Removing the Color from a Leather Bag?

Pghgirl40
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks

October 8, 20180 found this helpful

I accidentally spilled nail polish remover on a purse and it ruined the color. No sure I recommend this on purpose as a treatment, maybe if you tried it on a corner and did it in a controlled way....like using a cotton ball, it might work.

Please post your finished...I have a few damaged purses I would love to remake...but not sure how to go about it. A few are my grandmother's and are cute but damaged. Most are well over 50 years old.

Judy
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts

October 8, 20180 found this helpful

There are dye remover products sold.

cybergrannie
Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 949 Feedbacks

October 9, 20180 found this helpful

You do not say what color your "project" purse is but it seems that almost all recommendations do not say to remove the dye but to clean and then just dye the purse whatever color you choose.

I think this kind of project requires a lot of reading/research but there are so many sites/suggestions it becomes a chore to even Google the subject.

• I have never tried this but I did have a purse "professionally" dyed and the owner told me he just cleaned it and then dyed it (3 times on the dye). It turned out really great and I think that I might try this myself now that I have did a little research on my own.
• I liked looking at this site as it has so many "before & after" photos to review. Not sure about their products but some nice ideas.
• www.arrowcare.com/before--after-handbags.html
• Here are some sites that I am keeping for myself as I will be looking for a suitable project purse soon. You may be able to find a way to finish your project with information here.
Advertisement


• www.dreamalittlebigger.com/.../dyeing-a-leather-purse-a-tale-of...
• www.instructables.com/.../
• thedreamstress.com/.../
• I like checking on craft projects like this at Micheal's and Jo Ann's as they usually have everything you need. Some good leather cleaning products can be found at auto parts stores.

Here is a review of one dye product that looks promising:

www.amazon.com/.../B00XOXGUM2?tag=thrif06-20 (Affiliate Link)

jaw21080

October 20, 20180 found this helpful

dye removal for leather

Step 1
Use a razor, fine-grit sandpaper to scrape the top layer of the leather, will this remove any protective coats

Step 2
Dampen a cloth with denatured alcohol and rub it on the dyed leather. This will remove most of the stain if alcohol based. Use as little as possible to remove the stain, then rinse it in water and apply leather conditioner

Step 3
Wipe down the leather with lacquer thinner in the same manner as the denatured alcohol if the alcohol proves ineffective at removing the stain. Lacquer thinner will work on different dyes

Step 4
Soak the material in a very weak solution of bleach and water. This will get rid of the dye stain, but will also turn the material itself a pale gray.

Step 5
Dye over the entire piece of leather with a darker color if none of the other techniques got dye out

good luck