How To Get Sharpie Out Of Leather

how to get permanent marker off leather

I love my leather pieces. I love my leather shoes, watches, belt, and even the cool and sexy leather jacket. I also love my leather couch and my leather car seat. And I hate it when my leather pieces get damaged or vandalized. Sometimes, a stray sharpie or a permanent marker finds its way to my leather pieces. I had to learn how to remove permanent marker off leather.

I've discovered seven easy methods how.

1. Spray Sunscreen

I found this tip quite surprising. Never had I thought that spray sunscreen is usable for anything other than protecting myself from the sun's harsh UV rays. But, alas! It's effective in removing permanent marker stains off my favorite leather materials.

Spray a clean towel with a little sunscreen.
Slowly and gently rub the stained leather with the towel using a circular motion.
Reapply the sunscreen if needed. This process requires a bit of patience because it might take a while to completely get the permanent marker off the leather.
Once the stain is totally gone, wipe the leather with a clean towel to remove residual sunscreen.
Apply leather conditioner to the area to fully restore the leather.

2. Magic Eraser

Magic Eraser by manufactured by Mr. Clean is an effective cleaning tool. Unsurprisingly, it's effective in removing permanent marker stains off leather.

Moisten the Magic Eraser foam a bit. It works best if slightly damp.
Use a gentle circular motion to rub the foam on the stain. Emphasis on the "gentle" here. The magic of magic erasers isn't the cleaning agent, but the material. They are made of melamine foam, which are very abrasive. Rubbing too hard can scratch the surface of the leather and rub off the leather dye.
To prevent damage to the leather, apply a leather conditioner to the rubbed part.

3. Nail Polish Remover

This is a dangerous tool to use. Nail polish remover is strong enough to remove the dyes off leather. I avoid using this on black, brown, tan, or dark-colored leather. But if the leather is cream or white, this is a very effective cleaning agent.

Apply a bit of nail polish remover on a cotton swab or a paper towel.
Try rubbing the cotton or paper towel on an inconspicuous part of the leather to see if there are adverse effects. If there are adverse effects, opt for other methods instead. If there are no discolorations or damage, proceed.
Gently rub the stained area.
Once the stain is gone, clean the area with a leather cleaner.
Apply leather conditioner to the area to fully restore the leather.

4. Oil-Free Hairspray

I never knew that hairspray is an effective cleaning agent in a lot of ways. Oil-free hairspray contains a high concentration of alcohol which can clean permanent marker stains. Other products with high alcohol content are also effective in getting permanent marker stains off leather. These products include rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer. Here's how to use it.

Apply hairspray on a clean piece of cloth.
Rub the stained area gently with the cloth until the marks are completely gone. Don't scrub the area; it will damage the leather.
Use leather conditioner to repair any damage done to the leather.

how to remove permanent marker off leather

5. Baking Soda and Toothpaste

Baking soda is a known all-around cleaner. It's a tool I use to lift the permanent marker ink's grip off the leather. I also use toothpaste to form a paste.

Use equal parts of baking soda and toothpaste to form a paste.
Apply the paste directly to the permanent marker stains on the leather.
Let the paste sit for a couple of minutes.
Use a damp cloth to wipe away the baking soda and toothpaste mixture.
Apply an appropriate leather cleaner agent to clean the leather.
Restore the leather with a leather conditioner.

6. White Vinegar

Vinegar is a very versatile cooking and cleaning product. But distilled white vinegar has higher concentrations of acetic acid – which works better when removing fresh permanent marker stains off leather. While it can work on older stains, it will take more time.

Dampen a clean cloth with vinegar.
Dab the stain marks with the cloth.
Use a separate clean cloth to gently blot out the stain.
Spraying the white vinegar before blotting the stain off is also viable.
Apply leather conditioner so that the acidic content of the vinegar doesn't harm the leather.

7. Baby Wipes

Baby wipes are efficient at removing makeup. They are also effective in removing permanent marker stains off the human skin. Not shockingly, baby wipes can also remove permanent marker off leather.

Gently rub the stained leather with baby wipes or makeup remover wipes.
As always, restore the leather with a leather conditioner.

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways to get permanent marker stains off leather. Other cleaning products are also usable against permanent marker stains. These products include WD-40 and Goo Gone. But the thing is, different people find various methods more efficient. And the type of leather plays a part in the cleaning process, too.

If one method doesn't work, try the other methods on how to get permanent marker off leather. But make sure that once the stains are removed, use leather conditioner to repair all the damage done to the beautiful leather.