10 Ways to Get Hair Dye Out of the Bathtub

Many people dye their hair at home and they usually do it in their bathroom.  However, if you’re not careful about cleanup you could stain your bathtub with the hair dye. How do you get hair dye out of bathtub? These 10 methods below will help you get even the most stubborn dye stain out of your bathtub. 

Bleach is a great option because you likely already use it to clean your bathtub and it’s both fast and effective. To get hair dye out of the bathtub fill a spray bottle half with bleach and half with warm water and spray the stain until drenched. Let the solution sit for 5-10 minutes and then wipe clean with a sponge. For larger or multiple stains, fill the bathtub with hot water until the stain is completely covered and pour in a cup of bleach. Let the bleach water sit for 10-15 minutes before draining the water and rinsing the bathtub with clean water. Wipe the stained area with a sponge if needed. 

There’s no surprise that acetone, which is commonly known as nail polish remover, is effective at removing hair dye. Because acetone tends to come in smaller bottles than bleach, its best to use this method for smaller stains. Soak a paper towel in acetone and dab the stain with it. Let it sit on the stain for 5-10 minutes and then wipe it clean with a damp sponge.  

Vinegar is a well-known chemical free household cleaner. Instead of using bleach, you can try using vinegar. Remove hair dye out of the bathtub by filling a spray bottle half with bleach and half with warm water and spray the stain until drenched.  Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then wipe clean with a sponge.

Baking soda is often used with vinegar as a chemical-free cleaning solution. It can be used for various things including cleaning your refrigerator. You can add a ½ cup of baking soda into your vinegar solution and spray the affected areas on your tub. You can also sprinkle some baking soda on a damp cloth or sponge, making a paste, and scrub it onto the stain before using the vinegar solution. 

The dishwashing liquid Dawn often shows how their dishwashing liquid can be used for more than cleaning dishes. It’s a powerful degreaser but gentle at the same time, which is why its been known to clean animals involved in oil spills. You can add some dishwashing liquid to a tub full of water for larger or multiple stains. To remove hair dye from bathtub using dishwashing liquid place some dishwashing liquid on a damp sponge and scrub the stain until it has been removed.

Powder bathroom cleaners such as Comet can be a good option for getting dye out of a bathtub. Pour some Comet directly onto the stain or onto a damp sponge and scrub the stain until removed. For tougher stains, let the paste created by the powder sit on the stain for about 10-15 minutes and then wipe clean.  If possible, choose a powder cleaner that contains bleach. 

OxiClean Stain Remover

OxiClean has been known to get stains out of almost anything. It contains sodium carbonate, which is very similar to baking soda. For best results, follow the instructions on the container.

Rubbing alcohol is best known for its disinfecting powers, but did you know that it can also be used as a household cleaner for removing hair dye from carpet and bathtubs? Similar to the acetone, rubbing alcohol is best used for single, smaller stains. Simply pour some onto a cloth or a paper towel and rub the stain until removed. 

Turns out this product is not just for your car anymore. There are thousands of uses for this product and one of them includes being a stain remover including getting dye out of the bathtub. Spray WD-40 on the area that has been stained with hair dye, let it sit for a couple minutes, and then wipe clean.

Hairspray

If a stain is fresh, you can use hair spray to remove hair dye from bathtubs. Spray hairspray on the stain and wipe clean with a sponge. 

Hair dye can leave permanent stains in your bathtub.  Acrylic bathtubs are more susceptible to getting permanently stained with hair dye.

Now that you’ve gotten the bathtub clean, here are some tips for keeping dye from staining it again in the future. 

Line the tub with a thin layer of petroleum jelly before using hair dye. The petroleum jelly will work as a barrier, keeping the dye from bonding onto your tub. Once done dying your hair, clean the tub immediately.

It may be best to skip this step if your area is in a drought but if you can afford to, keep the water running while using hair dye. This will cause any dye that drips from your hair to continue its journey down the drain rather than setting in the tub. 

It may seem silly to wash your bathtub before your treatment knowing that it will just get dirty again but doing so may keep the dye from bonding to any scum already on the tub. 

Use a disposable plastic liner or a plastic shower curtain to protect your bathtub.

Last but not least, the most important prevention method is to clean your tub immediately after you’re done. You may be tempted to finish your hair or to grab a snack but the worst thing you can do is let the stain set in. This will only make it harder to remove the stain.