VIDEO: Removing ballpoint pen stains from synthetic leather
The new synthetic leather couch looks beautiful in the living room. But then your children come and decorate them with an abstract motif, painted with a ballpoint pen. Or you write something in your leather notebook and the pen slips - an ugly ballpoint pen line adorns the elegant cover. You can remove them with a few tricks stains very easily.
Take care when removing the stains
The attempt, leatherette Wiping with water and a detergent will not work in most cases. The ink in the classic ballpoint pen consists of a mixture of synthetic resins and dyes. These are not soluble in water and require special cleaning agents.
The following applies to all of the following methods: Test them beforehand on an inconspicuous area. Depending on how hard the ballpoint pen was pressed onto the synthetic leather, strong rubbing may be necessary. The color and quality of the artificial leather also play a role. Cleaning may not only remove the stain, but also fade the color of the artificial leather.
The stain is still fresh? Then, first of all, remove the excess ink to avoid smudging. To do this, glue tape or masking tape to the stain. Fresh paint will stick to it when peeled off slowly.
Home remedies to clean faux leather
An eraser can be found in every household. Rub it gently over the stain. If you're lucky, the ink isn't in yet leather moved in and you just erase them away.
Painted on leather with a ballpoint pen? Annoying but not a disaster. The spots …
An alternative is a dirt eraser that you can buy in the drugstore for a few euros. It is a melamine resin sponge. When you rub the stain, the resin particles loosen the ballpoint pen stains. The stain removal is similar to a peeling - the stain is rubbed away.
Erasers and dirt erasers are suitable for flat surfaces such as your sofa made of smooth leather. For stains on suede (Suede) or textiles, erasing is more difficult. In the worst case scenario, this is where you erase the structure of the leather.
Scouring milk is a good option when it comes to superficial dirt from the ballpoint pen. The ink must not be firmly pressed and penetrated into the material. Put the cleansing milk on a soft cloth with a little water and rub the stain away. Do not rub too hard as this may damage the surface of the synthetic leather.
Remedies that contain alcohol promise success and some of them are with safety can also be found in your household. High-percentage pure alcohol, spirit, turpentine, acetone-free nail polish remover, hairspray, cologne or alcohol pads can be used to disinfect wounds. Apply the alcohol thinly to the synthetic leather. Wipe it after the dry together with the loosened stain with a water-soaked, soft cloth.
The recommendation to remove the pen with car polish seems a bit strange. Ultimately, however, only success counts. Rub the stain with polish and wipe it off with a soft cloth after a short exposure time. Pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions for use.
Remove stubborn ballpoint pen stains with special products
You have a particularly stubborn stain and that Home remedies do not help? You can buy stain removers for ballpoint pen and general ink stains in stores. When it comes to cleaning agents for ballpoint pen stains, you will also find what you are looking for in the pharmacy.
The best-known cleaning series against stains of any kind are z. B. the stain devils by Dr. Beckmann. Note that the Remover for ballpoint pens According to the manufacturer, it is not suitable for (synthetic) leather. The reason for this is that the stain is absorbed very deeply by the softener in the leather and cannot be removed with the stain devil that treats the surface. However, experience reports show that a try can be worthwhile, especially with fresh or only superficial stains.
A variant that is explicitly suitable for smooth leather is z. B. also the Ballpoint pen killer. Gently trace the stain several times with the removal pen. This will dissolve the ink. Remove the dissolved ink from time to time with a soft cloth.
Soap spirit, which is composed of soap, oil and alcohol, is available in the pharmacy. Apply the soapy spirit thinly and let it work for half an hour. Polish the area with a damp cloth. This method is suitable for light synthetic leather, as dark material could bleach.
| cleaning supplies | use |
|---|---|
| Masking tape, adhesive tape | stick and peel to remove excess ink |
| Eraser, dirt eraser | Rub off superficial ballpoint pen marks |
| Scouring milk | Put with water on a soft cloth and rub off the stain |
| alcohol | apply, let dry and wipe with a damp cloth |
| Car polish | Rub in the stain and remove with a cloth |
| Spot devils, ballpoint pen killers | Dissolve the ink by applying it and remove it with a cloth from time to time |
| Soap spirit | apply and polish with a damp cloth after exposure time |
