Amodex Ink & Stain Remover Review: Does it Work on Leather?

You might be familiar with Amodex as a miracle cleaner of sorts. It has even been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America in the past, making the brand an easily recognisable and widely talked about one. 

While Amodex was first created to remove stains from skin, their cleaner has been adapted to treat a variety of blemishes on a number of different surfaces, including leather!

As we have received questions on whether Amodex is a suitable cleaning agent to remove ink from leather, we have decided to review the product so that you can make a decision on whether you would want to keep any at home, just in case the need arises.

Does Amodex work on leather? The short answer is that yes, Amodex can be used to treat ink and any other type of stains on leather. However, take note that it’s not a specialized leather cleaner.

We will be covering the other applications of Amodex with a focus and directions specifically for how to apply it on your leather products.

What Type of stains it’s good for

Stains can come from a variety of foreign chemicals, and Amodex is not designed to be a specialized stain remover from a singular source. It’s been known to treat stains caused by the following list that are both water-based and grease-based stains.

Whilst the list above is extensive, Amodex’s signature application is certainly in ink removal. This includes all colors of ink as well as different ink types. As this has typically been one of the hardest stains to address and treat, Amodex is certainly a favorite amongst many households.

Take note that it does not only specialize in removal of stains from leather surfaces, they are also commonly known to be effective at treating stains from the following surfaces and materials. 

• Cashmere
• Wood
• Wool
• Cotton
• Rubber
• Cotton 
• Silk

As you can see, Amodex is a very versatile stain remover and you should consider the variety of use cases it can address in your decision as to whether it’s best suitable for your leather products.

Ingredients

Amodex does not openly publish the formula and composition of its ink and stain removal product. However, it’s described as a non-toxic liquid cream soap. The product is also designed and meant for skin contact so you can rest assured that no harmful or toxic ingredients are used.

However, one known fact is that the main ingredient used in Amodex Ink and Stain Remover is Lanolin. Lanolin is naturally produced from wool, most commonly of sheep. It is also a very common ingredient found in skin care products due to its naturally moisturizing properties. 

The packaging of Amodex also indicates that the product is made and sourced in an eco-friendly way. Check out the official Amodex Safety Data Sheet for more information.

What Kind of Ink Stains can Amodex Treat?

As Amodex is largely known for its ability to treat ink stains, we have received questions on whether Amodex is suitable for removal of all types of ink. Amodex claims that their product is able to treat stains caused by the following types of ink.

• Permanent Markers & Sharpies
• Ballpoint & Felt Tips
• Fountain Pens
• Toners
• Calligraphy Pens
• Magic Markers
• Industrial Prints
• Crayons

Sizes

Amodex most commonly comes in two sizes. The smaller one in a 1 fl oz (30 ml) bottle. You can consider this option if you are looking to test the efficacy of the product on your leather before buying the larger sized package. 

Keep in mind, large stains that might have set in over a long period of time might require more than a single fluid ounce of product application. The recommended and other option that Amodex Ink and Stain Remover comes in is a 4 fl oz (120 ml) bottle. 

Directions

Applying Amodex to treat your leather stains is simple and straightforward. Feel free to follow the following directions to guide you in your stain removal attempts. The following directions are specialized for usage on your leather products.

Please note that there might be different steps you will need to consider if you are using Amodex to remove stains on a different material such as cloth or plastic. For greatest chances of success, we recommend that you treat stains of any nature as soon as possible before it fully sets in. 

1. Test for Colorfastness

Before undergoing full treatment of the stain, we would want to ensure that Amodex does not discolor the main material you are treating. As Amodex is a conditioning and non harsh substance, you should not expect potential for damage or cracking.

Apply Amodex on a discreet part of your stained leather product. We would recommend leaving Amodex on for 30 – 60 minutes before rinsing off to determine if any discoloration occurs. If not, you are ready to proceed with the stain removal.

Take note that every piece of leather is different, so testing is always recommended before applying it onto the stain.

2. Shake the Bottle Thoroughly

Give the bottle a firm shake 5 times or so. This will ensure that equal consistency of Amodex can be applied on the leather stain that you are treating.

3. Apply Amodex on the Stain

Amodex highly recommends that you do not wet or treat the stain with other products before application. Amodex claims that their product works best with untreated stains although we have not been able to validate against this claim specifically.

4. Brush Amodex into the Stain 

Using a soft brush and rub the soap solution well against the ink stain. Please ensure that the solution and brushing is localized against the ink stain as you want to reduce any chances of the stain spreading.

5. Leave Amodex on for about 6 – 12 Hours

As Amodex is a soap and not a solvent, you are able to leave the soap solution on a stain for hours which is a differentiating factor to many other stain solutions. We find it best to leave it on your leather overnight.

Stubborn stains would require a longer treatment time, and you can repeat 12 hour cycles if you notice the stain dissipating slowly.

6. Rinse Amodex off Leather

As always, you want to avoid over soaking or exposing your leather to water as that can lead to damage in the long term. Use a wet cloth to wipe away any soap residue and repeat this step as many times as needed.

Once you have removed all traces of Amodex from your leather, use a dry cloth to wipe off any remaining water from your leather surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Amodex Ink and Stain Remover on leather. If you have any questions that have not been covered in this article, please let us know and we can include them moving forward.

Amodex turns wine stains blue, is that normal?

Yes, this is perfectly normal! Berry and wine-based stains are expected to turn blue in the stain removal process. This is simply a natural reaction with the berry enzymes. Do not worry and proceed as you would normally do.

Should I Apply Alcohol To My Ink Stain Before Using Amodex?

Amodex recommends for you to use their product as their first line of defense and treatment against ink stain. This way, they can guarantee that the efficacy of Amodex will be maximized.

You are therefore not recommended to attempt home DIY ink removal treatment before using Amodex. However, make sure to check out our guide on removing ink stains from leather.

I Left Amodex On My Stain For More Than 12 Hours, Do I need To Worry?

We recommend using Amodex 12 hours at a time to maximize your time to ink stain removal efficiency. Due to the natural state of Amodex, leaving the product on for more than 12 hours is unlikely to cause damage to your leather. However, make sure to test this on a discreet part of your leather product first.