# Any way to get Sharpie ink off leather or plastic trim? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 22, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048 "2013-05-22T18:26:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/1 "2013-05-22T18:26:46Z")
[sigh] The Piper Cub climbed into Piper can by the open window, holding a Sharpie with the lid off. Naturally, he got some marks on the inside plastic door trim, and on the leather seat. Any suggestions for getting it off? ---
**Author:** ![Tara57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Tara57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tara57)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/2 "2013-05-22T18:41:43Z")
You can probably take the Sharpie off of the plastic by coloring over it with a dry-erase marker, then wiping off with a dry cloth. Maybe try that on a small spot of the stained leather, too. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/3 "2013-05-22T18:44:10Z")
It’ll dissolve in rubbing alcohol. That should be totally fine on the plastic trim, but it might mar the leather – test in an inconspicuous area first. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/4 "2013-05-22T19:30:14Z")
Hairspray will do the trick, but _test in an inconspicuous area first_(\*). \*Copied/pasted from **lazybratsche** ’s response. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/5 "2013-05-22T22:10:57Z")
Maybe Piper Cub would be more careful if you didn’t keep him/her in a can, even one with windows in it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/6 "2013-05-22T22:14:13Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > It’ll dissolve in rubbing alcohol. That should be totally fine on the plastic trim, but it might mar the leather – test in an inconspicuous area first. Yep. Isopropyl alcohol cleans Sharpie up perfectly on most surfaces, even cloth. Test the leather first to be sure it doesn’t unduly dry out the material, but it should work fine. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/7 "2013-05-23T06:15:48Z")
> [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > Maybe Piper Cub would be more careful if you didn’t keep him/her in a can, even one with windows in it. It’s Prince Albert in a can. Sheesh, can’t ya even get your crank calls right? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/8 "2013-05-23T06:17:42Z")
Prince Albert in a Can was a super-secret Kandorian experiment with Saskatchewan’s northernmost city, to preserve humanity during the Cold Wars. Now that’s over, P.A. has been restored to its normal size. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/9 "2013-05-23T10:09:39Z")
The solvent in hairspray is alcohol. You might as well use rubbing alcohol. You can use vodka or Everclear for just about any home use that calls for alcohol, by the way, if you’re desperate. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/10 "2013-05-23T15:35:11Z")
I have had luck with WD-40 getting Sharpie ink off of plastic, never tried it on leather. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/11 "2013-05-23T17:02:15Z")
Toothpaste and scrubbing with a tooth brush works for regular pen on leather, so I’d probably first try that. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/12 "2013-05-23T20:05:31Z")
One of those Tide cleaning “[pens](http://www.tide.com/en-US/product/tide-to-go.jspx)?” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/13 "2013-05-23T23:54:49Z")
Wind ex removes sharpie. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-way-to-get-sharpie-ink-off-leather-or-plastic-trim/659048/14 "2013-05-24T05:15:16Z")
As a nurse (and mom) who has removed a lot of Sharpie stains off many many things… alcohol. I always have the little alcohol swabs around, saved me from selling my son to the circus quite often. Also saved a lot on uniform replacements.