How to Get Pen Ink Out of Leather Furniture

Pen ink on your leather furniture can leave an unsightly stain.

Pen ink is made with permanent pigment that helps it adhere to porous surfaces such as paper. Leather, like paper, is also a natural and porous surface which has the tendency to absorb pen ink stains. The key to successfully removing pen ink from your leather furniture is to remove it quickly and carefully so the ink doesn't have time to spread or set.

Things You'll Need

• Isopropyl alcohol
• Cotton swabs
• Nail polish remover
• Saddle soap
• Bucket
• Clean cloths
• Leather conditioner

Instructions

1. Wet the end of a cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol. Moving in one direction, wipe the pen ink stain on your leather furniture. As the ink stain transfers to the cotton swab, switch to the other end of the swab or use a new one.

2. 

   Cotton swabs allow you to focus on a contained area and tend only to the stain.

   Dip a cotton swab in nail polish remover to tackle any pen ink stain remnants. If the stain is more than a swipe, work from the exterior of the stain, in to the middle.

3. Mix a capful of saddle soap in a bucket of warm water. Wash the surface of your leather furniture to remove both any pen ink stain remnant as well as the alcohol and nail polish remover.

4. Dry your leather furniture with a clean cloth. Pour a small amount of leather conditioner onto a clean cloth and rub it into the furniture to restore moisture lost during the stain removal process.

Tips & Warnings

• In a pinch, tackle pen ink stains on your leather furniture with an alcohol-based wet wipe.

• Avoid rubbing and scrubbing a pen ink stain on your leather furniture as that can spread the stain.

References

• Made Man: How to Clean Pen Marks From a Leather Jacket
• Creative Homemaking: Removing Ball Point Ink Stains