Unwanted Spot Of Dye On Undyed Leather

[Mrs Barry Hicks]

Well it 's not exactly a spot as much as it is two smudges from my hands when trying to fix another accident. I got two small smudges on the outside of an undyed attache case (which I just finished). The owner does not want the outside dyed. So i am praying that there is a solution to draw out the dye. Anyone have any suggestions?

Also, I have some extra cement (permanent kind) that got on one or two spots inside the case and I have to clean it up. Is there a way of cleaning that up as well?

Very depressed,

Barry

Edited February 24, 2012 by Mrs Barry Hicks

[Northmount]

Try oxalic acid to bleach the dye. Make a test 'project' first to simulate the accident. Same leather, same everything.

If it is contact cement, there was a post during the past month. Pour some cement into a plastic cup or such, just a little. Let it dry for a few hours, peal it off and wad into a ball of gum. Use it to dab against the cement to pull it off. Kneed the gum ball to get new sticky surface, and keep dabbing away. I got some off that way, and also used a strip of packing tape to lift some off.

If it is white glue (general purpose stuff), you may be able to peal it off carefully. If you catch it while still wet, wood workers use a wet toothbrush to scrub it and wipe it dry. But with leather, that is going to leave a stain or color change. You might be able to bleach it out. Or work the whole piece so it has the same stain over all the surface.

With both of these problems, you may have to lightly dye the whole surface to hide the remaining stains.

If you have abraded the leather under the cement slightly, you may be able to hide it with a coat of acrylic or lacquer based finish. Test it first on another piece of the same leather, same simulated conditions.

CTG

[Mrs Barry Hicks]

Wow, thank you so much! I will do both things and see what happens! Luckily I keep my scraps. I'll try it out tonight if I have time... hopefully I can find some oxalic acid in the local hardware store.

[WinterBear]

Try looking for it as "wood bleach" at the hardware store.

[Mrs Barry Hicks]

well I tried the oxalic acid and it didn't work. However, I tried the bad for your leather stuff - Acetone. I carefully got the stuff up and out of the leather mostly onto a clean rag. I know it's not good for leather. I will be conditioning the leather with olive oil or Neatsfoot oil. Then using a special wax to water proof it. I'm hoping the conditioner helps to heal the dried out areas. Luckily it wasn't too badly smudged. Thank you again for your help I really do appreciate it!