“Wait, you mean to tell me dye sticks in stuff? I can’t just wipe it off with my hanky or something?”

Afraid not, classy leather patron.

“Dang.”

Don’t worry about it. We’ve got your get-out-of-dye-free card right here. So your leather couch has got a nice, big hair dye stain splattered on it after you spent three hours putting that cool rainbow pattern in your mop. Stylish! But your leather – not so stylish anymore. So what should you do? Not cover it up, I’ll tell you that (not yet, at least). We are going to make that baby SHINE.

In a good way.

Time is of the essence here, and we’re talking literally. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the dye will become the newest décor accessory in your home as well as a constant reminder that you failed to remove dye from leather like a good little munchkin. So quickly gather a soft, clean cloth and start blotting like you have never blotted before. The more dye that you get up right away, the less work you will have to do later. Even when you think that you are done, keep blotting. This is especially important if we are talking about a light colored couch and a dark colored dye – those two things were never meant to be friends. If you are unsure if you are doing a good job, gently lift the cloth and notice the amount of dye on the cloth. Do you see it? Yes? Nice job – now keep going.

The next step to remove dye from leather is to get a proper leather cleaner into the mix. If you do not know what type of leather you have, you will need to use caution. Any leather cleaner that you purchase should be tested on the back of the couch where no one can see your mistake in the event that the cleaner damages the leather (or in another discreet area – we don’t know how you organize your furniture). Use a soft, white cloth to gently dab in a small amount of leather cleaner and let it dry. If there is a lot of rub off on your cloth, discoloration in the leather, or any other bad effects, try another cleaner. If your leather is finished, you will want to choose a natural, gentle cleaner, such as Chamberlain's Straight Cleaner No. 2. For unfinished leather, check out our blog “Leather Care for Finished and Unfinished Leather Furniture.” As you apply your leather cleaner, do so in very small quantities and do not rub. Keep up the blotting that you were doing before. This time, however, Operation Remove Dye From Leather should be getting some more visible results. Dye disappearing? Aye? Well keep it up either way. With every blot, your couch is forgiving you just a little bit more. Try not get too much cleaner on the leather, or it may end up harming it - cleaning and conditioning cycles are best. Blot up any excess cleaner and let the leather dry, preferably someplace cool and indoors, with no exposure to sunlight or direct heat.

If you don’t have any leather cleaner handy, you might try rubbing alcohol instead. Test first!

For Operation Remove Dye From Leather Phase 3, you will also want to condition it to restore the vital lubricants your leather just lost while you were cleaning. Without these lubricants, your leather's going to dry up, shrivel, and crack. If you are conditioning furniture, Chamberlain’s Furniture Treatment No. 5 will work wonders for your finished leather. If you are using something else – a purse or briefcase, for example – Chamberlain's Leather Care Liniment No. 1 may be a recipe more to your advantage. Regardless, test the conditioner before using it like you did with the cleaner above. After it’s been tested, gently wipe it into your couch in circular motions with a soft cloth or applicator pad, or in whichever direction respond to best. Spread the conditioner evenly and in a thin layer (not too much!), and leave it to dry for about fifteen minutes. Afterwards, come back and buff the rest off with a clean cloth. Swell job!

You may want to put on a water protectant to prevent future spills from damaging your leather too. Try Chamberlain’s Water Protectant No. 3 for all H2O repelling needs!

So, dye be gone, hopefully. If still present, continued cleanings may help it to rub off in time. If this fails, you may consider some method of covering it up with a blanket or patch, or bring out a paintbrush and turn the dye spill into your new canvas for a masterpiece of postmodern artistic inspiration. Then sell it to a gallery and buy a new leather couch. There’s my two cents for you. Best of luck!

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

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