How To Easily Remove Hair Dye Stains From Your Carpet
Getting anything on your carpet can be a bit of a nightmare, but anyone that's ever used hair dye will know how much it stains anything it comes in contact with. You are advised to coat your ears, forehead, and neck with a barrier such as vaseline states Byrdie, and also wear gloves to protect your hands and nails.
So what is the best course of action when you accidentally drip hair dye onto your carpet? According to Sheerluxe, determining what type of carpet you have is just as important as removing the stain, as different fabrics sometimes require different methods. In addition, natural fibers and synthetic fibers need separate approaches, and Sheerluxe suggests checking the care label for advice on exactly what type of material your carpet is made of and any warnings regarding cleaning.
While hardwearing, synthetic carpets, such as polyester and nylon, aren't so good when it comes to stains. However, they often have a stain-resistant treatment applied to them. With natural fibers like wool, you will need to avoid any type of cleaner that is alkaline, and wool specifically is very porous, so you need to be mindful of how much liquid you're applying while cleaning. Also, remember it will take longer to dry. Finally, a spot test in an inconspicuous area is a must before trying any of the following methods.
Removing a fresh stain
The quicker you get to work trying to remove the dye, the better chance you have of getting rid of it all. Angi warns against your initial instinct to start scrubbing at it with a cloth, as it will cause it to spread and push it deeper into the fibers.
The products needed will more than likely already be in your kitchen cupboards — get 1 tablespoon of dish soap, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 2 cups of warm water, a spray bottle, some rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, a sponge, a clean, dry, absorbent towel, and a few cleaning cloths. First, mix all the ingredients into the spray bottle and gently agitate. Next, spray liberally onto the stain and with a clean cloth, dab the area to blot out the hair dye taking care not to spread the smear. Keep spraying and dabbing at the stain until it is removed. Then, use the rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to remove any leftover traces, clean the whole area with fresh water and a sponge and then thoroughly dry it all with a towel.
Another method, which, when effective, is even easier, is to use hairspray. First, blot any excess and then spray the whole area with the product. Leave it for five minutes and blot it with fresh water and a clean cloth. Repeat this process as many times as needed, and then rinse the area with cold water and dry with a towel.
Removing an old stain
Did you know you can apply the exact same product for removing old hair dye from your hair to your carpets? Coloured Hair Care suggests sprinkling the stain with baking soda while you are preparing the product to really get deep into the fibers and get the cleaning process underway. Then make a paste with baking soda and either lemon juice, vinegar, or hot water and spread it liberally onto the stain. Leave it, at the minimum, for one hour. If the smear is particularly bad, you can even leave it overnight. Then simply hoover up the excess and wipe the fabric with a damp cloth.
Sometimes, prevention is better than cure, and if you want to protect your carpet from hair dye stains, then maybe you should stick to doing your DIY hair coloring in the bathroom, wearing gloves, and taking a careful approach. However, if you have a small bathroom that just is not big enough and need to dye your hair elsewhere in the house, or perhaps you have carpet in your bathroom, maybe you could look at protecting it with Scotchgard, as Woodart recommends. While this product could be your go-to for keeping your floors in tip-top condition, you can also use an old rag big enough to cover the area you're using or several pieces of cardboard. Anything works as long as it does the job well.