What do you think would work to remove Sharpie from a car interior?

I love the car.  I pretty much love everything the previous owner did, minus the debaging the sides (I replaced them).  Replaced exhaust tips, driver side mirror from JDM passenger side, etc.  But when his forum signature mentioned "Subdued Seat Logo" I really thought he either had them re-stitched or replaced, he is that kind of guy with that kind of $$$.  (He bought $3200 BRAID wheels for 1 rallycross.)

But I found a forum post that says he just took a Sharpie marker to the logos...  Ugh.

I'd like them back to normal, and wondering what might work without destroying the color of the red thread.

Alcohol. 

I could have sworn that I saw something on social media last night about removing sharpie from surfaces you don't want sharpie on.

If I find it again, I'll be sure to share the info here.

You can remove it from whiteboards by simply drawing over it with dry-erase marker, then wiping it off. This probably doesn't help you, but I thought I'd share anyway. 

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

That works because most dry-erase markers are alcohol-based. 

Toyman! said:

Alcohol. 

 

Just make sure you're using the high % stuff.

The 50/50 stuff just seems to smear it.

Acetone is the one shop chemical that never fails on Sharpie for me

Trent said:

Acetone is the one shop chemical that never fails on Sharpie for me

Yeah, but I'd be really careful spraying it on seats -- it might remove the dye from the rest of them as well.

I'd start with hi-strength rubbing alcohol first, then try rubber cement thinner or acetone after testing somewhere underneath.

The problem is that the pigment from the Sharpie may have stained the red embroidery, and may not remove fully.  Textiles are hard to celan really well.

In reply to Jerry :

In a dream world, can you find a GR owner, maybe through a online owners group, who might be changing out his factory seats for a 5 point harness seat?  Can you find if that owner might be interested in a swap of headrests?   

In reply to John Welsh :

That was my 1st thought, too bad these are still kinda rare, but think I might ask around.

And acetone is my normal go-to for something like this but I'm concerned about the dye on the red part.

In reply to Jerry :

How about parts cars?  In the same online groups is there anyone parting out a car?  Is there an online registry of totaled vins?  A side impact will burst the airbags in the seats but the headrests will be undamaged.  

The one and only GR I found on car-part but I'll bet the headrests are undamaged.  Headrests were not a specifically searchable item.  Maybe the purchase can be a backup plan if ink removal does damage to the current headrests.  

I would try to take the cover off the headrest before doing much. Just treat the cover and not get whatever solvent into the foam.  And i'd likely start with alcohol.

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

Trent said:

Acetone is the one shop chemical that never fails on Sharpie for me

Yeah, but I'd be really careful spraying it on seats -- it might remove the dye from the rest of them as well.

Or melt the foam underneath?

Consider this: Solvent + suction will help keep ink from bleeding deeper into fabric. Rubbing will make things worse. Much like carpet cleaning. I doubt it will result in "like new" appearance.

In reply to John Welsh :

Just emailed to ask if the headerests survived.

Did anyone else glance at the original title and think the poster wanted Stampie removed from their interior?  

In reply to Colin Wood :

It was hand sanitizer.

This stuff has been my go to - quick, easy, versatile

CRC non-chlorinated brake cleaner.  All day every day.  

Purple Frog said:

Did anyone else glance at the original title and think the poster wanted Stampie removed from their interior?  

The cushions have skid marks.

93gsxturbo said:

CRC non-chlorinated brake cleaner.  All day every day.  

That's basically just acetone with small amounts of other hydrocarbons in it.

Try WD-40

Just a thought, have you priced new headrest covers from Toyota?  They're probably expensive but then again they may be reasonably priced.