The Easiest Way To Get Ink Stains Out Of Your Leather Couch

Your beautiful leather couch probably takes the prized position in your living room, but if you take your eyes off the kids for just a minute, before you know it, there's ink on your leather upholstery. According to Coit cleaning & restoration, dealing with the stain as quickly as possible is really important, as the longer the stain is left to set the harder it is to remove. 

You might in your desperation start rubbing at it! But, when it doesn't come off, you may feel like you have to accept that it is a cover-up job for the trusty blanket. Before you resign yourself to that fate, there is a method you could try that is effective and easy. Moreover, this simple technique uses common items from under your kitchen sink. Before you dive straight in with any method though, there are a few tips and tricks you should keep in mind.

Leather can be difficult to clean and due care is necessary to prevent further damage. According to Gold Eagle, you need to be cautious with using any kind of product that contains harsh chemicals as this can make the stains look worse and permanently harm the surface of the leather. Plenty recommends a patch test on a small inconspicuous area of the leather. Make sure to let it fully dry, so that you can accurately determine the effect the method has on your leather.

You also want to make sure that you are using the right equipment to remove the stain. There are benefits to using microfibre cloths for general cleaning of your leather couch. SofaSofa explains that microfibre picks up dirt off surfaces more effectively, and can be used to dust your sofa without water. They also warn against scrubbing too hard at the leather upholstery. Using a soft cloth like these is more gentle on the surface of the leather, moreover microfibre cloths are inexpensive and easy to find in your local store.

As for the cleaning solution, the easiest way to remove an ink stain is to use warm water mixed with a small amount of dish soap or dishwashing detergent, says Home Questions Answered. Dampen a microfiber cloth with the diluted soapy water, and gently rub the ink stain in circular motions. Continue this action until the stain is fully removed. Once the stain has gone, use plain water to remove any soap residue from the surface and pat the area dry with a different cloth. 

If you find that soapy water alone is not enough to remove the stain, try using a small amount of isopropyl alcohol or hairspray and dab gently at the ink and this should remove it. Be mindful when doing this to ensure this doesn't spread the stain. Again, with this process, ensure you remove any excess alcohol and repeat the steps of patting the leather dry. Now your beautiful couch has been restored to its previous state and you only need to use the blanket to snuggle up on cozy evenings.