that it is a proper leather cleaner that is meant for your type of leather. Chamberlain's Straight Cleaner No. 2 is a gentle leather cleaner that works well on most finished leathers. As a good alternative, you can also try using the suds from a nifty mixture of warm water and mild soap (make sure it is mild!). Of course, as with any cleaning method, try this in an area of the product that you cannot see to ensure that no damage occurs. Once you know it is safe, use the same blotting method that you used above and gently blot the ink out. If this is unsuccessful, do not panic! There are still two more things that you can try: rubbing alcohol and a commercial leather cleaner are both reliable methods to clean ink stains.

If you decide to try rubbing alcohol, simply dab a cotton ball or cotton swab in the liquid and lightly wipe the stain away. If you plan to use a commercial leather cleaner, use the same method, wiping gently to remove the ink stain. The last step is to step back and smile at your hard work at getting your beautiful leather product back to its original shape. If you remembered to smile the first time, side effects may included heightened feelings of elation, euphoria, and the traditional satisfaction of a job well done.

So, no more blots on your clean-slated leather! Congratulations you, and don’t forget to breathe. You did your leather friend proud.

Contributors
Stephanie Clarke
Chris Repp (www.leatherhelp.com)

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