How to Remove Hair Dye Stains from Towels

Autumn asked, “How do I remove hair dye stain from towels?”

Table of Contents:

Removing the Hair Dye Stains
Additional Tips and Advice
Sources

Hair dye and a stained towel seem to go hand in hand. Your best bet is to act quickly, as hair dye stains can be difficult to remove once the dye has dried on the fabric. Select a method from the list below to remove the hair dye from the towel.

Removing the Hair Dye Stains

You Will Need:

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
Chlorine bleach
Gallon bucket or sink
White vinegar
Laundry detergent
Ammonia
Hair spray
Hydrogen peroxide
Sea Breeze Astringent

Steps to Remove the Hair Dye Stains

If the hair dye you used is water-soluble, rub a small amount of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo onto your fingertips and over the stain. Rub until the stain is removed.¹
If the care label of your towel says it is safe, combine ¼ cup chlorine bleach with 1 gallon cold water. Immerse the towel in the mixture for 30 minutes. Rinse and wash as recommended.² Continue to the tips below for fabrics that cannot be bleached.
Stretch the towel over a large bowl or bucket, pull it tight and secure it to the bowl. Put the bowl in a sink, keeping the drain open. Open the cold water faucet until the water drips at a steady pace and let it drip through the stain for at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours.³
In a container larger than 1 gallon, mix 2 cups white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of your laundry detergent to one gallon of warm water. Allow the item to soak for a few hours, checking periodically to see if stain has been removed.³
To 1 gallon of water, add 1 cup of ammonia. Stretch the towel over the bucket and secure it or have a friend hold it stretched tight. Allow the mixture to flow through the stain as you pour it slowly into the bucket.²
Spray the stain with hair spray; the chemicals in hair spray will help to loosen the stain.² Cheaper hair sprays often work better because it contains more alcohol. Allow the item to stand for five minutes, then rinse. Be sure to test a hidden spot or small corner of the towel first.¹
On colorfast fabric only, you can wet the dye stain with equal measurements of hydrogen peroxide and water. Place the item in the sun, but continue to dampen the satin until it is removed.³
Another strange tip, but one that can work, is to wet the stain with Sea Breeze Astringent. Allow the astringent to stay on the stain for five minutes. Test the astringent on the fabric first to make sure it does not discolor.¹
When the stain has been removed, always rinse the item well and wash as recommended.

Additional Tips and Advice

You can skip the stain removal totally and just use the same towel each time you dye your hair.³
Use a bit of caution with ammonia, such as by ventilating the area. See Wikipedia for more information.