Dying your hair at home is typically a far cheaper and more convenient alternative than going to the hair salon. Sure, it’s not exactly the most relaxing activity, but it gets the job done.
However, the main problem with dying your hair at home is that hair dyes get everywhere. Even if you’ve prepped the area, you’re likely to get a hair dye stain on your clothing, your skin, surrounding surfaces, and even the floor.
If you’ve come across this article, it’s probably because you’ve accidentally got a hair dye stain on your hardwood floor. We’ve all been there, and luckily for you, it’s not hard to clean! Here is our guide on how to remove hair dye from wood.
Method 1 – Baking Soda, Detergent, And Water
There are several useful methods to remove hair dyes from a hardwood floor. This is the first method that should be used before the others, which involves more chemicals that can be potentially damaging to the floor.
You Will Need
Warm water
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing detergent
Bowl
Clean cloth
Before you work to combine the mixture together, make sure to wear a pair of gloves to protect your skin. While this method doesn’t involve handling harsh chemicals, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
In a bowl, mix together 2 cups of warm water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent. Then, dip a clean soft cloth into the liquid mixture and scrub away at the hair dye stain on the floor.
If successful, you can then rinse the cloth with clean warm water (or use another clean cloth) to wipe away the dishwashing detergent and baking soda mixture. Then, pat the hardwood floor dry with some paper towels.
Method 2 – Baking Soda And Hydrogen Peroxide
If method 1 didn’t work, then here’s a tougher method to use when removing hair dye stains from hardwood floors. This method is undoubtedly the most effective for stubborn stains that have been lingering on the wooden surface for a long time.
Again, make sure to wear a pair of protective gloves and potentially even a mask and protective eyewear. This is because this method includes handling hydrogen peroxide, which can be irritating to the skin. Still, it’s certainly the most definitive way of removing hair dye stains.
You Will Need
1 part baking soda
1 part hydrogen peroxide
Bowl
Clean cloth
In a clean bowl, combine 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 1 part baking soda until a paste is created. No water needs to be used in this method.
Then, take a dry clean cloth and scoop a nice amount of the paste onto the floor. Scrub the hair dye stain in a circular motion or apply pressure to the stain until it starts to fade.
Keep scrubbing until the dye stain disappears, then clean the surface with a damp clean soft cloth and dry the floor with a paper towel to ensure none of the paste is left behind.
Hydrogen peroxide is generally safe to use on hardwood floors, but if the mixture is too strong, it can cause more damage than good. To be on the safe side, we recommend testing the paste mixture on a small part of the stained wood to see whether it bleaches the hardwood.
Method 3 – Magic Eraser, Lemon Juice, And Baking Soda
While this method doesn’t involve harsh chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, it’s still worth wearing a pair of protective gloves to prevent irritating your skin.
You Will Need
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
Lemon juice
Baking soda
White vinegar
Cloth or sponge
Bowl
The first thing you should do to try removing a hair dye stain from hardwood flooring is to scrub the stain away with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. As most households will have at least one clean magic eraser, this is arguably the most accessible method for cleaning a hair dye stain.
If this doesn’t work, mix an equal amount of baking soda with lemon juice. Adjust the amount of both the lemon juice and baking soda according to the size of the stain. Mix in a bowl until it forms a thick paste.
With either a clean cloth, a sponge, or even your fingers (wearing protective gloves), rub the paste into the stain on the floor. Using small circular motions and a lot of elbow grease is the best way to remove tough stains.
Then, spray either some white vinegar or water over the stain. This will help to further activate the paste before wiping it away with a clean, damp cloth and drying with paper towels.
Method 4 – Vinegar And Baking Soda
If you don’t have any of the materials listed in the above methods, then this is the one for you. Virtually every household has access to vinegar and baking soda. When put together, this mixture creates a highly acidic paste to remove hair dye stains.
You Will Need
Vinegar
Baking soda
Bowl
Clean cloth
In a bowl, combine equal parts vinegar and baking soda until it forms a paste. Use a clean cloth or sponge and scrub at the hair dye stain on the wooden floor until it disappears.
When successful, make sure to wipe down the surface with a clean damp cloth and paper towels to prevent the acidic paste from damaging the floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Takes Hair Dye Off Of Hardwood Floors?
There are several ways to remove hair dye from wood. You can use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, baking soda with detergent, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, or baking soda with lemon juice to create an acidic stain-removing solution.
We recommend using a clean cloth or a sponge depending on how tough the stain is.
Will Hydrogen Peroxide Damage Hardwood Floors?
When used properly, hydrogen peroxide acts as a powerful stain remover that won’t damage hardwood floors. However, not all hardwood floors are prepared for a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide, which can often lead to bleaching and discoloration.
To keep your floor in the same condition, use the mixture on a small part of the floor to test whether it damages the wood.
