Blue Marker on Skates

[RosiePosie.iskates]

I know how common it is to end up with a bit of marker from the ice on your skates. (and a bit unappealing) And I'm just fine with a few spots here and there but here it is:
The toes of both my skates look like you took a blue marker and "painted" the skates from the front seam to around 4 inches back. I have no clue how I did this. I can't recall falling in the middle of a "drawing" but I just came in from practice and noticed this.
Normally this wouldn't bother me, I'd just wait and put some tape over it. But I have a competition in less than 5 days and I don't currently own over the boot tights or any skate tape or polish. I'd think it would be sorta cool except for the fact that my dress is a soft yellow and the marker on my skates is a very, very, blue color.. I tried removing it with a Mr.Clean Magic eraser pad but it only lightened it slightly.
Any tips on how to at least "cover it up" if not just to lighten it more? (getting rid of it completely would be nice, but a bit out of the question) I really don't want to compete on blueberry colored skates.

p.s. Would Finger nail polish remover work?

[Janie]

I know how common it is to end up with a bit of marker from the ice on your skates. (and a bit unappealing) And I'm just fine with a few spots here and there but here it is:
The toes of both my skates look like you took a blue marker and "painted" the skates from the front seam to around 4 inches back. I have no clue how I did this. I can't recall falling in the middle of a "drawing" but I just came in from practice and noticed this.
Normally this wouldn't bother me, I'd just wait and put some tape over it. But I have a competition in less than 5 days and I don't currently own over the boot tights or any skate tape or polish. I'd think it would be sorta cool except for the fact that my dress is a soft yellow and the marker on my skates is a very, very, blue color.. I tried removing it with a Mr.Clean Magic eraser pad but it only lightened it slightly.
Any tips on how to at least "cover it up" if not just to lighten it more? (getting rid of it completely would be nice, but a bit out of the question) I really don't want to compete on blueberry colored skates.

p.s. Would Finger nail polish remover work?

I got some on my boots before too (just a little bit but it annoyed me endless). I tried nail polish remover, all the while worrying that it might damage the leather, and it only lightened it a little bit Maybe if I kept using it on the spot it might remove it more, but then again, I don't know what it could do to the leather, I felt it was taking off some of the leather's shine.

[tookyclothespin]

I don't know for sure, but you might be able to use a little dab of essential oil to remove it.  Like acetone, essential oils are solvents, although most essential oils are much less harsh than acetone, and even if it doesn't work to remove the marker, it won't damage the leather.  I don't know if all essential oils are solvents, but I know that citrus ones are, as well as winter mint essential oil.  I'm sure many others are as well, if not all of them.  I do printmaking and those are just a few I have used.  They're often available in the skin care area of stores like Whole Foods, or at craft stores for scenting soaps and things.  If you have something like Goo Gone, essential oils are why it works, though some other chemicals are added.

[platyhiker]

I suggest trying trying a soft gel cleanser- I used this one http://www.softscrub.com/Soft-Scrub-Gel-With-Bleach-Cleanser on my skates and it did a fabulous job getting a variety of scuffs and general dirt off my skates.  The one I used does have bleach, so I cleaned smallish sections quickly and then wiped the cleanser back off, and did a second wipe with a clean, damp sponge.  I wanted to be sure the bleach wouldn't have time to damage the leather.  My skates ended up looking really good.

[karne]

I use nail polish remover, but I have my boots permanently taped, so the marks are on the tape not the leather.

[RosiePosie.iskates]

Thanks for all  the replies. It is just SO ANNOYING to look at. It is bugging me to death.  But luckily tomorrow my coach said she can let me borrow some skate polish. She would be embarassed if I competed on what she called, "Blue-berry" skates. She thought my sister got a hold of them and "colored them in"

I will try the essential oil and the finger nail polish remover. (cautiously) I would like to resell these boots when I'm done with them. Blue toes on the boots isn't too attractive though. 

[Sk8Dreams]

Don Klingbeil once told me to use the stuff they sell to clean leather car seats.  I haven't tried it.

[cdnsk8r]

hairspray will remove ink.

[Isk8NYC]

hairspray will remove ink.

So does hand sanitizer gel - even get temporary black hair dye off yellow bathroom walls.
(Rotten teenagers)

[sarahspins]

So does hand sanitizer gel - even get temporary black hair dye off yellow bathroom walls.
(Rotten teenagers)

Rubbing alcohol is actually what removes permanent marker (like sharpies) because those use an alcohol based ink... even better is that the process of removal won't damage most surfaces

[Isk8NYC]

Rubbing alcohol is actually what removes permanent marker (like sharpies) because those use an alcohol based ink... even better is that the process of removal won't damage most surfaces

Well, in our case, the rubbing alcohol melted the paint, but didn't remove the dye spots.  The hand sanitizer took off the dye.  The hand sanitizer I used has glycol alcohol as an ingredient, which is different from rubbing (Isopropyl) alcohol.  Perhaps that's why it worked.

Back OT: rubbing alcohol doesn't work on the brown or black scuff marks from PVC-soled skates.  Skittl's recommendation of nail polish remover works much better.

I do agree that permanent marker comes off with rubbing alcohol - I've used it for years since I write names on bladeplates so there are no mixups.

[Robin]

I've always used acetone-based nail polish remover. Works great. And you're not using enough to damage the leather.