How to Get Hair Dye Out of Carpet

If you get a bit of hair dye on your carpet, it is vital to act quickly to eliminate the stain before it becomes permanent. Hair color is often more difficult to clean than other spills because it is usually permanent. Read on to discover how to get hair dye out of carpet safely and efficiently.

Permanent hair dye pigments rapidly bond to carpet fibers, so the faster you can start the cleanup procedure, the easier it is to eliminate the stain.

The best way to get hair dye off your carpet depends on the carpet material, what type of hair dye you are using, and how large the carpet stain is.

Practical Ways to Get Hair Dye off Your Carpet

No matter which stain removal approach you choose for the way to get hair color out of carpet, it is always a good idea to patch test a small, inconspicuous area first to avoid potentially making the problem even worse. Numerous options are available to remove hair dye from carpet using products you already have at home.

Dying your hair in different shades is a fun way to express your personality and try out new styles. Nonetheless, mishaps sometimes occur, and the dye ends up in unwanted places like your carpeting.

As long as you can clean it up right away, it is feasible to completely clear away even the most stubborn stain with a little bit of elbow grease.

An old dye stain is considerably more challenging to remove but not impossible. If your carpet appears slightly discolored after cleaning up the stain, correct it with carpet dye or a fabric pen.

To avoid worsening the stain, always use a paper towel or clean white cloth so that additional color does not leach into the carpet fibers. For synthetic carpets, it is best to use cool water instead of hot water so you don’t melt the material.

No matter which technique you choose, the first thing to do is blot up as much of the excess hair dye as possible with a dry cloth or sponge. Avoid rubbing or scrubbing, as this spreads the stain out and works it deeper into the carpet.

Stain Removal Safety Tips

When using any concentrated chemical cleaning product, always use safety gear like rubber gloves, eye protection, and a respirator mask. Ensure adequate ventilation to avoid inhaling toxic fumes.

It is best to try the milder stain removal methods as the first way to remove hair dye from a floor. If you find yourself dealing with an exceptionally stubborn stain, it may be time to break out harsher solvents.

Always take time to read the warning label printed on the manufacturer’s packaging for specific safety precautions and recommendations.

Clean Hair Dye from Carpet with Dish Soap

Dish soap is one of the most accessible quick fixes for DIY stain removal and a great way to deep clean carpet without steam cleaner machines. Once you have blotted up as much excess hair dye as you can, squirt a few drops of dishwashing liquid directly onto the carpet stain and let it soak in for ten to 15 minutes.

Rinse the area with warm or cool water. Repeat the process as many times as necessary until the dye stain is completely gone.

Removing Hair Dye from Carpet using Laundry Detergent

For some additional stain-lifting power, use laundry detergent instead of dish soap to treat the carpet stain. To clean carpet manually yourself, pour one tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent over the hair color along with a generous pinch of baking soda for easy stain removal. Leave it to absorb for at least fifteen minutes before rinsing.

Even if soap and water does not completely eliminate the stain, the detergent still loosens the pigment’s bond with the carpet fibers. Pre-treating the spot makes other stain removal strategies considerably more successful.

How to Get Hair Dye Out of Carpet with White Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent multi-purpose cleaner. It is also a safe and practical DIY stain remover to get hair dye off your carpet and to clean tie dye from your skin if you have an accidental spill.

The acetic acid adds a chemical charge to the molecules in the stain. As a result, the positive and negative charges in water act like magnets, pulling the stain out of the carpet. It’s also ideal to get hair dye out of your bathtub or sink.

Blend the ingredients in a bucket or large mixing bowl. Dip a clean white cloth into the vinegar mixture and firmly press it into the carpet stain.

Blot with another dry cloth or paper towel to soak up the hair dye and excess vinegar mixture. Repeat the procedure as many times as necessary to lift the stain, alternating between the wet cloth and a dry one.

Remove Hair Dye from Carpet using Baking Soda

Baking soda is another DIY cleaning staple that effectively draws out stains from fabric and carpets. Use this mild, non-toxic homemade stain remover to quickly remove hair dye from carpet.

Pour the ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir until a thick paste forms. Once it stops fizzing, spread the paste over the hair dye stain or to remove tie dye from clothing and gently work it in with an old toothbrush.

To get tie dye off your carpet or eliminate hair dye stains, let the baking soda mixture soak in for at least ten minutes. Rinse the treated area of carpet with cool water and blot it dry with a clean cloth.

Lift a Hair Dye Stain with Ammonia

Ammonia works well on tough stains like permanent hair dye. However, the fumes are toxic, and it burns the skin. Appropriate safety measures are critical when handling ammonia.

Patch test an inconspicuous area of the rug first to make sure the ammonia doesn’t discolor or damage your carpet.

Mix equal parts water and ammonia in a bucket or large mixing bowl, along with four or five drops of liquid dish soap. Saturate a clean white cloth, paper towel, or cotton ball with the ammonia solution and carefully dab it onto the dye stain.

Leave it to soak for at least 30 minutes. If some hair dye remains, repeat the process until the stain disappears completely.

Rinse with clean water and use a dry cloth to soak up as much excess liquid as possible. Leave the windows open while the carpet air dries until all of the ammonia fumes are gone.

Eliminate Carpet Stains with Nail Polish Remover

Acetone is the chemical solvent in most types of nail polish remover and works well to clean hair dye from carpet.

Saturate a clean cloth, cotton ball, or paper towel in nail polish remover and use it to dab the carpet stain. Keep blotting the stain until most of the dye has disappeared.

Avoid using acetone on acetate or acrylic carpets. Acetone may discolor and deteriorate these materials. If you aren’t sure what kind of carpet you have, it is safest to use a milder cleaning method.

Use Rubbing Alcohol to Remove Hair Dye from Carpet

Rubbing alcohol is an efficient stain remover for many types of spills, including hair dye. Remove hair dye from hands or get dry slime from a rug or carpet after prying as much of the material as possible. Soak the affected carpeting with 90-proof rubbing alcohol for at least 15 minutes.

Repeat the carpet cleaning procedure until the dye stain is completely gone. Rinse the carpet with warm or cool water and blot dry with a clean cloth.

Get Hair Dye off Your Carpet with Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide contains oxidizing agents similar to those found in bleach. It works to remove hair dye from carpet without fading or discoloration, but it is still beneficial to patch test an out-of-the-way area first.

After blotting up excess hair dye, soak a paper towel or clean white cloth with undiluted hydrogen peroxide. Once the spot becomes fully saturated, let it soak for at least one hour. If the dye stain is still present, repeat the process several more times.

Rinsing the hydrogen peroxide out of your carpet is not usually required, as it naturally turns into oxygen and water when the chemical bond disintegrates, which occurs quickly.

How to Get Hair Dye Out of Carpet using Bleach

If you spill hair dye on a white carpet, bleach is an acceptable stain removal alternative. Use colorfast bleach made with hydrogen peroxide on other types of carpet. Avoid using bleach on wool carpets.

Always take proper safety measures when handling chlorine bleach. Never mix bleach with other cleaning agents like ammonia or vinegar, as the combination creates highly toxic chlorine gas. Only laundry detergent and water are safe to mix with bleach.

Dilute the bleach at a ratio of one cup of bleach per one gallon of water. Pour the bleach solution into a clean spray bottle and lightly saturate the dye stain.

Allow it to soak in for about 30 minutes before rinsing with clean water. Wash the area with dish soap, laundry detergent, or carpet shampoo. Rinse one more time, and blot up as much excess liquid as you can with a dry cloth or paper towel.

Remove Hair Dye from Carpet with Hair Spray

Many types of hair spray contain acetone or alcohol. In a pinch, spraying the stain with some hair spray might do the trick to get hair dye off your carpet.

Let it absorb for at least five minutes, then blot with a dry cloth or paper towel. This technique also works to remove hair dye from skin and clothing safely and quickly.

Get Rid of Hair Dye Stains with Turpentine

Turpentine is one of the most efficient ways to remove an especially tough stain. However, the fumes are very toxic.

Ensure that the room you are working in is well-ventilated, and utilize protective equipment like a respirator mask, rubber gloves, and safety goggles. Only use turpentine on cotton or wool carpets, as it may damage synthetic fibers.

Soak a clean white cloth or paper towels in turpentine oil. Lightly dab the hair dye stain to blot up the pigment.

Once the majority of the hair dye stain is gone, wash the area with a mixture of lukewarm water and a half-teaspoon of liquid dish soap or laundry detergent to clean up the turpentine.

Afterward, rinse with cool water. Let the carpet air dry with the windows open until all of the turpentine fumes dissipate.

Clean Up Hair Dye Spills using Lighter Fluid

Removing a dye stain from a wool carpet is extra tricky. It may seem odd, but lighter fluid is an effective way to remove hair dye from a wool carpet without damaging it.

Soak a clean white cloth in lighter fluid and carefully dab the carpet stain. Let it absorb for five or ten minutes before rinsing with clean water.

Use WD-40 to Remove Hair Dye from Carpet

WD-40 is another unexpected carpet stain remover. This petroleum-based lubricant stops stains from spreading further and loosens the pigments’ bond with the carpet fibers.

Spray WD-40 directly on the hair dye stain and leave it for five to ten minutes. Blot with a clean cloth to lift the dye from the carpet. Rinse with cool water and allow the area to air dry.

DIY Carpet Cleaner with Borax

Borax is a white mineral powder commonly used as a laundry detergent booster. It also works wonders for removing carpet stains.

In a small mixing bowl or plastic container, mix the ingredients to form a thick paste. Spread it over the dye stain and use your fingers or an old toothbrush to gently work it into the carpet.

Leave it to absorb for at least 15 minutes before rinsing with clean water. Repeat as necessary until the stain is gone. Once the carpet dries, vacuum up any residual Borax powder.

Although spilling hair dye on your carpet might seem like a disaster at first, it is easier to remove hair dye from carpet than most people think. There are plenty of options for effective DIY stain removers right in your home cleaning closet.

Try one of the gentler cleaning strategies before resorting to harsher chemicals and solvents. Always take essential preventative safety measures when handling chemicals like ammonia, bleach, or turpentine.

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