Dying your hair is undeniably a messy job. Even the most ardent home colorist can fall victim to unplanned accidents in the bathroom.
Permanent dyes lock into the hair shaft because of a chemical reaction that takes place when they’re applied. That spells big trouble if you splash some product on your clothing—it’s not supposed to come out.
This article explains all you need to know about removing hair dye from garments and fabrics.
What Removes Hair Dye From Clothing?
First of all, prompt action! Start by rinsing the garment in cold water as soon as you notice the stain. The higher the water pressure, the better, so use the shower. Then, pre-treat the stain and wash the item of clothing in your machine.
Many different pre-treatment options exist to remove a hair dye stain before you launder the garment. The treatment choice depends on what you have readily available at the time.
4 Tips for Removing Hair Dye From Clothes
1. Laundry Detergent Sheets
Laundry detergent sheets often contain stain-lifting enzymes; the quicker you pop the top into the soak, the easier it will be to shift the dye stain.
Freddie laundry detergent sheets contain enzymes that help break down stains. Using them in a soak may assist in the stain-removal process.
Our sheets are made without bleach or phthalates, providing an alternative to some traditional detergents, which often include these pesky ingredients.
You can use our laundry sheets to hand wash the garment as a pre-laundry treatment and replace your regular detergent in the washing machine. You can even hand wash in cold water as the sheets dissolve in seconds.
2. Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol (also called surgical spirit) is a white spirit that’s more concentrated than the alcohol that you drink and is generally well-regarded as a stain-remover.
Dilute the alcohol with water and test it on a hidden area of fabric, like an inside hem, to see how the fabric responds. Blot the stain with the alcohol solution using a fresh cotton wool ball each time until they come off clean. Don’t rub the stain.
Launder the garment as usual per the instructions on the care label.
3. White Vinegar
White vinegar is a natural stain remover found in most kitchen store cupboards. It’s essential to dilute white vinegar in a ratio of two tablespoons of vinegar to one cup of water. If the stain is stubborn, you can increase the concentration of the vinegar.
Blot the vinegar onto the stain with a clean cloth or sponge. For twenty minutes, you can soak light-colored or white garments in a vinegar solution, one part vinegar to three parts water.
Launder in a cold wash afterward, and remember to throw in a laundry sheet.
4. Baking Soda
Combine baking soda with water and mix to form a paste. Gently coat the paste onto the dye stain and work it in with your fingertips or a soft brush like an old toothbrush.
For tough hair dye stains, baking soda and vinegar combine well to form a powerful partnership, or you can also add hydrogen peroxide (oxygen bleach) and white vinegar, with equal parts for all three ingredients.
Rinse the garment in cold water to remove any residue, then launder it on a warm or cold wash.
Pre-Treating the Stain
Pre-treating the stain gives you a better chance of removing it. Once you wash the garment in the machine at a warm temperature, you’ll set the stain, and it’ll be virtually impossible to eradicate.
Pre-treating the stain loosens the hair dye, making it easier to remove. Leave the treatment on the stain and then launder the fabric; this gives you a good chance of success.
Stubborn Stains: What To Do
Stains that have gone unnoticed or brown, black, or blue hair dyes are more challenging to remove.
Apply Rubbing Alcohol
Pre-treat the stain with rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or a baking soda paste, gently massaging the mark with a soft brush before rinsing the garment thoroughly in cold water.
Next, soak the item in a small amount of oxygen bleach, like a tablespoon, in a bowl of cold water for at least eight hours. Rinse the garment in cold water. If the stain has gone, then launder the item on a cold wash cycle.
If you can still see the stain after this time, mix a quarter cup of oxygen bleach with a gallon of water and soak for 15 minutes. Thoroughly rinse and then launder.
Never use chlorine bleach, which is a different product and is too harsh for fabrics.
Treat the Stain with Ammonia
If the stain isn’t shifting, it might be because it’s red hair dye. Red hair dye has a chemical formulation different from other dyes and sometimes requires alternative treatment.
Mix one quart of water with half a teaspoon of liquid or regular dish soap. Then, stir one tablespoon of ammonia into the solution.
Ammonia is often used in the textile industry to dye or print fabrics. It’s a valuable stain-removing agent for "set" stains or red hair dye.
Completely submerge the garment into the liquid for 15 minutes. Lift the item out and gently rub the stain with your fingertips to loosen the dye from the fabric’s fibers before re-soaking for a further 15 minutes.
Rinse the item thoroughly in cool water and then launder it with a laundry sheet on the warmest cycle permitted on the care label.
Vinegar-based Stain Remover
This is a homemade solution you can make yourself with white vinegar, bleach, and water.
Mix four cups of warm water with a quarter cup of white vinegar in a bowl or container. Soak the garment for 30 minutes. If the stain has gone, rinse the clothing and launder it as usual.
If the stain remains, re-soak the fabric in a 50:50 mix of oxygen bleach and cold water overnight or for around eight hours. Rinse and then launder.
Removing Hair Dye From Different Fabrics
Silk
Silk is one of the most delicate fabrics to launder, so a hair dye stain can cause problems.
It might surprise you that silk is a strong natural fabric. The real challenge with silk is that it reacts in quite a unique way to hair dye products.
Some stain removers may help lift hair dye stains from silk garments. It’s best to use mild solutions like lemon juice and vinegar to reduce the risk of damage.
Our laundry detergent sheets are another option. They’re formulated without phosphates, parabens, or dyes and can be used in cold washes.
Wool
If your hair dye stain is on a woolen garment, using stain removal products and techniques compatible with wool is vital. Rubbing alcohol, wool-suitable detergents, and laundry sheets are the best options.
Only wash the item in cool temperatures. If you launder it in the machine after pre-wash stain removal treatment, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label to the letter.
Cotton
Cotton tolerates either vinegar or baking soda pre-treatments or a combination of the two, removing hair dye stains without damaging the underlying fabric.
Polyester
Soak the polyester garment in cool water for about half an hour. Then, apply a mix of white vinegar and water directly onto the stain. Leave it for five minutes, then rinse the item in cool water.
Blot the area with tissue to remove any excess water. Then, gently rub in a liquid detergent to the stain and leave it on the mark for 10-15 minutes. Rinse and then launder as usual.
Never be tempted to use bleach on the stain, as it will discolor the fabric.
Can You Remove Old Hair Dye Stains?
If you’re unlucky not to have spotted hair dye on your clothing and popped the item into a usual warm or hot wash once you’ve completed your hair color, you’ll be looking at a "set" hair dye stain; these are tricky to deal with.
If the dye stain is exposed to heat via washing and/or drying, removing it will be nearly impossible (although it’s always worth trying). Heat sets the dye into the fabric’s fibers.
You’ll need to get tough and potentially use more potent products, which don’t always work with delicate fabrics. It's possibly the best reason not to dye your hair while wearing a silk blouse.
If you can’t shift the stain, find some color-match fabric dye and patch it back into the rest of the garment, essentially covering it up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Vinegar Remove Hair Dye Stains?
Vinegar does remove hair dye stains; just remember to use white vinegar and dilute it. White or light-colored fabrics can soak in a stronger solution for a short time. You can also use white vinegar directly onto a dye stain, but dilute the solution first.
Does Baking Soda Remove Hair Dye From Clothes?
You can use baking soda to form a paste with water and coat the dye stain, gently working the mixture into the mark with a soft brush or your fingertips. If baking soda alone isn’t powerful enough on a tough stain, then combine it with vinegar and oxygen bleach in equal parts.
Final Thoughts
If you weren’t convinced of the merits of wearing an old top or t-shirt when dying your hair, you certainly should be by now. It’s much easier to prevent a hair dye stain in the first place than to remove one from a cherished garment. With the best will in the world, avoiding spots or splashes of hair dye can be impossible, no matter how careful you are.
Many homemade remedies depend on the fabric your clothing is made from. Different hair dyes work in different ways, which can get quite complicated. Freddie laundry detergent sheets are compatible with all machine types and suitable for handwashing, offering a convenient option for tackling hair dye stains, even in cold water.