Hair dyes are such an ingenious invention. Their potential to make our hair look more vibrant and healthier makes these products indispensable. However, sometimes when we use hair dyes on our heads, we can easily mess our walls.
So, if you accidentally messed your bathroom or living room wall with your hair dye and you are wondering how you will remove the dye without compromising your walls painting integrity, then worry not as you have searched on the right article. We walk you through easy and practical ways on how to get hair dye off walls.
#1. Use Homemade cleaning products
Homemade cleaning products are not only eco-friendly but also kid-friendly. Below are some of the most effective homemade cleaning products that are sure to remove any hair dye off your walls.
White Vinegar
Vinegar has acidic properties that effortlessly break down the pigment of hair dye stain on your wall without ruining your wall’s paint. This multipurpose homemade cleaning product will not only leave your wall dye-free but will also leave your room smelling fresh.
- Make a ratio of 1:1 of water and vinegar to ensure that your vinegar concentration is strong enough for the job
- Place this mixture in a clean bottle and thoroughly shake it for at least 40 seconds before use
- Pour this mixture into a clean container and soak in a large enough cotton wool or swab
- In a circular motion, gently wipe the stain off
Pro-tip: Never spray vinegar on your wall when trying to remove a hair dye stain, as it may only cause the dye to spread even more on the wall.
Baking soda
Baking soda is an effective cleaning agent due to its alkali properties, making it an abrasive and scouring agent that makes it easy to break down hair dye pigments.
- Take 3-5 tablespoons of baking soda and pour it into a clean container
- Add 5 drops of clean, warm water to create a paste (soft and thick mixture)
- Apply this paste on your wall where it is dye stained and leave it to dry (for 10 minutes maximum)
- Use cotton wool dampened in warm water to clean the paste off the wall
Lemon juice
Lemon contains acidic properties that make it a natural bleaching agent, an antibacterial, and an antiseptic agent. When used correctly, lemon juice not only removes hair dye off your walls but also kills disease-causing microorganisms inhabiting your walls.
- Squeeze enough lemon juice in a clean cup-always use the Meyer lemons as they are the juiciest lemons
- Using a clean brush with soft bristles, paint the lemon juice on the hair dye spot-repeat this step as many times as possible(but don’t overdo) until you are satisfied that the hair dye has soaked in the lemon juice
- Leave it to dry for at least 30 minutes
- Using a clean cloth dampened in warm water, gently wipe the hair dye off your wall
Toothpaste
If you thought that toothpaste should only be used to clean your teeth, you were wrong. Toothpaste is made up of baking soda (which gives it an abrasive property), thus making it a good cleaning agent when it comes to getting rid of hair dye stains on your wall(s).
- Apply a thin coat of toothpaste on the stained spot
- Leave it to dry for at least 10-20 minutes
- Spray warm water on the dried-up toothpaste to make it wet and easy to remove
- Use a clean piece of cloth dampened in warm water to clean the hair dyed surface-be gentle as you can easily scrap off your paint due to the sticky/adhesive nature of toothpaste
#2. Magic eraser
A magic eraser is a cleaning sponge that contains melamine foam, making it a light abrasive cleaning product. It is strongly recommended that you use this cleaning product only if your homemade cleaning products have failed.
Never use a magic eraser on walls made of granite, marble, or coated with enamel, shiny paints, and varnished surfaces, as there is an increased risk of discoloration. Also, please don’t use it on rough walls as it will quickly break down.
- Adequately wet your magic eraser with warm water and squeeze it to remove the excess water
- Gently glide it on the stained patch
#3. Bleach spray
A bleach spray only works on white painted walls; hence it should never be used on colored walls as it will cause discoloration. You can easily make this cleaning detergent at the comfort of your home by adding chlorine and water in equal amounts.
NOTE! Ensure you prepare this solution in an adequately ventilated room due to the toxic fumes this mixture releases. Keep this solution in a Fiberglass reinforced plastic or a Chlorobutyl rubber-lined steel bottle.
- Simply spray this solution in the hair-dyed patch and let it sit in for 2-3 minutes before wiping it with a clean and slightly damp cloth. Always have your gloves on if you decide to use this method
#4. Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol with a concentration of more than 50% (usually in concentrations of 70-90%) can be used to effectively and quickly remove stubborn and dried-up hair dye on your wall(s). However, it’s essential that you use this method of getting rid of dye stains from your wall as a last resort, as sometimes rubbing alcohol may contain denatured alcohol.
Denatured alcohol is highly poisonous as it’s made of ethanol (a toxic additive); hence it should be used only in hard to remove stains when all of the above options have failed. How to use alcohol to get rid of hair dye stain(s) on your wall:
- Soak a piece of cotton/clothe in alcohol and gently glide it over the stained patch
- Immediately wash the cloth to avoid staining it with the already removed dye
Key takeaway
You can easily remove hair dye stains from your walls by using homemade cleaning products such as a solution made from baking powder, white vinegar, lemon juice, and toothpaste. Alternatively, you can choose to use a magic eraser, rubbing alcohol, or bleach sprays for tough to remove hair dye stains on your walls.
Suppose you are unable to remove patches caused by hair dyes on your walls. In that case, it is highly recommended that you call in for the services of a washing company and let them professionally handle your wall(s)’s cleaning services.
