HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Barbara
Feedback About This Post:
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I read through most of this post with the same problem as everybody else. Black Permenant sharpie on a brown leather couch. the one thing that seemed to be the safest was the Off Kids Skintastic so I decided to try that. I sprayed a nickle size dot on a high quality microfiber and just touched the marker and it started to disappear. You can tell that it DOES remove some of the finish on the leather, dulling it in that spot. You can not notice this spot on my couch unless you are trying to look for it. I will now try some leather conditioner to restore that spot. I use Lexol for all my leather stuff and it cannot be beat; available at hardware, specialty, and leather stores. I wish i would have just started with a Q-tip because that would have been perfect size/width for that one mark.
I think the one thing that is not considered in the individual experiences here is that all leather/leather couches are not created equally. There was one post that mentioned it a bit stating," depending on how the leather was dyed." That is one of the most important issues. Some couches are $500, some are, $1000. My couch was $4000 and I know there are more expensive ones. You can tell the difference in the quality of the leather when you sit on them and that quality will show when you try to clean the marker off, i think. It's like trying to sand a wood veneer table, versus a solid wood table. They both can look nice on the surface but the veneer will sand right off and you will be left with a marred surface. Just my opinion.
This post helped me make an informed decision on what to use. Problem solved. Thanks to everybody here for taking the time to post their experience.
Post by Pimp Stixxx
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Worked excellent! Banana boat spray and water babies coppertone lotion spf 50! My 4 year old nephew used a gold sharpie marker on the arm of our navy leather couch.
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
THANK YOU for recommending Coppertone Sports Spray SPF30! (and thank goodness for the internet!) My daughter came home from school today with her green palms and went straight onto my brown leather ottoman to watch TV without washing hands. The result you can imagine (something like "Oh, no, not again..."). I tried the leather cleaner by Guardsman that came with the ottoman, and the stain didn't even come off onto the cloth.
After finding this website, I started digging into my husband's pool bag and thank heavens! there it was -The COPPERTONE SPORT SPRAY Bottle SPF 30! Squired on to each hand print a little and gently rubbed with a hand towel; then immediately the green color was on the towel and not on the leather anymore! It was as if the sunscreen melted the stain and it's being picked up by the towel. It didn't even fade the leather color. I'm still amazed!
Post By gaithersburg mom (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Our beige leather Barcalounger fell victim to a well-intentioned grab after a dropped Bic SoftFeel permanent marker pen. What might have just been a dot became a longish line, oh my! Google search got me here in 3 clicks, restoring the calm. Coppertone Continuous Spray SPF30, squirted onto the line, worked as described and vanished the ink! The only additional technique I used was to mask the line with painter's tape, to control the area affected by the spray. Even though I was a cautious blotter, the cleaned area was slightly lighter than the surround. I will let things dry out / age a bit, then decide if I need a final shoe polish coverup. A large thank you to this site and all you posters! - Reclining in CT
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Thank you so much, spf 30 clinique did the trick. It removed red gel marker off my brown leather couch, a life saver.
Post By gena (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I was Coppertone Sport sunblock spray in the continuous spray bottle and it worked extremely well and didn't wreck the cream leather on the couch.
Post By Lalondian (Guest Post)
HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I used MIJEX mosquito repellent, which contains isopropyl myristate, to remove black staedtler permanent marker from my cream leather couch. It worked a treat. I just sprayed it on and left it for about 20 seconds. It's amazing, you can actually see it dissolving the ink! Just dab with a tissue and repeat a couple of times and you'd never know it ever happened.
There is one problem. You now know how dirty your couch actually is! I thought I had a problem when I just had to remove the ink, now that I've seen it up close, I want to clean the whole couch! Prior to treating the stain with Mijex, I also tried 'Isopropanol', 'Flash mark and stain remover', 'Astonish' , 'White Wizard, and spit. None of these removed any of the marker. Thanks to all for the advice.
Post By jake (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
The spray took the coating of the leather off along with most of the marker.
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: It Works!
It's like magic! I CANNOT believe how the permanent marker lines drawn by my very artistic 2 year old on our red leather sectional disappeared instantly. We have been trying to get these stains out for months, we even contemplated getting a new couch because the stains were so long, dark and visible. The couch looked horrible, but thanks to this site and a little SPF 30 face and body sunscreen, our couch looks like new. THANKS ASK JEEVES. You saved us thousands of dollars!
Post By Tyra from Atlanta (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I used the banana boat sunscreen to remove permanent marker on my leather Chair. Well the marker came off but it took the top coloring of my leather Chair with it!!!!! It Rubbed it right off! The Chair is tan but now where the marker was is off white. Help how do I fix this?
Post by kduck
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
OMG. Coppertone sunblock spray WORKED instantly! After trying to use soap and water, I came on here and gave it a try. Sprayed it, and let it sit for 15 secs, wiped away with towel. Good as new.
Post By B (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! I purchaed a leather couch with lots of stains.
I purchased a leather couch from one of my friends with lots of stains on it. What is the best way to clean it? My thought would be to use hot soapy water with a tad bit of bleach on white leather, or use oxi clean to get the deep stains out, what would be the best way to get this out seeming as that its winter and they don't sell sun block anymore, some one please help its being delivered tomorrow. E-mail me back at xxkissesxx7689 AT aol.com It would be greatly appreciated.
Post By Jessica (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Its simple just dip a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol, normally used for removing nailpolish, and scrub lightly on the permanent marker. (If you scrub hard you will remove some of the color from the leather). It worked for me. Thanks to this site and everyone who posted otherwise my parents would have flipped!
Post By Dylan (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I just used Banana Boat spray sunscreen and it worked better than alcohol, nail polish remover and bug spray. It actually worked really, really well on my cream-colored leather sofa.
Post By ML (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My daughter drew on the arm of our leather chair this evening. I tried the spray sunblock and I was surprised how well it worked. It seemed to work better if I let it sit on the marks a few minutes in between scrubbing. Took a while but I think I got it all! Thanks so much for the suggestions!
Post By Julia (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
OMG thank goodness I found this website. My husband just got a new chair and is in LOVE with it! This morning after a triathlon, the permanent marker on my arm rubbed off onto the leather seat. Needless to say I felt like total crap especially after he used his fancy leather cleaner stuff on it and nothing changed. Thank goodness for Banana Boat Sport spray and this website :)
Post By omc (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Spray coppertone got it out in two seconds just sprayed it and wipe it off!
Post By Bologna (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
This is sooo funny. Our lease is up and there were markers on the leather seats made by Coopertone sunblock spray. I was searching on the internet to find out how to take them off and found this link and immediately tried it on the leather seats thinking what else how I got to loose? and "voila" the markers made by the sunblock came off with the same sunblock... Thank you all :)
Post By sera (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I don't know who figured out to use suntan lotion, but wow! My niece used some marker on our leather couch, and soap/water, nor the fancy leather cleaner go it out. The suntan lotion worked right away - amazing.
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Thank you the coppertone remove the stain completely!
Post By Diego! (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My son got permanent black marker on our brand new tan leather couch. I came here for answers because leather cleaner didn't work. I tried rubbing alcohol which worked some but eventually began discoloring the couch. Out of desperation I tried coopertone spray sunblock, I was totally shocked when it took the ink off like nothing. I didn't even have to scrub and no discoloration at all. Thanks to all who suggested it. Amazing.
Post By Brandon (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I started to use avon skin so soft bug guard, it started to fade the brown leather color, so that scared me. It did lighten up the marker though.
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I got black biro that has now turned purple on a white leather chair and I've tried pretty much everything from bug spray to vodka to sunblock to WD40 and nail polish remover and leather cleaner, perfume, hairspray nothing will lift it! Arghh!
Post By Fiona (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Thank God for this site! It took me spraying the problem spots once and rubbing with a towel, then repeating again very very gently with a soft toothbrush, and thanks to good old coppertone sport sunblock spray those nasty stains came right out. My mother however, used, to my knowledge, a detergent, you know for the washing machine, THATS A BIG NO NO! Whatever you do, do not use detergents, that along with her scrubbing wore straight through the leathery finish, and now there is a flat grey spot instead of an ink stain. Which is not repairable, yet I am still in trouble for the worn down spot too. To all of you, despite me still being in trouble, thank you SO much for all your input, and helping me to solve this great problem, I will definitely be using spray sunblock for all my leather couch stains :D
Post By John (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
We didn't have any coppertone but we did have banana boat and it took the sharpie off of my leather couch. This is one of the coolest things to know.
Post By mad dad (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My artistic 3 1/2 year old used rub-a-dub permanent
marker (laundry perm marker) which is meant not to come off on a tan leather chair. Coppertone continuous spray got it off 100% thank goodness since it was not my house he did it at. It really really works.
Post By By:Mariana (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My 11yr old son plays on a Little League Majors team in our town. 10 days ago, he pitched a 2-hit shut out and got the game ball. A few days later he hit his first ever "over the fence" home run. Of course, he got that ball, too. Dad (me...) is asked to write the date and the event on each ball in black Sharpie. The problem is, Dad mixed up the balls and wrote the wrong info on each one. My son somehow memorized every blemish on each ball before the labeling and knew exactly which was which (can't seem to transfer that skill to homework and studying...) - "Dad, the home run ball has the grass stain where it hit the ground over the fence, Duh!" he reported in between sobs!
Needless to say, I needed help big time and found this board. After much reading and follow up research on some of the easier ones to pursue, it appears that the common ingredient in many of the remedies posted here is Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing Alcohol). It is in the bug sprays, and other products mentioned. As a test, I used OFF bug spray on one ball and Isopropyl Alcohol (70%) on the other. The alcohol did a better job in the end, so I hit the bug sprayed ball with it to clean up the residue left behind.
THANK YOU ALL for sending in the right signals from the dugout and for helping me bring back the winning smile to my boy's face. Best in life to you all.
Post By Charlie R. (Guest Post)
Permanent Black Marker on Tan Leather Lexus Seats
A notebook with my little niece's outstanding marker artwork was placed in my passenger seat, left in the humid, hot sun for 2 days and I think I even placed something heavy on it on the way home to really get the marker good and deep in the leather.
As many others on this site, I launched full scale chemical warfare against my car seat. Finally, after not one single suggestion I found on line worked, I made a runny sort of paste with hot water and Oxy Clean. Used a nail brush (wife wasn't thrilled about that) to "gently" scrub like hell and, well, all I can say is if anybody has a car that is 5+ years old with leather seats - don't even think your seats are clean. I clean my car all the time and only use leather cleaners and conditioners on my seats and yet we removed a healthy layer of "stuff" that certainly not cream colored like the color of the leather...and then finally, poof goes the marker stain. My advice in short is: Use every chemical you can find in your house and then borrow some from a neighbor. Then windex it all off like you are starting over fresh and then use the Oxy Clean and water paste along with your spouses very nice nail brush to apply and scrub in the Oxy Clean paste...in seconds that permanent marker (and icky stuff left behind from every single person and/or pet that has ever been in your car) comes right off like magic. Well, maybe not "magic" but it will work.
Post By Lance in Texas (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
OMG, thanks so much, I had perm marker on brand new, very nice cherry wood dining room table, didn't see any help sites for that, so I checked out this one. The Copertone Continuous Spray suncreen took it right off, with no elbow grease even, and no finish damage. Thanks!
Post By Kathi (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
The only thing that got the sharpie perm PURPLE marker off of our cream couch was the copper tone continuous sports spray & Elbow Greese. We ended up using an entire 6 oz can.
Nail Polish remover, ajax, soft scrub, baby wipes, rubbing alcohol, magic eraser, axe body spray, goof off, aqua net hair spray DID NOT WORK and now I have white streaks from where we tried them!
Post By MommyZ7 (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Thank you you so much!! You have saved my couch. It was covered with Black sharpy marks! My boys went to town with the marker this morning. I found this site, and the rubbing alcohol worked liked a charm! Saved the day! What a blessing!
Addie
Post By Addie (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My grandson drew smiley faces all over my tan leather sofa with a black permanent marker. I tried the Avon skin so soft oil and 95% came off with just a cotton ball. Thank you. I did rinse with a little dial soap and water just to remove the oil. debbie
Post By debbie (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I also had black marker put on my dark green leather couch. I tried the magic eraser and it came right off.
WHEW:))
Post By Shannon (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Dark Brown Leather Couch
We tryed everything even vodka it help fade it but i didnt get rid of it all. So we tryed NETTO REMO ALL PURPOSE LIQUID CLEANER. We scrubed it with our old tooth brush. And that worked the best.
Post By sue (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I set a back that was labeled with permanent marker on my car seat. The ink was smeared on my seat. I have light tan leather seats, I tried multiple things to remove it and nothing worked. I tried the Banana Boat Sunscreen and it worked. It took multiple applications and letting the sunscreen sit for about 1 minute then wipe and reapply. Thank you for the tip, it is great.
Post By Elaine (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
magic eraser, bug spray and other cleaners were just wearing the surface off & not removing the permanent marker. Out of desperation I was trying everything! Banana Boat Sport spray on sunscreen worked like a charm & didnt remove any color from the leather! :-)
Post By mom of 4 yr old (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Help me please my daughter got permanent marker on my tan sofa. I have tried alcohol, bug spray, spf 45 sunblock... what else can I use. please help me!
Post By tiana (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
got it all off using non-acetone polish remover called simply basic polish remover non acetone. did not hurt the leather material nor change the colour either.
Post By M.T. (Guest Post)
HELP ME PLEASE!
I'm in middle school and wrote some stuff on some seats with permanent black sharpie.please help me! The seats themselves look kind of leathery. Once again please help!
Post By bad boy (Guest Post)
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My daughter recently marked on my friends leather couch with a sharpie permanent marker! How in the world can I get that out? Please help! - Barbara
Answers:
removing permanent marker from leather
I tried everything from Resolve Carpet Cleaner to the Vodka myth and the only thing that worked for me was the rubbing alcohol, I was amazed at how fast it got it out of the leather, it not only saved the leather it saved me from being in some deep trouble! (11/30/2004)By Danielle
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Use a very small amount of Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil on a soft cloth and test a spot on the back of the couch first. It worked for me. (01/18/2005)By Laurie
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I tried the alcohol it's working but its fading my couch. I have a honey color couch. Any other suggestions? DESPARATE (02/18/2005)By Ema
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Had permanent marker on leather seat in car. Alcohol removed all. Thanks so much (07/21/2005)By Susan
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/LeatherInkRemover.htm the leather ink remover can remove permanent marker from leather. Regards (09/15/2005)By ben123
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
The rubbing alcohol REALLY WORKS! My 6 year old son wrote with a black permanent marker on our new $1000 brown leather chair! AHHHHH! The stains came out and it looks as good as new. Thank you so much for the tip. (10/23/2005)By Georgina Parker
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I got permanent marker on my dance shoes while I was trying to write my name in them, and the rubbing alcohol got it out, but they're a tiny bit faded now, so if you don't mind fading, I highly highly recommend the rubbing alcohol! (11/06/2005)By Lyndsay
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
It doesn't sound very nice but I spit on a rug and got the permanent marker off leather sofa (11/12/2005)By Alice
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
The rubbing alchohol really worked! My son drew all over our leather chair with a red Sharpie! I had to scrub really hard, but it took it all away. My husband will never know! Thanks! (11/20/2005)By momof3
Help! Alcohol made my couch color fade
I used alcohol to get ink off my leather couch. It faded the color of the couch some. Any suggestions to put the color back some (12/16/2005)By Nancy
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I had tried everything on here and more to remove permananent marker on my leather sofa...nothing worked. At witts end, I tried this sponge thing called Magic Eraser. I can't believe it worked like a dream! As a bonus, I use this product called Gardenia leather protective cream. WOW my 3 year old sofa looks brand new. :) (12/28/2005)By Sheilah
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I've used Soft Scrub (without bleach) and a denture brush to clean Sharpie marker off of my navy leather sofa, wooden chairs and tables, my kitchen cabinets and my flat stove top. I also use it to remove the stains in my white kitchen sink and from my teenage daughters white flip flops. If you're willing to give it a try, test in an inconspicuous place first. Good Luck! (03/18/2006)By leeaura
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I tried alcohol and it faded my tan leather couch. I also tried the Magic eraser, it did not work either. Would love to hear about the vodka recipe. Seems like maybe the color of couch and/or marker determines the effectiveness of these remedies. (03/25/2006)By Sherri.
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Two words, Spot shot. It took black magic marker out of a wooden nightstand and off of my cream counter top. (04/27/2006)By
Permanent Marker on Leather Seats
My daughter, who's on a swim team, had "Eat My Bubbles" written on her back last night. She came home without a shirt on, and get the permanent marker on my husband's beige leather car interior! I didn't want him to know, because we're not even "allowed" to eat or drink in his car! Anyway... I used alcohol and a brush with rather FIRM bristles (a toothbrush wasn't strong enough -- I used a fingernail brush). I worked in a circular motion, and it came out eventually. Much patience is needed, because if you scrub TOO HARD in one spot, the top layer of the leather will come off! Yes, it made it look "bleached," but believe it or not, that's just DIRT. As clean as my husband keeps his car, YES, there is a film of dust/dirt/oil on the seat! So... I scrubed the whole seat, and then it had a very DULL finish. I then took a little GOOF OFF to try to get out the last little bit of blue permanent marker, and then I rubbed a dot of ORANGE OIL all over the seat, too, to make it look kind of shiny like it did before all this happened. It looks SO MUCH BETTER. So much so, that I don't think my husband will notice it. I hope we can get by with him not noticing any time soon (for a year, or two), because then I can let him know that it must not have been too bad since he didn't notice it for so long. And I sometime call him Eagle Eye because he's so detail-oriented. Thanks for the tips! (07/21/2006)By Lynn
jacobe and Riley
"...everything we read on this website didn't work even alcohol." Try using a stronger rubbing alcohol. I'm not sure where you live, but when I lived in the DC area Safeways usually carried 99.9%. It's hard to find otherwise. If you do, test it on a part of the leather that isn't easily viewed first. (08/08/2006)By Steve
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Well. I tried the alcohol and it DOES work, but it does take the first layer of leather off, which is the COLOR. There was no way around it either as I started out with a soft cloth and it took FOREVER to remove the smallest spot. My lil' darling wrote with permanant marker on EVERY piece of our new leather suite, the walls (newly painted) the laminate, the carpet and even the dog! So, when I discovered there was no way around removing that top layer to get marker off, I went for the gusto and got out the scotch brite sponge! Then I got out my acrylic gloss paints. Now I have no marker on my leather and I hid it pretty well. I have used those markers for furniture on it, but they dont really work that well. You can still see the bald area beneath it. Good luck with your leather. I vow to find the best solution ever some day. When I do, this post will be the first to know. M. In Ohio (08/31/2006)By M. Nye
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I got it off with OFF bugspray. (09/13/2006)RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My son accidentally marked our pale yellow leather lounge with sharpie black permanent marker. After reading through the rest of the feedback on this site and hearing that everyone had used rubbing alcohol, I was feeling a bit desperate as I don't have any rubbing alcohol! Someone mentioned spit, so my son used an old towel and his own spit and it worked a treat, with no affect on the leather at all. I did this asap after it happened though, probably no more than 10 minutes. (10/18/2006)By Yvette
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My daughter drew on my brand new three day old $3000.00 sofa. Used Alcohol some came up but be careful not to rub too hard as it scraped off the leather. Hope my husband doesnt see it. (10/18/2006)By mary
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I tried baby oil to get black permanent marker out of my red leather purse, it was unsuccessful. The thing that worker for me was the Mr. Clean magic eraser. Be careful not to rub too hard because it will take some of the color off the leather but it works like a charm! Good Luck! :) (11/10/2006)By Steph
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I tried many of the above. It was not sharpie marker just a plain old perm marker the lil one used on my leather recliner. Nothing worked but I did try off bug spray and it lightened it so it is not terribly noticeable. YIKES! (12/01/2006)By Denise
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
i just used nail polish remover and it worked, not that much rubbing, got a cotton ball and it worked, wipe over it with a wet cloth after you finish. It takes a little of the shine off the couch and a little colour (my couch is beige) so you cant see it that much. (02/07/2007)By Sharon
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Does anyone have any suggestions that WON'T fade the color? My couch is dark brown leather. We are really desparate since we just bought it and it was $3000.00! HELP! (02/25/2007)By lemmykins
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My wonderful 3 and 5 years old girls decided to color on my $4000.00 leather couch. I used the magic eraser and it took off a layer of the couch. I also used leather cleaner and neither worked. (03/03/2007)By Y
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My son scribbled ALL over my new white leather couch with thick red permanent marker. The only thing I found to work was nail polish remover. The marker came off immediately. Have all the fancy leather products including a product that is for removing pen only and these did NOTHING! (03/17/2007)By Summer
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My husband told me once that WD-40 would remove a sharpie permanent marker stain. He was right! I had to apply it 3 times, scrubbing with a soft cloth each time, but it didn't take long and the mark was completely gone - no damage done. (03/19/2007)By tismom
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My 15-month-old marked my leather recliner with sharpie - all over it! I didn't use any of the abovementioned remedies, as I didn't want to mar the finish. You know what works - old-fashioned soap and water and LOTS of elbow grease. Sharpie is not actually permanent - as a preschool teacher I can tell you it wears off of everything eventually. If this happens to you, just keep on scrubbin' - it will work. (03/23/2007)By Amy
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
This just happened to me today, lucky me! My 2-year-old decided to get into all of the different colored Sharpies and draw circles all over our light brown leather couch. Thank God for nail polish remover is all I gotta say! It took off the marker with a few cotton balls and then a paper towel. No damage to my couch, either! : ) (03/30/2007)By Jamie
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My son drew all overy my brown leather sofa with a marker and I tried EVERYTHING to get it out. I heard that the enzymes in milk will lift the stain (works with ink pen marks on leather, though), I tried rubbing alcohol, baking soda, nothing worked. But the only thing that worked for me was nail polish remover. It did lighten that area of my couch, but then I got some shoe polish and touched it up, and you can't even tell! (04/22/2007)By Sarah.
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
My 1 yr old got black sharpie all over the house and her brand new white leather shoes. Nothing worked to get it out, not even alcohol. The shoes are still marked up but it mostly came out of our hardwood floors.Editor's Note: You could try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on the shoes. It may also take off the finish but then polish them with white shoe polish. (04/26/2007)
By
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I used nail polish remover to get out a marker stain on our beige leather couch, and although it did remove the stain it also removed the top layer of color on the leather. What should I do to color in the beige that is no longer there? Thanks in advance!Editor's Note: Try to find a shoe polish that will match. (05/14/2007)
Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I used OFF! just like someone earlier suggested when my little cousins completely covered my Mom's dark brown leather couch in marker. It worked perfectly. The finger nail polish remover and WD-40 just made the couch extra shiny but didn't remove the stain. The OFF! worked and didn't even damage the couch (at least as far as I can tell) (05/27/2007)RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
I had a slumber party, and the last one asleep got a sharpie makeover. So, in the morning, we discovered out WHOLE ENTIRE caramel leather couch was covered in blue sharpie. After my mom had a cow, and my dad yelled at me, I tried everything but nothing worked. Finally, I used the Neutrogena Sunblock Spray (SPF 45) which worked like a charm. It's easier to let it sit for a few seconds. NEVER USE OIL BASED - it takes out the top layer. (06/03/2007)By Relieved
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Fantastic results thanks you all - royal blue Sharpie on a light beige leather chair - in a rental house. Yikes. First I gathered some ammo gleaned from your suggestions: rubbing alcohol, purell, bull frog mosquito coast spf 30 spray and a thing of sea breeze (!) that I found in the medicine cabinet. I tried the rubbing alcohol first on some plain unscented baby wipes - I had to blot the stain since it picked it right up and on to the wipe - careful - the wipe could then transfer the blue to another clean part. I worked a while on that. Then tried the purell - nothing. Then I tried the bull frog spray and it worked like a dream! Just a few sprays and wipes with the baby wipe and it is all gone. Yea! (07/09/2007)By mona
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
USE BUG SPRAY! (07/20/2007)By PAIGE
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Coppertone Continous spray no rub sun screen works with a magic eraser sponge. Magic eraser by itself doesn't work. You can still see the ink a little but it looks much better & I will try again once it dries. 2 yr old took a black permanent marker to a burgundy leather chair (07/29/2007)By Stephanie
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
Off bug spray worked like a charm :) thank god (08/06/2007)By Charlotte
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
OFF bug spray! Thank you. Black permanent marker on tan couch. Got online right away, found this web site, but not before I panicked and scrubbed too hard with a Magic Eraser (took off a little bit of top layer of leather) Tried OFF bug spray, it washed right off! Now the only way to know that the baby drew on the couch, is where I rubbed too hard, so BE CAREFUL! (08/10/2007)By Jennifer
RE: HELP! Permanent Marker on Leather Couch
thanks so much whoever had the bugspray idea! we didn't have the "OFF!" brand, but "Cutter" worked pretty well too. thanks so much, now my parents wont have to kill us =]] aika, d, zel, and meggie (08/19/2007)By these 4 girls.
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