How To Get Hair Dye Out Of Clothes?

Do you own a shirt that has been tarnished by hair dye? Though it might be challenging, escaping is possible. Hair dye stains are challenging to get rid of, but not impossible! Everything you need to know about removing hair dye from clothing is provided here.

Don’t panic, first of all! There are no special products or tools needed, and it is actually quite simple. Simply use the proper technique and a little patience to get the stain out of your specific fabric type.

Continue reading if you want detailed instructions on how to complete this task at home; we’ve got everything you need here!

Table of Contents

What Are Hair Dyes?

In order to change the color of our hair, we apply chemicals, or hair dyes, to the strands. On our heads, these dyes are not always irreversible, but on some of our favorite clothes, they frequently last a lifetime. There is no other option but to learn how to remove hair dye from clothing.

Hair dyes are divided into four groups. Mousses, sprays, gels, and rinses are used to apply temporary colors. These linger on the surface of our hair and are removed with the subsequent shampoo.

The hair shaft is penetrated by semi-permanent dyes, which are not removed by water rinsing. The most common forms of these products are liquid, gel, and aerosol.

More effort is required to apply permanent dyes. The color, however, continues until the roots begin to protrude. Hydrogen peroxide and another liquid are combined to create permanent hair dye. Prior to rinsing it out with water, it sits on the hair for approximately 30 minutes.

Because of the chemical reaction that occurs when the dye is applied, these dyes penetrate the hair shaft deeply and become locked in. Despite the fact that repeatedly washing them can sometimes fade the color over time, they generally cannot be removed with shampoos.

A gradual or progressive dye is the last type of dye. These dyes come in a rinse that, after bonding with the substances on the hair’s surface, slightly darkens hair. They are used every day until the desired shade is obtained. When the hair is wet, these colors do not easily wash off or run.

The color of the dye you used as well as its type affects how simple it is to remove hair dye from clothing. Use one of these practical techniques to get hair dye out of clothes if your favorite shirt has some hair dye on it.

Are Dye Stains Removable From Clothes?

The majority of the time, you can get dye out of clothing by dabbing it with rubbing alcohol or soaking it in a solution of white vinegar and water. A lot of commercial stain removers or oxygen bleach also remove color bleed or dye transfer effectively. In some cases, chlorine bleach may be necessary to fully remove any dye stains from white clothing.

The best way to remove any type of stain from your clothing is to remove it as soon as possible. The difficulty of removing dye from fabric increases after washing and drying your clothing.

What kind of material is in your shirt and pants? Also, when treating stains, this has a significant impact.

Don’t try any DIY stain removal techniques on clothing that should only be dry-cleaned! Take your clothing to the dry cleaner instead, and be sure to let them know what stained it. Make sure you read the care label inside your garment before using a stain remover because some fabric types, like wool and silk, will not respond well to most at-home cleaning techniques.

Naturally, the type of dye used to create the stain is important. As you will discover later in this article, you should treat hair dye differently than red or blue dye.

How to Get Brown, Black, or Blue Hair Dye Out of Washable Clothes

Rinse The Stain With Cold Water Or Alcohol

Certain hair dyes are gloppy and thick. Before doing anything else, rinse any excess dye goop from the stained area with running water or rubbing alcohol. Use a dull knife or credit card to scrape away any extra goo if you still see it.

Spot-Treat With Liquid Laundry Detergent

Apply a high-quality liquid laundry detergent or stain-lifting enzyme-containing pre-treatment, then scrub the area with a clean, white cloth or soft brush (a toothbrush works best). 5 to 15 minutes should be given for it to sit.

Soak In Oxygen-Based Bleach

According to the instructions on the package, add oxygen-based bleach that is color-safe to cool water in a sink or a big bowl. Let the clothing soak for at least eight hours.

Chlorine Bleach Soak For White Fabrics

Mix one gallon of water with 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach to bleach your clothing if it can be. No more than 15 minutes should be spent soaking the item. If the stain is gone after thoroughly rinsing the clothing, launder as usual. If soaking in chlorine bleach does not get rid of the stain, nothing else is likely to either.

How to Get Red Dye Out of Washable Clothes

We love red hair dye, and it looks great on our clothes, too. It’s more difficult to remove than brown dye. You may need extra steps and more cleaning supplies

Rinse The Stain With Cold Water Or Alcohol

To get rid of any goop from the hair dye, start with step one as described above. Rinse the stained area under running water or with alcohol, and/or scrape off any obvious goo.

Soak In Dishwashing Liquid And Ammonia Solution

In a non-metal container, combine 1 quart of water with 1 tablespoon of household ammonia and 1/2 teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent. 15 minutes should be spent soaking the stain.

Scrub The Dye Stain With Liquid Laundry And Soak Again

Rinse the garment thoroughly after removing it from the soaking solution. Scrub any remaining particles with an enzymatic liquid laundry detergent on a clean cloth, then re-soak it in the same mixture.

Soak In White Vinegar And Water Solution

Attempt using a different solution in a different container (of any kind) or sink if the stain continues. ¼ cup white vinegar and 1 quart of warm water should be combined. If the stain is still present after 30 minutes of soaking, go to step 5.

Soak In Oxygen-Based Bleach And Water Solution

Then, add all-fabric oxygen bleach as directed on the package to a clean container or sink full of cool water. Soak for at least eight hours.

If the clothing is white, use a solution of chlorine bleach. Only soak for a maximum of 15 minutes if using chlorine leach.

Important: Don’t use the same container for soaking or combine bleach and ammonia. Ammonia and chlorine bleach combine to produce toxic fumes that can be fatal. Wash the item between soaks (do not dry) if you used ammonia during the process and are now using chlorine bleach. After use, cover the chemicals with a cap and store them; additionally, work in a well-ventilated area.

Do your usual laundry after the stain has been removed. Any time during the cleaning process, it is acceptable to wash the item in a washing machine; however, do not dry it.

If none of these removal techniques work, try your dry cleaner. They might be able to provide assistance. Some stains, though, cannot be cleaned up.

How To Get Dye Out Of White Clothes?

The methods of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide previously discussed in this article are the best for removing dye from white clothing, but you can also use a chlorine bleach soak if the type of fabric allows for it.

While chlorine bleach will effectively remove stains from white clothing, it can also harm some types of fabric. In fact, chlorine bleach can damage most types of material if it is applied directly to fabric, eating through the fibers.

If you decide to use a chlorine bleach soak, follow these steps:

Set up your space safely with a running fan or window open for ventilation. To protect yourself from splashes, put on goggles, gloves, and, if you can, a plastic tablecloth to cover your floor.
Water should be added to a clean bucket. For each gallon of water in the bucket, add ¾ cup of bleach.
Gently submerge the garment in this solution while avoiding splashing.
Spend five minutes soaking the clothes.
Pour the bleach water into the drain.
A second bucket should be half-filled with water before hydrogen peroxide is added. By doing this, the bleach will be neutralized and stop destroying the fabric.
For ten more minutes, let the garment soak in the hydrogen peroxide solution that will neutralize it.
Lastly, wash the clothing as usual by rinsing it in cold water.

Conclusion

Household items like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing alcohol can be used to remove dye from clothing. The majority of garments can be successfully cleaned of dye transfer by using oxygen bleach. While they do cost more than a household product, other commercial products like dye run removers and stain removers frequently work just as well.

To truly remove the color transfer from red dye, special procedures and repeated soaking are necessary. Other dyes, like blue dye, can easily stain clothing but can also be removed by washing.

What was the worst dye blot you’ve ever seen? Which approach did you take? To let us know, leave a comment below.

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