How to Remove Ballpoint Ink from Leather

The Logic Verdict

My Take: Chris from Dr. Beasley’s makes ink removal boringly predictable: identify that you’re on a top-coated leather, saturate their ink remover on a foam swab once, glide it over the line, and immediately wipe the liquefied ink into a clean microfiber. Rotate to a clean edge and repeat until the mark disappears, then nourish the area with finishing cream. Timing and precision are everything.

The Science

Ballpoint ink is oil-based dye that soaks into the clear urethane top coat protecting most automotive, furniture, and fashion leathers. Dr. Beasley’s Ink Remover is a targeted solvent that softens the ink without melting the coating, but it still strips protective oils. Using pointed swabs keeps the solvent localized, while a finishing cream replenishes the lipids removed during cleanup.

Step-by-Step Removal

1. Confirm the leather type. Test in a hidden seam: dab a small amount of ink remover with a swab and wipe. If the spot only looks wet (no darkening), you’re on a top-coated leather and safe to proceed. If it darkens, expect slower results and work even faster.
2. Stage tools. Shake the ink remover, lay out multiple precision swabs, and keep a clean microfiber ready. Once a swab touches ink, never return it to the bottle.
3. Saturate a swab once. Load the pointed tip until it’s glossy. Because you won’t re-dip, make sure it holds enough product for the stroke you’re about to make.
4. Liquefy the ink. Lightly glide the swab along the ink line using minimal pressure—think blotting, not scrubbing. The goal is to liquefy the dye, not grind it deeper into the grain.
5. Lift immediately. With your microfiber, wipe the area the moment the ink turns shiny so the solvent and dye transfer into the cloth instead of sinking back in.
6. Rotate and repeat. Turn the swab to a clean edge (or grab a new swab) for every pass so you don’t redeposit ink. Stretch the leather gently with your free hand to reach ink sitting inside grain valleys.
7. Condition the spot. After the ink is gone, apply a small amount of leather finishing cream with a fresh microfiber to replenish oils and even out the sheen.

Parts & Tools

• Dr. Beasley’s Ink Remover (Amazon) – Purpose-built solvent Chris uses to dissolve ballpoint dye without wrecking top coats.
• Precision Foam Swab Kit (Amazon) – Pointed/orb swabs mimic the video’s applicators for surgical control.
• Dr. Beasley’s Leather Cream (Amazon) – Rehydrates the treated patch after the aggressive solvent step.

What NOT To Do

• Don’t douse the stain with hardware-store alcohols or thinners—they can strip dye and dry the hide.
• Don’t scrub with magic erasers or stiff brushes; abrasion will remove the top coat faster than the ink.
• Don’t reuse a dirty swab tip or let ink remover sit on the surface; it can fade delicate aniline leathers.

Resources

• Dr. Beasley’s Ink Remover (Amazon)
• Precision Foam Swab Kit (Amazon)
• Dr. Beasley’s Leather Cream (Amazon)