Your new hair color is pretty, but what about hair dye stains dripping on the carpet? Of course not. Permanent hair dye stains are fairly easy to remove from carpet if you act quickly. However, even if you don't see the stain right away until the stain hardens, you can still get rid of it and make the carpet look clean like new, of course with more effort. While you can buy commercial carpet cleaning products that remove hair dye stains, you can also make your own cleaning mixture at home with a few simple household ingredients.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Picking Up Fresh Paint Spills or Splashes
Step 1. Absorb as much paint as possible using a clean washcloth
Before cleaning up the spill, press the washcloth against the paint to lift it up as much as possible. Fold the washcloth and press again on the paint until there is no more liquid or paint standing on the carpet.
Do not rub or rub the washcloth on the stain. You'll just spread the paint and make it sink deeper into the carpet fibers, making the stain harder to remove. In addition, you are also at risk of damaging the carpet fibers
Step 2. Combine dish soap, vinegar, and water in a short-walled bowl
Use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dish soap, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar, and 480 ml of water to make the cleaning mixture. Stir the ingredients to mix evenly.
This basic formula produces enough mixture to clean the stained area. If the spill or puddle of hair dye is large enough, you can make more mixtures or increase the amount of each ingredient
Step 3. Dip a clean white washcloth into the mixture and dab it repeatedly on the stained area
Wet a washcloth and press it against the stain. Lift the fabric, then press again. Keep dipping the cloth into the mixture and pressing back on the stain while watching if the hair dye lifts off the carpet and sticks to the fabric.
- By using a white washcloth, you don't have to worry if the color of the washcloth will transfer to the carpet. In addition, you can see the paint lifting off the carpet more easily.
- Be careful not to rub the mixture on the carpet. You can actually damage the carpet fibers and make the hair dye go deeper into the carpet fibers making the stain more difficult to remove.
Step 4. Rinse the cleaned area with cold water
Once you don't see any more paint stains on the carpet, pour a little water on the cleaned area to remove any residue from the cleaning mixture. After that, dry the area by dabbing a dry cloth or sponge on the carpet.
You may need to add more water to rinse the carpet again, and this step is up to you. If you still smell vinegar on the carpet, it's a good idea to rinse the carpet again
Step 5. Dry the carpet by aerating it or using a sponge
Remove any remaining water from the carpet. After that, you can air the carpet to dry it and this drying process does not take very long. If the area you've cleaned is in an area where people pass frequently and you want it to dry faster, press a dry sponge against the carpet to absorb more moisture.
You can also turn on the fan and point it at the carpet that is still damp or damp
Method 2 of 3: Removing Old Stains That Are Already Sticking Strongly on the Carpet
Step 1. Wet the stain with a mixture of dish soap and vinegar
In a short-walled bowl, mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dish soap and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar with 480 ml of water. Dip a washcloth or sponge into the mixture and wring it over the stained area to wet it.
You can also slowly pour the mixture on the stain to wet or soak the area. This step is considered better if the stain is large
Step 2. Blot a clean white washcloth on the stain every 5 minutes for 30 minutes
Turn on the timer for 30 minutes. Every 5 minutes, take a washcloth and dab it on the stain. If the area starts to dry out, you can squeeze or re-pour the cleaning mixture on the stain.
By dabbing the fabric on the stain, the mixture can be absorbed deeper into the carpet fibers. However, do not rub the fabric as you can damage the carpet
Step 3. Rinse the stain with cold water
After 30 minutes, pour cold water on the carpet to remove any remaining cleaning mixture. Use a clean sponge or cloth to absorb any remaining water. You may still see traces of stain, but at least the stain isn't as obvious.
If you don't see a significant change, "soak" or re-wet the stained area for 30 minutes using the cleaning mixture to lift more paint onto the carpet surface
Step 4. Remove the remaining stain using rubbing alcohol
Use a clean white cloth or cotton swab (depending on the size of the stain remaining) to dab the alcohol directly on the stain. Carefully blot the cloth or earplug until the stain is gone.
You'll need to put in more effort to get rid of any stubborn stains, so don't be surprised if you have to clean the affected area more than once. If alcohol doesn't work, you may need to use a mixture or other substance to remove the stain from the carpet
Step 5. Rinse the area with cold water to remove any residual alcohol
Pour a small amount of water on the cleaned area to remove any excess alcohol. Absorb excess moisture with a clean dry cloth or sponge.
If you only treat a small area with rubbing alcohol or a cotton swab, you may not need to pour water on the area to rinse it. Just squeeze the water out of the sponge or washcloth
Step 6. Absorb or lift any remaining moisture from the carpet
Use a dry white sponge or cloth to absorb moisture from the carpet. Although the carpet will still feel damp afterwards, you can usually air it enough to dry it.
Place the fan near the carpet and point it at the cleaned area to dry it faster
Method 3 of 3: Get Rid of Stubborn Stains
Step 1. Make a mixture of ammonia and dish soap in a small bowl
Mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of ammonia with 480 ml of warm water. It's a good idea to wear a face covering so as not to be disturbed by the smell of ammonia.
- Keep this mixture in a well-ventilated room to reduce the gas produced by ammonia.
- Do not add other chemicals to the mixture, especially bleach. The gas produced by the mixture will be toxic.
Step 2. Pour the mixture into a small area first to test if the mixture can damage the carpet
Look for small, hidden and invisible areas of the carpet to see if the mixture can cause damage. Dip a cotton swab in the ammonia mixture and dab it on the area. If the mixture damages the carpet fibers, do not use this mixture to clean the carpet.
Ammonia can be effective in removing hair dye residue or stains, but can damage wool fabrics. Since you may not know if the carpet has lint or wool, do the test above to make sure the mixture doesn't damage the carpet. Better to be on guard than sorry
Step 3. Spread the mixture on the stained area
Dip a clean, white washcloth into the mixture, then dab on stubborn stains. Repeat the process until the stained area is completely coated with the mixture. However, don't apply the mixture directly to the stain, as too much ammonia can damage the carpet.
It's a good idea to wear plastic gloves to protect your hands from ammonia
Step 4. Apply the mixture on the stain every five minutes for 30 minutes
Turn on the timer and come back every five minutes. Dip a washcloth in the mixture and blot it back on the stain. You can see the stains starting to lift off the carpet. If the stain isn't completely gone after half an hour, you can do it longer for the mixture to work.
Each time you blot the cloth or sponge and apply the mixture to the stain, observe the condition of the carpet. If the carpet fibers in the area being cleaned appear damaged compared to the surrounding area, rinse the area to remove any residual ammonia before it gets worse
Step 5. Rinse the carpet with cold water
Pour cold water on the carpet to remove any remaining ammonia, then blot it with a clean, dry cloth. You may need to rinse the carpet several times.
While it may be difficult to distinguish the smell, keep rinsing the carpet until you no longer smell ammonia from the carpet
Step 6. Dry the carpet with a fan or a dry cloth
Use a dry cloth or sponge to remove any remaining moisture from the carpet. Even after that, turn on and point the fan at the cleaned area for at least an hour until the carpet feels dry.
Once the carpet is dry, check its condition. If the stain is gone, congratulations! If the carpet looks faded, you can use a cloth pen to recolor the cleaned area to prevent the fading from being obvious
Step 7. Use a cotton swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide as a final step
If there's still some hair dye that doesn't lift off the carpet and is clearly visible, hydrogen peroxide can lift it. Dip a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide, then apply it to the stained area. You may need to do this several times until the stained area is completely coated.
Hydrogen peroxide can lift carpet color, but if you have white or light ivory carpet, the discoloration won't be as obvious as the color of the hair dye stain
Step 8. Rinse the carpet after a day to remove any residual hydrogen peroxide
You may need to let the hydrogen peroxide sit on the stain for a maximum of 24 hours to ensure that the stain will lift. Once the stain is no longer visible, rinse the area with cold water to remove any residual hydrogen peroxide on the carpet.
Since you're not using a lot of hydrogen peroxide, you don't need a lot of water to rinse the carpet. Use a dry sponge or cloth to absorb any excess water after rinsing the carpet
Tips
- Clean up any hair dye drips or spills as soon as possible for best results.
- If the carpet has discolored or faded after you've removed the dye, you can re-color it using a felt-tip pen or felt-tip pen.
- If your existing hair dye stain is old and drying, the cleaning mixture described in this article may not work. Use a commercial carpet cleaning product or hire a professional carpet cleaning service.
