People dye their hair every day; change is inspiring and feels fantastic. However, cleanup isn’t easy, and hair dye droplets are often left behind on delicate surfaces. Discover how to get hair dye off a floor, out of the grout, and the bathroom sink with amazing tips.
Ancient people have been dying their hair for thousands of years, and many cultures used a variety of botanical ingredients and metallic compounds along with highly-pigmented plants like turmeric, saffron, and indigo. The centuries-old natural henna dye, popular in India, is made from the dried leaves of the Lawsonia plant.
The grandfather of the synthetic hair dye we use today also began with botanical ingredients; the humble walnut. Pyrogallol was developed in 1845 and used to dye hair brown. Over 150 years, dozens of new chemical agents have been added to permanent hair dye to make it look shinier, last longer, and, unfortunately for our floors, stain organic material.
- Discover How to Remove Hair Dye from a Floor
- Remove Hair Dye from a Linoleum Floor
- Hydrogen Peroxide for Hair Dye
- How to Deal with Hair Dye on Carpet
- Hair Dye on Vinyl Flooring
- Spilled Hair Dye on Bathroom Tile
- A Magic Eraser for Hair Dye
- How to Get Hair Dye Off a Floor Made of Wood
- Hair Dye in Grout
- Hair Dye in the Bathroom Sink
- How to Get Hair Dye Off Laminate Flooring
- Hairspray for Hair Dye Stains
- How to Get Hair Dye Off Formica Countertops
- How to Clean Hair Dye from Baseboards
- How to Clean Hair Dye from Skin
- Professional Restoration for Stained Surfaces
Discover How to Remove Hair Dye from a Floor
Hair dye stains are stubborn, and we all struggle with unwanted splatters on the floor, walls, and baseboards. This in-depth, how-to guide teaches how to get hair dye off laminate flooring, vinyl flooring, and other household building material—no more struggling with hair dye stains and messy splatters.
Remove Hair Dye from a Linoleum Floor
Linoleum may not be as popular as it was in the first half of the 20th century, but many homes still have a lino kitchen or bathroom. Rather inconveniently, that’s where many of us dye our hair. Fortunately, it’s possible to remove hair dye from a floor made of linoleum in a couple of simple steps.
If hair dye is left to set, there’s almost no chance of removal, and the square of damaged lino may require replacement. Speed is the key here. Grab an absorbent cloth and soak up as much dye from the stained area as possible. Wet a small cotton ball with acetone (nail polish remover) and blot the stain until it lifts completely.
Hydrogen Peroxide for Hair Dye
Hydrogen peroxide has quite a few uses around the house, and keeping a bottle for hair dye emergencies is a great idea. At its simplest, hydrogen peroxide is oxygen water that oxidizes stubborn stains, making them much easier to break down and wipe away.
Hydrogen peroxide fizzes as it dissolves proteins because it breaks apart to release oxygen and water. It is non-toxic and makes a great natural alternative to harsh chemical cleaners.
Since it’s less effective under UV rays, store the bottle in a dark place for maximum potency. Hydrogen peroxide comes in different concentrations. Always use a 3% solution to clean hair dye because anything higher risks bleaching fabrics.
How to Deal with Hair Dye on Carpet
Don’t invest in a throw rug just yet. A tough stain on the carpet may seem overwhelming, but a little DIY cleaning solution and some elbow grease go a long way. Learn how to get hair dye off a floor made of fibrous material without renting a steam cleaner.
Gently blot the stubborn stains with a clean cloth, removing as much of the dye as possible without crushing it into the carpet pile.
Wet your toothbrush with the cleaning solution mixture of white vinegar and dish soap, then carefully scrub the carpet fibers. Blot the excess moisture from your clean cloth, and repeat until the hair dye stain is gone for good.
Hair Dye on Vinyl Flooring
Your vinyl floor material is made from layers of different synthetics compressed to create a durable sheet of flooring. Vinyl flooring is manufactured to look like imitation wood or ceramic tile; it’s often found in areas of the home where people dye their hair, such as the kitchen and bathroom. With this simple plan, discover how to get hair dye stains off vinyl flooring.
Unfortunately, time isn’t on your side regarding dye stain splatters. It’s essential to treat the stain as soon as you see it. Flooring experts recommend a cotton ball or Q-tip soaked with rubbing alcohol as a quick way to remove any paint from vinyl flooring as well as hair dye.
Gently dab and lift the color out of the vinyl, using a clean cotton ball with each pass over the stain. Repeat the process until the stain lifts completely – remember to put an old towel or garbage bag down next time.
Spilled Hair Dye on Bathroom Tile
Since many of us do our hair in the bathroom, it makes sense that most of the surfaces we stain are ceramic bathroom tiles. A bit of hair dye on the tile isn’t the end of the world, and it’s easier to clean than you might think. Get a bit of chlorine bleach and a sponge, and say goodbye to stained bathroom tile.
Bleach is considered an acidic cleaning agent that damages soft tissue if not handled with care. Always use gloves to prevent skin irritation. Dilute equal parts bleach and water, dip the sponge, and start scrubbing the hair color stain.
Lift the dye stain from the tile with the sponge, and wipe any excess with a damp cloth. Continue the process until the stain lifts.
This bleach cleaning solution will also work on a hair dye stained tub. The bleach is strong enough to eliminate the stain on a bathtub but gentle enough not to damage the surface.
A Magic Eraser for Hair Dye
Maybe you’ve seen those Magic Eraser products that look like little white sponges? It turns out they’re not just for crayon marks on the walls. Magic Erasers are made of melamine foam. This foam has been heat-compressed to improve durability, and it cleans by micro scrubbing the surface to break apart the stain.
Because a Magic Eraser is a mechanical cleaning tool, not a chemical solution, Magic Erasers are suitable for using on many surfaces, such as laminate, linoleum, and vinyl flooring.
Magic Eraser foam is slightly abrasive and should always be used with light pressure. Avoid using your Magic Eraser to clean hair dye on glossy surfaces like stainless steel or finished wood.
How to Get Hair Dye Off a Floor Made of Wood
There’s nothing more painful than the instant regret of spilling hair dye on a beautiful hardwood floor. Fortunately, these accidents happen all the time, and there are some practical ways to clean hair dye from wood floors without ruining the finish.
Make a paste to remove hair dye from a floor made of wood. Mix your baking soda and a cup of vinegar in a bowl and dab the soft cloth into it. Use the baking soda to remove hair dye and rub the dye stain until it begins to lift. Repeat until the hair dye stain is gone, and wipe the wood floor clean with warm water.
Hair Dye in Grout
Grout fills spaces between tiles and is famous for trapping unwanted grime and water stains – hair dye stains are no exception. Since grout consists of sand, cement, and water, it’s pretty porous in some places and holds onto stains tightly.
Grab a toothbrush and get to scrubbing with a bit of hydrogen peroxide. Dab a bit on the toothbrush and scrub the grout in small circles. Rinse with warm water and wipe clean with a soft cloth.
Hair Dye in the Bathroom Sink
The most common place you’ll likely find stubborn stains from hair dye is in the bathroom sink. It’s almost impossible to avoid, so don’t be too hard on yourself if the bathroom sink has seen better days. Grab a soft sponge and some acetone, also known as nail polish remover.
Acetone-based polish removers strip the dye from most surfaces, including paint; exercise caution. Pour a tiny amount of nail polish remover on a cotton ball and gently dab the hair dye stains from the sink or use it to get food coloring off countertops. Give the sink a thorough rinse, and repeat the process if needed.
How to Get Hair Dye Off Laminate Flooring
A Swedish company invented laminate flooring in 1977, and it’s in millions of homes today. Laminate flooring is incredibly popular in all areas of the house, including the bathroom, where it’s common to dye and style hair.
Cleaning up your laminate flooring doesn’t have to be a huge hassle, especially when you know how to get hair dye off laminate flooring with this simple trick. First, start by wiping up as much hair dye as possible with a clean cloth.
Get a Magic Eraser and lightly scrub the remaining hair dye stain out of the laminate. A Magic Eraser is generally the most effective way to get hair dye off laminate flooring, and it’s best to keep a few in the cupboard if you experiment with hair dye often.
After eliminating the stain, make those laminate floors shine naturally by going over them with a mop and some vinegar and water. Dry with a towel.
Hairspray for Hair Dye Stains
Hairspray isn’t just for the latest styles; it’s also an effective alcohol-based spot treatment for hair dye stains. When you notice a hair dye splatter, spray a bit of hairspray on the area, give it a second or two to break up the color, and wipe it away with a cotton ball or damp cloth.
Those tiny hair dye splatters seem to get everywhere, and a quick spritz of your favorite styling spray might be enough to break up the hair dye for a proper clean.
How to Get Hair Dye Off Formica Countertops
Formica is a building material common in countertops made of plastic resins laminated into layers of cellulose before a decorative pattern and protective sealant finish the process. It’s come a long way since 1914, and now it’s passable as stone or even marble in appearance, making it an even bigger shame to stain with hair dye.
A simple cleaning paste is a great place to start when trying to restore a Formica countertop. Add the baking soda to a bowl of water and mix enough to make a fine paste. Spread the paste over the dried hair dye stain and leave it to sit until it dries.
Wipe with a damp sponge and inspect the area. If you see any remaining stain, repeat the process until it disappears. It’s also possible to use a Magic Eraser on Formica surfaces, though you should exercise caution because of the mildly abrasive nature of Magic Erasers. Always use gentle pressure, and stop immediately if you notice the finish coming away.
How to Clean Hair Dye from Baseboards
Just when you think you’ve got all the hair dye cleaned up, you spot a sneaky little splatter on your baseboards. If a damp cloth doesn’t do it, we recommend hitting the medicine cabinet for a bit of hydrogen peroxide. Wipe up as much of the hair dye drip as possible before going over it with hydrogen peroxide.
Depending on the hair dye stain, use either a clean cloth or a cotton ball. Soak your cleaning cloth with hydrogen peroxide, and dab at the dye stain.
Alternate between soaking up the dye with a clean cloth and blotting the stain with more hydrogen peroxide. Repeat until the color is no longer visible. If you can’t lift the stain, don’t worry too much; no one will notice a little touch-up paint.
How to Clean Hair Dye from Skin
Stained skin comes with the hair dye territory, and we can’t talk about how to get hair dye off a floor without giving a few good tips for your delicate skin, too. Products like petroleum jelly keep hair dye off your skin in the first place. Make a barrier between your hair dye line and your skin to prevent unsightly staining.
If it’s too late and you’ve dyed a bit of skin, don’t panic. Grab a bottle of baby oil, coconut oil, or makeup remover. Use a cotton ball soaked with any of these items and gently rub the dye out of your skin.
It’s essential not to pull or irritate facial skin. Once you soak up as much of the dye as possible, take a warm shower and use a gentle exfoliant to eliminate the rest.
Professional Restoration for Stained Surfaces
When we try our best, and the stain still won’t give, it’s time to call the professionals. Depending on the surface stain you’re dealing with, you might try a carpet cleaner, professional house cleaner, or even a carpenter to replace laminate or vinyl flooring squares. Repairs and building materials are expensive – stain prevention regarding hair dye is crucial.
We hope you found these recommendations for how to get hair dye off a floor, the sink, the grout, and your skin helpful. In truth, we know these tips are effective, but we hope you never have to use them. Preparation and little prevention save you untold hassle when changing your hair color.
Cover your shoulders with an old towel, lay out a garbage bag on bathroom surfaces, and take the time to protect your skin with a natural barrier. Follow these tips, and your next hair dye experience will be as impressive as your new color looks.
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