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Hi there
Was wondering if someone could please advise on how to remove dye from (new) cream leather lounges...Dye from a throw rug has rubbed off onto one of the lounges. Its a very light brown mark but a big one!
The sofas have been treated with a leather protector.
Hubby is getting some leather cleaner and leather ink remover for the sofas today, hoping that will get it off, but I have a feeling it wont work.
Any advice would be apreciated thankyou!
Ally, welcome to the forum.
The dye stains in most cases can be removed satisfactory.
The only caution is not to over clean and damage the top coat or the color coat.
Using harsh products containing solvent or high alkaline should be avoided if possible.
As leather finish once weakens may be tacky and may wear off sooner than the rest of the areas.
My advise is let us know what leather cleaner and leather ink remover you will be using.
And post some pictures here too, help will be more objective.
Roger Koh
Dye transfer occurs when acidic dyes from fabric, leather, suede, nubuck, plastic, newsprint; comes in direct contact with the also acidic leather surface.
This is an example of a leather arm chair that has been sat on daily for 6 months with black pants.
With the body heat and weight these dyes migrated deep into the leather finishes.
This situation is much severe as it is repeated on a daily basis sitting for hours (stroke patient).
Picture #2 shows the penetrated below surface dye stain.
Picture #3 shows ink7.7™ a pH 7.7 spotter application.
Picture #4 & #5 shows gentle non-destructive leather finish agitation with a soft horsehair brush.
Picture #6 shows ultraCleaner4.5™ assistance to help dye stain suspension.
Picture #7 & #8 shows extraction after stain penetration, lubrication and suspension.
Picture #9 after cleaning with a pH 3.8 leather safe cleaner3.8™ > rinse3.0™, paper towel is placed to trap stains further during the wicking process.
Picture # 10 shows the finish result after color (semiColor64™) and top (semiTop56M™) coat matching touch up with the final leatherScent’B™.
In this situation color and top coat is necessary to restore original color freshness and strength.
In most situations a matching top coat is recommended to re-strengthen the finish.
There is no gimmick or camera trick to these series of steps.
Our reputation is earned when this arm chair performs as well as the original other pieces through a period of time.
Total appreciation of leather goes beyond just look alone, it has to feel natural buttery soft and impart a classic leather scent that charm.
Sure! There are many ways to skin a cat as the saying goes.
Often you hear suggestion of rubbing alcohol, butane, hairspray or hydrogen peroxide that are easily found at home.
Scotch pad, #0000 steel wool, sandpaper are also suggested to do the scrubbing.
And any other methods you have heard off that are equally successful?
Your input is appreciated and are welcome here too!
Roger Koh
Additional Pictures
Thank you so much for your Reply Roger.
The stain on our lounge looks much like picture 3 that you posted. However the stain is not as big, as it is the size of a cup saucer. (our camera has been recently damaged, so I'm unable to get pics for you)
I've worked out that the stain was caused by milk from my babies bottle seeping through the throw rug hence the dye running onto the sofa.
Hubby purchased "Leathertex" Cleaner from the store where we bought the lounges from. It states on the bottle that it's water soluble and contains mild cleaners and waxes that are biodegradable and non toxic. It doesnt list the ingredients though.
I gave the stain 3 aplications, and it has faded somewhat but still noticeable. Hubby didnt find an ink remover, but apparently there is a stronger cleaner however it is more on the harsh side.
I'm not quite sure what steps to take next.
Are the products that you recommend available in Australia at all?
The saying goes “out of the frying pan and into the fire” applies to this case.
Further dye stains removal is hindrance by this wax coating.
The wax barrier has to be penetrated in order to reach to the dye stain now.
Mild leather cleaner could be either mildly acidic which is good for the leather or mildly alkaline which is bad for leather.
Specific alkaline spotters when used for reasons designed for should always be neutralized with acidic cleaners to bring the pH back to leather pH neutral of 3 – 5.
This pH balance to leather neutral eliminate the alkaline pH exposure that manifest as symptoms of tackiness or lightening of finishes as streaks.
Tackiness could be easily detected by gliding a wet out finger across the affected areas.
This weakening of the leather finish may subject to abnormal wear by constant dry and wet rubs.
This tackiness can be rectified with a pH 2 acidifier (acidifier2.0™) or a pH 3 acidifier rinse (rinse3.0™).
A healthy leather finishes gives a strong squeaky feel when test with wet out fingers.
Products can reach you by post!
Specific Help need Specific Pictures!
So post your picture!
Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System
The title should read "Save" instead of safe.
“I've worked out that the stain was caused by milk from my babies bottle seeping through the throw rug hence the dye running onto the sofa”.
We nearly forget about the milk (protein) component of the stain.
This protein stains (milk) need a high pH protein11.0™ to digest the stain > ink7.7™ > cleaner3.8™ > rinse3.0™.
This is another alternative approach to the problem as we have missed out the milk element.
Milk on absorbent leather tends to stiffen and darken the leather as its protein molecule has an affinity with the leather protein molecule too.
A high pH helps swelling thus breaking the foreign bonds; otherwise the milk protein becomes a part of the leather.
Certainly a picture is worth a thousand words for Inspection prior to Prescription.
I rather practice Prescription Solution the narrow way!
Otherwise broad is the way that leads to much regret!
Roger Koh
IICRC #942
Leather Cleaning Technician