How to get this off my seat?

[Louis Balfour]

I’ve just given a hairdresser a lift to her next appointment and she has rewarded me with this on my passenger seat.

It lightens very slightly with a wet wipe, but it’s still very obvious. I’ve no idea what it is, could be dye from her clothes or nail polish pehaps.

What can I try to get it out please?

[Louis Balfour]

I’ve tried water - no joy
APC faded it slightly
WD40 no joy
Magic eraser small improvement

Still super visible though. May have to message the culprit and ask her what she may have transferred to my car.

[Red9zero]

Isn't Fermit the leather person ? He should know what to do.

[5s Alive]

Was she wearing jeans? Possibly dye transfer from wet clothing. Steam cleaners appear to be the best way to remove dye transfer from leather without damaging it. Use in conjunction with a good microfibre cloth. Bloody annoying, I hope you get it out.

[Louis Balfour]

Ok I’ve done it.

I tried escalating intensity of products and nothing at all was shifting it.

In the end cellulose thinners and careful won the day.

[5s Alive]

Cellulose thinners! Wash carefully and get some leather food/ cream in there immediately.

Glad you got it sorted.

A friend laid a wet black leather briefcase on his cream leather - you would not believe the state of that.

[Fermit]

Red9zero said:

Isn't Fermit the leather person ? He should know what to do.

I am, but it seems he's sorted it. There is a solution for pretty much any type of stain, but for anyone reading be very mindful of using either babywipes or thinners, both can do serious damage to the leather finish.

[Louis Balfour]

Fermit said:

Red9zero said:

Isn't Fermit the leather person ? He should know what to do.

I am, but it seems he's sorted it. There is a solution for pretty much any type of stain, but for anyone reading be very mindful of using either babywipes or thinners, both can do serious damage to the leather finish.

I tried a small area first, cleaned the seat, washed it off thoroughly and put some leather conditioned on it.

The fact that nothing apart from cellulose thinners would move it suggests to me that it may have been something a bit plastic or nail polish perhaps. Even lighter petrol and white spirit proved unsuccessful.

The car is a Rolls Royce and they appear to use leather from elderly, wrinkly cows, because it is not tight and it has natural "veins" in it. I think the leather rucked up, she transferred X substance to the seat, which "took" where the ridges in the leather were.

Anyway, the next time I see the girl who did it I shall wave cheerily from my window and she can walk!

Fermit, for future reference, what precisely do you do? From memory you aren't far from us (Midlands) correct me if I am wrong.

[Fermit]

Louis Balfour said:

Fermit, for future reference, what precisely do you do? From memory you aren't far from us (Midlands) correct me if I am wrong.

East Mids, Derbyshire/ Notts border. I restore leather, however the business is currently dormant on health grounds.

[s p a c e m a n]

Well st, did not know that about baby wipes. Explains what happened to the armrest in my Chimaera though.

[Fermit]

s p a c e m a n said:

Well st, did not know that about baby wipes. Explains what happened to the armrest in my Chimaera though.

People mistake them as being gentle, but think about what they're designed to break down....

[Red9zero]

Fermit said:

s p a c e m a n said:

Well st, did not know that about baby wipes. Explains what happened to the armrest in my Chimaera though.

People mistake them as being gentle, but think about what they're designed to break down....

The anti glare coating on my radio / nav display was scratched by the "valeters" at the dealers. After seeing lots of videos of dismantling things and various specialist polishes, someone suggested babywipes. 30 seconds of wiping and the coating was off !

[Louis Balfour]

Fermit said:

East Mids, Derbyshire/ Notts border. I restore leather, however the business is currently dormant on health grounds.

Ah, hope you recover soon.

[Fermit]

Louis Balfour said:

Fermit said:

East Mids, Derbyshire/ Notts border. I restore leather, however the business is currently dormant on health grounds.

Ah, hope you recover soon.

It's Mental Health, anxiety and the like, steadily improving. If you're needing a car resto I'm happy to chat off Pistonheads to guide you through a DIY methodology.

[Red9zero]

Fermit said:

It's Mental Health, anxiety and the like, steadily improving. If you're needing a car resto I'm happy to chat off Pistonheads to guide you through a DIY methodology.

Hope you are getting the help you need and start to recover soon.

[Fermit]

Red9zero said:

Hope you are getting the help you need and start to recover soon.

TY.

[TimmyMallett]

Fermit said:

People mistake them as being gentle, but think about what they're designed to break down....

Does this also apply to semi-alinine leather? We had a sofa from DFS once and they said to use babywipes. ISTR that my bike leathers manufacturer recommended them too to remove dead flies (this will be different leather though)

[Fermit]

TimmyMallett said:

Fermit said:

People mistake them as being gentle, but think about what they're designed to break down....

Does this also apply to semi-alinine leather? We had a sofa from DFS once and they said to use babywipes. ISTR that my bike leathers manufacturer recommended them too to remove dead flies (this will be different leather though)

Yes, it does also apply. Semi-analine is a funny term. You have two main camps of leather. Dyed (absorbant) often referred to as Aniline (there are other types of died leather) or pigment coated (none absorbant) I prefer the term micro pigment to semi aniline. It is good quality leather, as there are fewer imperfections, meaning only a light pigment needs applying. This is also a reason why died leather furniture is so pricey, as everything is on display, so hides with numerous imperfections are a big no no.

[TimmyMallett]

Also about correcting my spelling of it, even though I did Google it, and still maned to spell it incorrectly.

[Fermit]

One main thing to look for TM is a product being PH neutral. Also avoid anything containing wax or silicone, as this will just sit on the surface attracting muck, the very thing which is damaging to the finish.