Upholstery and Fabrics - Stain removal on leather sofa

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View Full Version : Stain removal on leather sofa


jws999
05-21-09, 10:18 AM
Hello,
My wife just dyed her hair with henna, but accidentally got some of the henna on a beige colored leather sofa. Does anyone have a useful suggestion on how to remove it? Thanks


jmurray2112
06-02-09, 11:01 PM
You'd need to find out whether your leather is finished or unfinished, as the following cleaning options are not recommended for use on unfinished leathers. Typically, if you put a drop of water onto the surface of your leather, and it beads up without transfering into the leather and darkening it, it has a topical pigmented coating, and is therefore considered a finished leather, and these methods could be attempted.
d-Limonene (a citrus rind derivative) is effective in dye-transfer removal. I've seen it on ebay for pretty cheap. It's safe for use on both finished leathers and vinyl, and it's low-tox.
Alcohols are also effective against dye-transfer. Denatured alcohol is commonly available in hardware stores (typically ethanol mixed with methanol), though it may be too agressive for some leather finishes. You could test rubbing alcohol on the areas (70% Isopropanol, 30% water) as the water present in the mixture will lessen the chemical aggressiveness. Always test a small, inconspicuous area first.