Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather!

canesfan · 03-29-2008, 04:17 PM

Anyone know how to remove ball-point pen marks from leather? Thanks so much for any help.

Rae Vynn · 03-29-2008, 04:19 PM

Hairspray.
Cheap kind... aquanet... spray until wet, wipe off with paper towel. Repeat until it's gone.

canesfan · 03-29-2008, 04:34 PM

Thanks, Rae Vynn, but it doesn't seem to be working. Do you have to let the hairspray sit on it a while? If so, how long?

Godiva · 03-29-2008, 05:39 PM

See if your local Home Depot or Ace Hardware has a product called Moetsenbackers. It comes in about 6 different kinds, one is for pen, ink and marker. If that one doesn't work, try the graffiti one. I keep one of each kind on the garage for laundry day.

BTW you probably won't get all of it out. It will have soaked in to the leather and "dyed" it. But you might get it to fade out and be less noticeable.

I have the cloth. I got road tar on my back seat. It came completely out.

holy_crap · 03-29-2008, 06:10 PM

I just cleaned ballpoint pen writing from my Expedition leather using Huggies baby wipes. Hope this helps.

canesfan · 03-29-2008, 06:31 PM

Thanks for the tips, we will try them! The pen marks are in my Chrysler 300C which would be sold in order to buy a Prius. My husband is quite reluctant to sell that car even though I am the one driving it! However, he seems motivated to get these marks out which are the only flaw in my otherwise perfect car. Maybe he is coming around to the idea of getting a Prius!

EJFB1029 · 03-29-2008, 06:45 PM

Since you are getting rid of the car, you could also try Isopropyl alcohol, but the high alcohol version, not the common version of 70%, the 91% or better 99% if you can find it.

Rae Vynn · 03-29-2008, 07:32 PM

Oh, if it's old ink marks, the hairspray won't work. Sorry.
I thought it was a new mark on your [new] Prius.

Yeah, time to drag out the big guns...

canesfan · 03-29-2008, 10:05 PM

OK, the baby wipes didn't work. Probably will try the alcohol next as I'm sure it's cheaper than the Moetsenbackers cleaner. Yes, Rae Vynn, I wish it was new marks on a new Prius! Not now, but maybe soon! Thanks all!

03-29-2008, 04:17 PM	#1
canesfan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sherwood, OR Posts: 498 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 3	Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! Anyone know how to remove ball-point pen marks from leather? Thanks so much for any help.

03-29-2008, 04:19 PM	#2
Rae Vynn Tree-hugging Vegan Witch Join Date: May 2007 Location: Grays Harbor, WA, USA Posts: 4,155 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: N/A Package: Base Thanks: 258 Thanked 61 Times in 51 Posts Friends: 66	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! Hairspray. Cheap kind... aquanet... spray until wet, wipe off with paper towel. Repeat until it's gone.

03-29-2008, 04:34 PM	#3
canesfan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sherwood, OR Posts: 498 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 3	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! Thanks, Rae Vynn, but it doesn't seem to be working. Do you have to let the hairspray sit on it a while? If so, how long?

03-29-2008, 05:39 PM	#4
Godiva AmeriKan Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 10,342 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 7	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! See if your local Home Depot or Ace Hardware has a product called Moetsenbackers. It comes in about 6 different kinds, one is for pen, ink and marker. If that one doesn't work, try the graffiti one. I keep one of each kind on the garage for laundry day. BTW you probably won't get all of it out. It will have soaked in to the leather and "dyed" it. But you might get it to fade out and be less noticeable. I have the cloth. I got road tar on my back seat. It came completely out.

03-29-2008, 06:10 PM	#5
holy_crap Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Weston, FL Posts: 61 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! I just cleaned ballpoint pen writing from my Expedition leather using Huggies baby wipes. Hope this helps.

03-29-2008, 06:31 PM	#6
canesfan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sherwood, OR Posts: 498 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 3	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! Thanks for the tips, we will try them! The pen marks are in my Chrysler 300C which would be sold in order to buy a Prius. My husband is quite reluctant to sell that car even though I am the one driving it! However, he seems motivated to get these marks out which are the only flaw in my otherwise perfect car. Maybe he is coming around to the idea of getting a Prius!

03-29-2008, 06:45 PM	#7
EJFB1029 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Corpus Christi, Republic of Texas Posts: 4,517 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 184 Thanked 165 Times in 118 Posts Friends: 3	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! Since you are getting rid of the car, you could also try Isopropyl alcohol, but the high alcohol version, not the common version of 70%, the 91% or better 99% if you can find it.

03-29-2008, 07:32 PM	#8
Rae Vynn Tree-hugging Vegan Witch Join Date: May 2007 Location: Grays Harbor, WA, USA Posts: 4,155 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: N/A Package: Base Thanks: 258 Thanked 61 Times in 51 Posts Friends: 66	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! Oh, if it's old ink marks, the hairspray won't work. Sorry. I thought it was a new mark on your [new] Prius. Yeah, time to drag out the big guns...

03-29-2008, 10:05 PM	#9
canesfan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sherwood, OR Posts: 498 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 3	Re: Help! Ball-point pen ink on leather! OK, the baby wipes didn't work. Probably will try the alcohol next as I'm sure it's cheaper than the Moetsenbackers cleaner. Yes, Rae Vynn, I wish it was new marks on a new Prius! Not now, but maybe soon! Thanks all!