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Hair dye and food coloring stains are hard to miss, so be cautious of any spills or splashes. Studio MPMFood coloring and hair dye stains can be a challenge to remove. One wrong spill or splash, and you're left with a real mess. If you're curious about how to get hair dye out of your clothes or other surfaces, you're not alone.
If you accidentally use green dye to change your hair color, don't panic—it should only be a temporary issue! Thankfully, there are effective methods available to help you remove any excess dye. Follow these tips and techniques, and you'll be able to clean it up quickly and safely.
What Type of Material Has the Hair Dye Stain?
Before you start cleaning the hair dye stains, it is crucial to first identify the material that has been affected. Explore these pages to discover how to tackle those stains:
- Non-washable fabrics such as acetate, synthetic carpets, fiberglass, rayon, and triacetate
- Washable fabrics like acrylic, modacrylic, nylon, olefin, polyester, and spandex
- Household surfaces such as acrylic plastics, aluminum, bamboo, cane, ceramic, glass/tile, glass, flat paint, gloss paint, plexiglass, polyurethane, vinyl clothing, and vinyl wall coverings
- Alabaster and Marble
- Flooring surfaces such as asphalt, cork, linoleum, and vinyl tiles
- Stone surfaces like bluestone, brick, concrete, flagstone, granite, limestone, masonry tiles, sandstone, slate, and terrazzo
- Wool carpets, silk, and wool fabrics
- Cotton and linen
- Grout
- Leather and suede
- Wood
Non-Washable Fabrics
Follow these instructions to remove food coloring and hair dye stains from non-washable fabrics such as acetate, synthetic carpets, fiberglass, rayon, and triacetate:
- Gently sponge the stain using light strokes with a dampened pad, working from the center outward, and using cold water.
- Spray a fabric spot cleaner onto the stain.
- Next, apply a wet spotter with a few drops of white vinegar.
- Blot the area occasionally with an absorbent pad dampened with the wet spotter.
- Maintain moisture on the stain with wet spotter and vinegar.
- Once the stain is no longer lifting, flush the area with water (the method of applying stain remover to loosen the stain materials and residue).
If the stain remains:
- Apply additional wet spotter along with a few drops of ammonia.
- Cover the stain with an absorbent pad, leaving it in place while the stain continues to lift.
- Keep the stain and pad moist with wet spotter and ammonia.
- Flush with water and let it dry completely.
Washable Fabrics
Use these methods to remove food coloring and hair dye stains from washable fabrics like acrylic, modacrylic, nylon, olefin, polyester, and spandex:
- Pre-soak (soaking the fabric in a washer, sink, or tub before washing) in a mixture of 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap or laundry detergent, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar for 15 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Launder as soon as possible.
If the stain persists:
- Prepare a solution of 1 tablespoon ammonia mixed with 1 cup of water.
- Test it first on an inconspicuous seam, then use an eyedropper to apply the solution directly to the stain.
- Blot with an absorbent pad.
- Rinse with clear, cool water.
- Place an absorbent pad over the stain, weighted down.
- Once no more liquid is absorbed, let it air dry completely.
Household Surfaces
Use these steps to remove food coloring and hair dye stains from household surfaces like acrylic plastic, aluminum, bamboo, cane, ceramic, glass/tile, glass, flat paint, gloss paint, plexiglass, polyurethane, vinyl clothing, and vinyl wall coverings:
- Quickly blot the spill with a cloth or sponge soaked in warm soapy water.
- Rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean cloth.
Alabaster and Marble
Follow these instructions to clean food coloring and hair dye stains from alabaster and marble surfaces:
- Quickly blot the spill with a cloth or sponge dipped in warm, soapy water.
- Rinse thoroughly and wipe the area dry.
If the stain remains:
- Soak an absorbent pad in rubbing alcohol, wring it out almost completely, and place it over the stain.
- Wait 5 minutes, then apply an absorbent pad soaked in ammonia and wrung nearly dry.
- Alternate between the alcohol and ammonia pads until the stain is gone.
- Wipe the surface with a cloth dampened with cool, clear water, then dry with a clean cloth.
Flooring Surfaces
Use these steps to remove food coloring and hair dye stains from flooring surfaces such as asphalt, cork, linoleum, and vinyl tiles:
- Blot up any excess stain with a cloth or sponge soaked in warm, soapy water.
- Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry.
If the stain remains:
- Place an absorbent pad soaked in rubbing alcohol over the stain.
- Leave it for several minutes, then wipe the area with a cloth dampened with ammonia.
- Note: Avoid using ammonia on linoleum or vinyl floor tiles.
- Rinse thoroughly with a cloth soaked in warm, soapy water, then wipe again with a cloth dampened with clean water.
- Let the surface dry, then polish or wax as needed.
Stone Surfaces
Follow these steps to remove food coloring and hair dye stains from stone surfaces like bluestone, brick, concrete, flagstone, granite, limestone, masonry tile, sandstone, slate, and terrazzo:
- Wipe away any excess dye.
- Wash with a mixture of washing soda or detergent (not soap) and water.
- Use a cloth or a soft-bristled brush to scrub the stain.
- Rinse well with clear water and let it dry.
Wool Carpet, Silk and Wool
Use the following steps to remove food coloring and hair dye stains from wool carpet, silk, and wool:
- Sponge the stain with water, then apply a wet spotter along with a few drops of white vinegar.
- Blot frequently as the stain loosens, keeping it moist with wet spotter and vinegar.
- Flush with water once the stain is no longer being lifted.
If the stain persists:
- Apply rubbing alcohol to the stain and cover it with an absorbent pad soaked in alcohol. Leave it in place until the stain is removed.
- Replace the pad as it absorbs the stain.
- Continue to keep the stain and pad moist with alcohol.
- Allow it to air dry.
Cotton and Linen
Follow these steps to remove hair dye stains from cotton and linen:
- Soak in a mixture of 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing detergent, and 1 tablespoon ammonia for 30 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly with water.
- Apply rubbing alcohol and either tamp (using light strokes with a brush on stained durable fabrics) or scrape (gently lift off excess solid or caked-on stains with a scraping tool).
- Keep the stain moist with alcohol and blot occasionally.
- Continue until the stain is gone.
- Flush with water and allow it to dry.
- Launder as soon as possible.
Grout
To remove food coloring and hair dye stains from grout, follow these steps:
- Wipe off any excess stain using a cloth dipped in warm, soapy water.
If any stain remains:
- Wet a toothbrush and dip it into baking soda or a powdered cleaner.
- Lightly scrub the stain area.
- Rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean cloth.
Leather and Suede
Once dye touches leather or suede, the color changes instantly, and unfortunately, there's no way to undo the stain. Apologies for the inconvenience!
Wood
To remove hair dye stains from wood, follow these instructions:
- Create a soapy solution by adding dishwashing detergent to hot water, then swirl to generate a foam.
- Use only the foam by dipping a cloth into it and applying to the stained area.
- Rinse the spot using a clean cloth dampened with clear water.
- For the best results, polish or wax the wood soon after the stain is removed.
