6 Simple Ways to Get Hair Dye Out of Clothes

Ivy Smith February 24, 2023 in Tips & Tricks, Cleaning - 9 Minutes

Read Time:8 Minute, 21 Second

Hair dye can sometimes get on your clothes or carpet by accident, and getting to a stain as fast as possible is the best way to get it out. It becomes harder to get rid of this kind of stain the longer you wait. Different dye colors require slightly different treatments.

Rinse the stain with ice cold water or alcohol to remove hair dye from clothing. If the stain persists and the clothing is white or colorfast, soak the entire item in a diluted solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water.

Read on to learn how to remove hair dye stains.

Table of Contents

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

Brown, Black, Or Blue Hair Dye

Soft-bristled brush
Soaking basin
Measuring cup

Red Hair Dye

2 Soaking containers
Measuring cup
Washing machine

Brown, Black, Or Blue Hair Dye

Heavy-duty laundry detergent
Oxygen-based bleach
Chlorine bleach

Red Hair Dye

Dishwashing liquid
Ammonia
Distilled white vinegar
Oxygen-based bleach
Water

How to Remove Brown, Black, Or Blue Hair Dye from Clothes

Treat the hair dye stain as soon as you can because it becomes more difficult to remove the stain as it ages.

Spot-treat With Liquid Laundry Detergent

As soon as you notice a dye drip, rub heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent with stain-lifting enzymes (such as Tide or Persil) into the stain and then thoroughly rinse.

Soak in Oxygen-based Bleach

Following the instructions on the packaging, add oxygen-based bleach (OxiClean, Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener, or OXO Brite) to a sink, basin, or bucket filled with cool water.
The garment should be completely submerged and left to soak for at least eight hours or overnight.

Launder as normal if the stain has disappeared. Retry with a new oxygen bleach/water solution if any traces are still visible.

Chlorine Bleach Soak for White Fabrics

Use this method if the stain is still present after several rounds of soaking and the clothing is white.

Mix a solution of one gallon of water and one-fourth cup of chlorine bleach.
Soak for 15 minutes.
Rinse the food thoroughly in a lot of fresh water.

How to Remove Red Hair Dye from Clothes

Red dye is made differently from other dye colors and requires a different treatment.

Soak in Dishwashing Liquid and Ammonia Solution

In a plastic or glass container, combine a solution of one quart of water, one and a half teaspoons of liquid dish soap, and one tablespoon of household ammonia.
Place the stained area under water, and let it soak for 15 minutes.

Scrub the Dye Stain and Soak Again

After removing the fabric from the solution, rub the stain with your fingers to help the fabric absorb the dye.
additional 15 minutes of soaking
Rinse well before transferring to the next cleaning solution.

Soak in White Vinegar and Water Solution

Mix one quart of warm water and 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar in a different glass or plastic container. Allow the stained area to soak for 30 minutes. Launder garment as usual. Do not put in a hot dryer if dye is still present. Achieve the following stage.

Soak in Oxygen-based Bleach and Water Solution

If the stain persists, add oxygen-based bleach in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to a sink of cool water. The clothing should be submerged and left to soak for at least eight hours or overnight. Repeat as necessary, then launder as usual.

What If You Have a Delicate Fabric?

There are a few extra precautions you should take when removing hair dye stains from clothing if it is made of a delicate material, such as silk or polyester. Here’s what to do:

1. As previously mentioned, apply the pretreatment of your choice. Then launder in cool water instead of warm or hot.

This is done to prevent setting the stain by allowing the dye to soak deeply into the fabric. There is no turning back once dye has stained a certain type of fabric for a sufficiently long period of time.

2. Wash delicates by hand if you have the option to do so. Otherwise, just make sure to use the gentle cycle and only add detergent, stain remover, etc. to your washer with the clothes that have dye stains.

Use your machine’s lowest setting when applying water pressure to help remove stains.

3. If you have color-safe bleach at home, you can add a small amount of it directly to the wash water and let it soak for roughly 15 minutes before laundering as usual. However, you should only do this if you are certain the bleach is safe for the type of fabric you are washing.

4. After your shirt has been thoroughly cleaned, you can also apply a stain-remover for hair color to the affected area and let it sit for about five minutes before laundering as usual. Most fabrics can be used with this.

What If Your Shirt is Dry-clean Only?

You’ll have a difficult time getting rid of those annoying hair dye stains if your favorite shirt can only be washed with dry cleaning.

Step 1. Apply the pretreatment of your choice as described above, making sure it will not be harmful to the fabric type. After that, spritz some white vinegar on the stain, and let it sit for about fifteen minutes.

Step 2. Instead of rubbing, place the garment on a clean, damp sponge or cloth and use water pressure to spray the pretreatment-affected area. Continue doing so until the shirt is dye-free.

Step 3. Now proceed to wash in cool water while following the same instructions you would if you were washing delicate fabric.

What If My Hair Dye Stains Have Already Set In?

It’s possible that some of your hair dye stains have already made their way through the washing machine and into your clothes. It happens to everyone.

You’ll use the same techniques as described above in this situation, but you won’t be pretreating; it may just require a little more work.

If your clothing has been in the tumble dryer, it’s likely to set and stay in there forever. Although each wash might cause a slight fading.

Will Hair Dye Wash Out of Clothes?

If you use the above method, hair dye will almost always wash out of most clothes.

It may seem impossible to remove semi-permanent hair dyes like Manic Panic or Arctic Fox, but doing so is simpler than doing it with permanent color.

However, depending on how frequently and with what detergent you wash your clothing, colors may fade or slightly alter over time.

In most cases, this won’t be apparent, but occasionally it can have a big impact on the color. As a result, remember that when caring for your colored clothing.

Regardless of the color, using these methods to remove hair dye from fabric will save you time, frustration, and leave you with clear instructions for the next time.

Some of these techniques can also be used to remove hair dye from carpets, walls, and even your skin!

Does Hairspray Get Hair Dye Out of Clothes?

Also, hairspray can remove dye stains from fabric. Pour a bit of hairspray onto a clean cloth and dab at the stain until it’s gone.

If you must use this method, DO NOT then put your clothes in the dryer! The heat will set the hair dye stain and make it impossible to remove.

The exception to this rule is wool and clothing that can only be dry cleaned, so check before you act.

Is Hair Dye Corrosive?

No, hair dye won’t corrode your hair. Hair dye actually has a mild pH level, despite what might seem counterintuitive. This means it’s less harmful than many household cleaners!

When using any chemicals near your hair, you should take extra precautions. When handling chemicals, wearing gloves and protective clothing is always recommended.

The scalp or face should also not come in contact with hair dye. The hair that grows above the brow, not the eyebrows, should ever be treated with it.

For safety reasons!

How to Avoid Staining Your Clothes

It’s easy!

Wear only clothes that you don’t mind getting hair dye on, or even just plain stained!

This is most likely the simplest method for preventing color transfer. After all, if you haven’t worn it yet, it’s not really your shirt!

The best course of action is to keep some old clothes that you never wear close at hand for hair dyeing. Trousers too!

Or, to cover your clothes and shield them from hair spills and splats, we suggest purchasing a hairdresser’s cap.

You’ll feel more professional too!

Conclusion

Dyeing your hair can be loads of fun. You can make your hair color look extremely natural and distinctive thanks to the wide range of options available. You are ultimately in charge! What isn’t so fun is when hair dye drips from your hair onto your clothing.

Learn how to remove dye from different places:

FAQs

Does Rubbing Alcohol Remove Hair Dye from Clothes?

Most stains, including hair dye stains, can be naturally removed with isopropyl alcohol. All you need to do is add a folded paper towel between the stain and other parts of the clothing piece. After that, use a cotton ball that has been dipped in isopropyl to begin removing the stain.

Does Baking Soda Remove Hair Dye from Clothes?

Hair dye stains can also be removed using a paste of baking soda and water. Simply mix the baking soda with a bit of water, then rub the pasta onto the stain with a sponge until it disappears.