How to Get Lipstick Off Leather

Lipstick has a way of getting all over places you may never expect, such as on the upholstery of your favorite leather chair after a hunk of it falls out of its tube. To avoid smearing the lipstick and making a bigger mess, scoop and scrape up as much as you can before treating the stained area with rubbing alcohol.

Pick Up The Chunks

1. Pick up any hunks or pieces of lipstick you find using tweezers or a paper towel.

Gently Scrape the Rest

2. Scrape up as much of the remaining lipstick as possible using the bowl of a plastic spoon or the dull side of a butter knife. Scrape following the direction of a line of lipstick, working from one end to the other, or from the outside edges toward the center for a larger non-linear lipstick mark. Be as gentle as possible when scraping to avoid damaging the leather.

A Little Dab Will Do

3. Dab the remaining lipstick with a paper towel, blotting rather than rubbing. Check the paper towel and fold it over, dabbing again with a fresh area, whenever some of the lipstick transfers to the paper towel.

Spot Treatment

4. Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a lint-free white cloth, such as microfiber. Dab the cloth over any remaining hint of lipstick on the leather. As the stain transfers to the cloth, rotate the cloth so the stain doesn't transfer back onto the leather as you continue dabbing. Blot the area with a dry white cloth afterwards. Allow the spot to dry for several hours or longer.

Powder Time

5. When a greasy, oily mark remains where the lipstick was, sprinkle talcum powder over it. Allow the powder to sit overnight, then vacuum it up.

Warning

Test rubbing alcohol and any other liquid-based cleaners on an inconspicuous area of the leather first. Some liquids may stain leather.