4 Ways to Remove Paint From a Leather Auto Seat

This article was co-authored by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. Chad is based in the Los Angeles, California area and uses his passion for auto detailing to teach others how to do so as he grows his company nationwide.

There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Removing paint from leather is a task that must be approached with care, taking into consideration the grade of leather and type of paint involved. Exposure to chemicals and water can degrade the quality of the leather. If you are not sure of the type of paint that was used, start with the least abrasive treatment and then progress to the more abrasive treatments. Treating wet paint is the easiest, followed by water based paint, and oil based paint.

Steps

Removing Wet Paint

1. 1Act as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the paint will dry. When the paint dries, it will become considerably more difficult to remove.
2. 2Use a flat tool to remove the paint. Take something like a palette knife and use it to gently lift excess paint from the leather. Begin by working around the outside of the stain to avoid spreading the paint. Keep the tool level, so that you limit contact with the couch and do not scratch the leather.
   • Leather does not handle moisture well, so you should try to remove as much of the stain as possible without recourse to water.[1] X Research source
   • Alternatively, you could try using a credit card or a razor blade.

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3. 3Wipe with kitchen towel. Find a towel that is good at absorbing moisture. Pat the remainder of the stain, lifting as much of it as possible. If you can, try using a dry towel to avoid damaging the leather. [2] X Research source
   • If a dry towel does not seem to work, apply a little bit of water and a nonabrasive soap, like hand soap. After cleaning up the stain, use a towel to pat the surface and remove water as quickly as possible.

Removing Water Based Paint

1. 1Rub with a wet towel. Water based paints are easy to pick up and can typically be cleaned with a simple wet rag. Try to limit how much water you get on the leather, because leather does not respond well to water.[3] X Research source
   • Be sure to wring out the towel so that it is not dripping water all over the leather.
   • Whenever cleaning, you should start from the outside perimeter of the stain and move inward. Do not make quick, wide movements. Gently rub and dab the stain.[4] X Research source
2. 2Scrape with a credit card. If the water does not remove all of the paint, it should loosen it up enough that it will be easy to pick up. Take a credit card and use it to gently lift the paint off the sofa.[5] X Research source
3. 3Pat dry with a towel. Do not leave water on the leather, it will ruin it. As quickly as possible, take an absorbent towel and pat down the surface until there is no liquid remaining on the surface.[6] X Research source

Removing Oil Based Paints

1. 1Dab with olive oil. The oil will permeate and loosen the surface of the paint, hopefully making it possible to remove the remainder of the stain. Use a cotton swab or cloth to dab it in. Try to get as little of the oil as possible on the leather.[7] X Research source
   • Alternatively, baby and other cooking oils can be used.
2. 2Blot. Blot with a dry towel to remove the paint after treated with oil. Apply oil repeatedly as necessary, taking care to blot between applications to remove any paint that the olive oil has dislodged.
   • Dab the swab treated with oil on a paper towel to remove paint that accumulates on it between treatments.
3. 3
4. 4Dry surface. Don’t leave any water on the leather. Dab the surface with a dry towel to remove any remaining moisture.

Remove Heavy Stains

1. 1Consult care instructions. For heavier stains, you might need to apply chemicals that could be seriously abrasive to the leather. Consult care instructions and consider contacting the manufacturer to ask what the effect of a chemical will be on the leather.[10] X Research source
2. 2Perform a spot test. Before applying a more abrasive chemical to the leather, try putting some in an inconspicuous location, like near the bottom of the seat. If the chemical does not seem to damage the leather, you can use the chemical to treat a more noticeable part of the leather.[11] X Research source
3. 3Apply nail polish remover. Place the nail polish remove on a cotton swab or towel and dab it on another surface to remove excess liquid. Dab the paint, being careful to avoid spreading the nail polish remover across the leather more than is necessary. Rub until all paint is removed.[12] X Research source
4. 4Use rubbing alcohol. If polish remover does not work, place rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab or towel. Remove excess liquid. Then rub the stain until all of the paint is removed.
   • It is imperative that you get as little rubbing alcohol as possible on the leather, because it will dry it out.[13] X Research source
5. 5Remove abrasive chemicals and moisture. Use a damp towel with a mild soap to remove the chemicals. Afterward, use a dry towel to remove the water.
6. 6Treat the newly exposed leather with leather conditioner. Buy a professional leather conditioner from an auto supply store and apply it to the area. This will help to minimize the discoloration that may occur during the paint removal process and help keep the leather supple.[14] X Research source
   • Consider using leather conditioner after any of these treatments. It is most imperative, however, when using abrasive chemicals like nail polish remover and rubbing alcohol.

Expert Q&A
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• QuestionWhat can I use to remove paint from leather?Chad ZaniChad Zani is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. Chad is based in the Los Angeles, California area and uses his passion for auto detailing to teach others how to do so as he grows his company nationwide.
  Auto Detailing ExpertAuto Detailing ExpertExpert Answer
• QuestionMy daughter had color wars today, and I have it on my leather seats. What can I use to get it off?Uglymug18Community AnswerMost of that paint used for the color wars is water based and will come off with a damp wash cloth, just be sure to wipe them down with leather wipes after they dry.
• QuestionHow can I remove spray paint from a bus seat?Community AnswerBuy several bottles of nail polish remover and pour it all over the seat. Make sure to wipe it down with a paper towel.

Video

Tips

• You can also use a commercial leather cleaner to remove stains from a leather car seat.[15] X Expert SourceChad ZaniAuto Detailing Expert Expert Interview. 2 October 2019.
• Use a horse hair brush to clean the leather if you have one. The fine hairs will get into the pores of the leather and make it easier to lift out the stain.[16] X Expert SourceChad ZaniAuto Detailing Expert Expert Interview. 2 October 2019.
• Use a microfiber cloth to wipe up any lifted paint as you work.[17] X Expert SourceChad ZaniAuto Detailing Expert Expert Interview. 2 October 2019.

References

1. ↑ http://www.furniturechoice.co.uk/Everyroom/Every-Living-Room/How-To-Remove-Paint-Or-Biro-From-A-Leather-Sofa.htm
2. ↑ http://www.furniturechoice.co.uk/Everyroom/Every-Living-Room/How-To-Remove-Paint-Or-Biro-From-A-Leather-Sofa.htm
3. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
4. ↑ http://www.ktcampbell.com/domesticity/stain_removal.html
5. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
6. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
7. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
8. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
9. ↑ http://www.furniturechoice.co.uk/Everyroom/Every-Living-Room/How-To-Remove-Paint-Or-Biro-From-A-Leather-Sofa.htm

1. ↑ http://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-remove-stains-from-leather-furniture
2. ↑ http://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-remove-stains-from-leather-furniture
3. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
4. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
5. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-paint-off-leather/
6. ↑ Chad Zani. Auto Detailing Expert. Expert Interview. 2 October 2019.
7. ↑ Chad Zani. Auto Detailing Expert. Expert Interview. 2 October 2019.
8. ↑ Chad Zani. Auto Detailing Expert. Expert Interview. 2 October 2019.

About This Article

To remove paint from a leather auto seat, start by scooping up as much of the paint as possible if it’s still wet using a flat tool, like a credit card or razor blade. Then, if the paint is water-based, wipe off the paint stain using a wet rag. If the paint is oil-based, try applying some olive oil or baby oil to the stain, which will help loosen the paint so it’s easier to remove. Then, blot the stain and use mild soap and water to wipe off any excess oil. To learn how to remove tough paint stains on leather seats using nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol, scroll down!

Reader Success Stories

• “The latex paint came off just like the article said with rubbing alcohol. Amazing, and we kept the same color and no damage to the sofa.”…” more