Reclining Seats

How to fix a leather chair?

My son wrote a star on my cousins lay-z-boy recliner. Does anyone know of a way to get the ink off of the leather. Also I tried to clean it softly with a damp paper towel and it looks even worse. Help.

Public Comments

1. YOU CAN GENTLY APPLY SOME HAIRSPRAY TO THE AREA AND TRY TO WIPE IT OFF. IF IT DOESN'T WORK, CALL SOMEONE WHO CAN POSSIBLY REPLACE THAT AREA ON THE CHAIR AT A REASONABLE COST. GOOD LUCK...
2. If the ink is on a pigmented leather then the first thing you should try is an ink stick (find one that is a professional product used in the industry - LTT do one). The fresher the ink the more chance you have of removing it. 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. Using hairspray/WD40 and all these other solvent cleaners is very risky as it can make the matter far worse as it can spread the ink over a bigger area and can sometimes then be impossible to fix. Using alcohol can also be a little risky depending on how stable the finish is. If the finish is unstable this would remove pigment form the leather. Nail varnish remover or any other solvents will also remove the finish and pigment which will need replacing. DO NOT USE Baby wipes as they are about the worst thing you can use on a leather as they break down the finish and will eventually ruin it. Please do not try milk or toothpaste these are silly ideas that will leave sticky residues on the surface which will help to break down the finish on your leather. Magic erasers usually remove finish and pigment along with the ink. Old ink will be harder to remove than new ink and may mean resorting to solvents which will also remove the finish. This is probably best left to the experts. Silicones/furniture polish are the worst thing to use on leather as they will form a coating on the surface of the leather which will not allow any moisture to get to the leather and will eventually break all the finish down and make it crack. Leather does not need conditioning it needs cleaning and protecting on a regular basis with water based products this will keep it rehydrated and supple. Oils will make things much worse. Leather should be cleaned gently not scrubbed so 'elbow grease' will only do damage to the finish. Hide food will not remove ink and will leave residues on the leather which will attract dirt and oils. Using a good quality leather protector (one that works) will help make this problem easier should it happen again, it also does your leather good by protecting it against oils and dirt which ultimately make the pigment crack and the leather deteriorate. If your leather is an aniline style then the ink will have soaked into the leather and no amount of cleaning will bring it out. It may dissipate over time with cleaning and protection Good Luck Source(s): http://www.LTTsolutions.net Leather care consultnts to the furniture and cleaning industries Professional knowledge