How the heck do I get ballpoint pen out an unfinished leather sofa?

[blanchedevereaux]

My darling 3 year old daughter has put a giant "Z" on the seat cushion of my brown unfinished leather sofa with a blue ballpoint. I have tried hairspray and a magic sponge in a hidden area and results don't look good with the dye coming out the leather and the leather drying out due to the alcohol. It's a soft finish, not shiny, one of those ones that is supposed to look better with a few scrapes and scuffs, just not a giant letter of the alphabet!

Any ideas? She has effectively "dyed" it with the ink so I don't think I'll have much luck lifting it out. Is it time to call in the professionals or learn to live with it?

TIA.

[Rockchick1984]

Don't know if it would work, but when we bought our leather couches we were given a little pack of wipes designed to remove biro off them. I'd go back to the store and ask if they sell anything like that. ours are from DFS so you could always go in there and try to blag a free wipe

[Anste]

Lakeland sell a leather cleaning kit, 2 bottles of stuff; one for cleaning the other for nourishing. Worth a try.

[FloydieDoydie]

This might sound totally mental, but have you thought about buffing it off with very very fine grade sandpaper? Then using whatever leather treatment you have been recommended for your particular sofa to re-nourish it.

[blanchedevereaux]

Thanks for the suggestions. The Lakeland suggestion and looking it up on the internet gave me the name for the type of leather I have - aniline. Most cleaners are not suitable for this type, as it has no surface coat but at least I can now google some ideas!