One of the most fun ways to spruce up your look is to dye your hair. Whether you're going for a unique color or just want to cover up some aging signs, hair dye can help! While hair dye can be incredibly easy to DIY at home, it can also be super messy, especially if you've got tile floors. Cleaning hair dye off of tile can be tricky, but we've researched the best cleaning agents and techniques to make cleaning a breeze.
If you catch the hair dye mess immediately, you can try to just wipe it off the tiles. Otherwise, you'll need to know which cleaners are effective at removing the dye. These include:
- Bleach
- Dish Soap
- Bathroom Cleaner
- Nail Polish Remover
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Baking Soda
- Hair Spray
All of the above-listed items can be effective cleaning agents if used properly. We encourage you to keep reading through the article on how to use these agents, answers to some common questions, and a few things not to do when cleaning hair dye off tiles.
Bleach
Bleach is one of the most well-known cleaning agents around. It kills germs and can remove stains from quite a few different materials and surfaces. This holds true with hair dye as well.
Click here to see bleach on Amazon.
When you use bleach, you'll want to dilute it. Combine equal parts bleach and water and apply it to the stain you want to remove. Allow it to sit for ten minutes, and when you wipe away the bleach, the hair dye should come off the tile with it.
Bathroom Cleaner
Generic bathroom cleaners work great for cleaning hair dye stains for one simple reason: they almost universally contain bleach. If you've got some toilet cleaner lying around, you can use it on your stain. The difference is in the technique.
Click here to see toilet bowl cleaner on Amazon.
While bathroom cleaners contain bleach, it is much more diluted than the mixture previously described. You'll want to apply the cleaner to the stain and then scrub it with a sponge. This works great for tubs and sinks, but due to the bleach content being lower may not work on old stains in tile.
Dish Soap
Dish soap works well to remove hair dye stains that are fresh. Smother the stain in dish soap and then scrub it with a sponge. Unlike some of the other cleaners on this list, dish soap will take more work. Keep scrubbing until you see some progress, but if you cant remove the stain, you should move on to other cleaning agents and techniques.
Click here to see dish soap on Amazon.
Nail Polish Remover
If your tiles don't have certain finishes on them that can be damaged, nail polish remover works great to remove hair dye. Nail polish remover is acetone-based and will dissolve the stain. Keep in mind, though, that this can damage exposed grout and the finish on your tiles if you aren't careful. Dab the agent on the stain with a cotton ball or q-tip and then wipe it away.
Click here to see nail polish remover on Amazon.
Rubbing Alcohol
Alcohol-based cleaners can work well as well. Rubbing alcohol is a great option to remove hair dye if you don't have painted tiles. Just apply with a soft cloth or cotton ball and rub it to try to remove the hair dye. The hair dye should dissolve due to the alcohol you've applied, removing the stain from the surface of your tiles.
Click here to see rubbing alcohol on Amazon.
Baking Soda
Baking soda works well to remove stains and gets into porous materials as well. You can mix the baking soda with either water or vinegar to make a paste. You can then put the paste onto the hair dye and scrub it with either a toothbrush or rag to remove the stain.
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Hair Spray
Hair spray contains alcohol. It may be great at setting your hair, but it can also be used as a cleaner. Hair spray should be used before the dye has time to set in as a stain and can be used on more materials than tile.
Click here to see hair spray on Amazon.
Spray it directly onto the stain and let it sink in. Then wipe the stain with a paper towel or rag. On its own, hair spray won't remove a set-in stain but works great if you catch it early enough.
Best Total Technique
Overall, all of the cleaners will work. However, a combination of cleaning agents and techniques will be your best option to be sure to remove a hair dye stain. You'll want to start with bleach, applying it to the stains and letting it sit for 30 minutes before wiping it off. After this, do the exact same process with white vinegar. Finally, you'll want to apply some nail polish remover to the stains and scrub them with a cotton ball until the stain is gone.
Does Magic Eraser remove hair dye?
Magic Erasers can work to remove hair dye from tiles. You'll want to wet the sponge, squeeze it out, and then scrub the stains. Magic erasers work to remove stains through their cleansing agents and abrasive surfaces. Essentially, you'll be sanding away the stain, so be careful that abrasive materials will not damage the finish on your tiles.
Click here to see Magic Eraser on Amazon.
How do you get hair dye out of natural stone tiles?
When it comes to stone, you need to be more choosy with your cleaning agents. Make sure that you first wipe off any excess hair dye from the stone tiles. Baking soda paste is one of the best options for removing dye as it gets into the pores of the stone. Scrub the paste with a soft-bristled brush and rinse with clean water. You may have to repeat this process a few times to get the hair dye out of the stone completely. Alcohol is another great option to clean natural stones.
Extra Tips and Tricks
There are a few things to avoid when cleaning tiles to make sure you don't damage them. Lemon and lime juice are not good cleaners as they can damage both the grout and shiny layer over the tiles. Don't use wire or stiff-bristle brushes as these will damage the tiles and grout. When possible, do not let the hair dye sit on the tile for long, as this will make it more difficult to remove.
While the listed cleaners are the most common, there are other options. You can use cigarette ash to make a paste similar to the baking soda paste to scrub away the hair dye stains. You can get a powdered color removing agent from hairdressers in the area if need be. Paint thinner, hydrogen peroxide, bleach pens, and even scrubbing bubbles cleaner can also work well to remove hair dye from tiles.
You might get paint or dye on some other materials as well, so read this article "How To Remove Paint From Brick [7 Steps]."
How To Get Hair Dye Off Bathroom Tiles
Overall, there are a ton of options for removing hair dye from tiles. You'll inevitably make a mess at some point if you dye your hair often, and after reading this article, you should be well equipped to clean up your bathroom. With the huge amount of effective options, there's really no excuse for letting hair dye stains remain on your tile.
If you're looking for some new tiles for your home, check out our article "The 6 Best Non-Slip Tiles For Your Home."
To find out whether porcelain or ceramic tiles are better, check out "Is Porcelain Or Ceramic Tile Better For Showers? What Homeowners Need To Know."