Dyeing your hair at home is a fun way to change up your look—but when you rinse your hair out, you might find a giant mess waiting for you. Not to worry! Fortunately, there are a few tried and true methods you can use to clean hair dye stains off of your sink, tub, or shower in no time. Read through this article to pick the product that’s right for you and get your bathroom sparkling clean again.

Things You Should Know

  • Start by cleaning the area with soap and hot water. Use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover on non-varnished and non-painted surfaces.
  • Try baking soda or Bar Keeper’s Friend as a mild abrasive to scrub stains away. Use caution on porcelain sinks, as they can scratch the surface.
  • For white porcelain, try bleach to remove stains. For colored porcelain, use hydrogen peroxide to get stains out fast.
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Dish soap and hot water

  1. Use degreasing soap to quickly remove hair dye. Sometimes, a little soap and water is all you need! Grab a clean towel and get it wet, then add a few drops of dish soap. Scrub the sink to remove most of the hair dye and tackle any stains left behind.[1]
    • The great part about using soap to clean is that it’s safe for almost every surface in your bathroom. If you got hair dye on your counter, tub, or shower, use soap to quickly clean it off.
    • Soap might not remove the hair dye entirely. If you can still see some color, move on to another method.
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Baking soda

  1. Baking soda is mildly abrasive, so it can tackle tough stains. Mix 1 tsp (5.6 g) of baking soda with water until it forms a thick paste. Spread the paste onto the hair dye stain, then let it sit for 1 hour. After an hour, come back and scrub the stain with a clean cloth before rinsing with water.[4]
    • Baking soda is safe to clean most surfaces, but scrubbing too aggressively can damage some materials, like enamel and porcelain. If you have a varnished or enamel sink or tub, use caution with baking soda, especially when it comes time to scrub the stain.
    • You could also try scrubbing your sink with a Magic Eraser. These sponges are also mildly abrasive, so they work about as well as baking soda does.
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Bleach

  1. Bleach easily takes care of stains on white porcelain. Pour equal amounts of bleach and water into a spray bottle, then cover up your bathroom countertops with paper towels to prevent overspray. Spritz the stains with the bleach mixture, then let it sit for 1 hour. Rinse your sink with clean water to remove the stains.[5]
    • Using bleach is ideal for white porcelain sinks that could be damaged with other cleaning products.
    • Bleach is a very strong cleaning agent. Always work in a ventilated area, and use gloves to protect your hands when cleaning.
    • Oxygenated bleaches, like OxiClean, also work well on white sinks.
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About This Article

Hannah Madden
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Hannah Madden is a writer, editor, and artist currently living in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, she graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Hannah enjoys writing articles about conservation, sustainability, and eco-friendly products. When she isn’t writing, you can find Hannah working on hand embroidery projects and listening to music. This article has been viewed 5,417 times.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: October 25, 2022
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