How to Get Hair Dye out of Carpet: Methods for Any Stain Color

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Person removing a carpet stain using ammonia
Ammonia is a strong base that’s highly effective for removing any dye stain.
Ammonia solution is one of the most effective ways to remove permanent hair dye stains or stains that have had time to get dried into the carpet. Unfortunately, due to its strong chemical nature, an ammonia solution may remove the coloration from some carpet types. Here’s how to (safely) use an ammonia solution to remove dye stains from your carpet.
  1. Use a clean cloth or wet sponge to remove as much of the dye as you can easily remove
  2. Create an ammonia solution by mixing two cups of lukewarm water with a teaspoon of dish soap and a tablespoon of ammonia
  3. Find a small area of the carpet where you can test the solution without anyone noticing if the ammonia solution bleaches or singes the carpet.
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of the solution to the test area, and leave it for a few minutes. If it burns or bleaches your carpet, don’t use ammonia solution on the stain.
  5. If the test went well, use a clean cloth to dab liberal amounts of the solution on the stain. Keep dabbing till the entire stain is covered.
  6. Come back every five minutes for at least thirty minutes to dab more solution onto the stain.
  7. Keep an eye on the carpet to see if the ammonia is damaging it. If you see any signs of damage, watch the solution out immediately.
  8. After the half-hour has passed, the stain should mostly have come up out of the carpet.
  9. If the technique is effective, but not all the stain has come out, you can continue dabbing for an extended time.
  10. Once the stain is removed, use cold water to rinse the stained area and ensure that you dry up the liquid.
  11. Once you’ve removed most of the liquid from the carpet, use a fan to ensure that it dries completely.


Removing Hair Dye Stains With Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used to lighten hair, remove nail polish, and do various other things. It’s a powerful solvent and can remove most dyes and paints. Unfortunately, hydrogen peroxide is also capable of turning your colored carpet into a colorless carpet. However, if you have a light-colored carpet, hydrogen peroxide is still an option. For instance, a slightly bleached area on your cream carpet will be less obvious than red or black hair dye. Here’s how to use hydrogen peroxide as a dye removal liquid:
  1. Clean the stained area with liquid soap
  2. Use one of the other methods listed above
  3. Dry the carpet thoroughly
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to any stubborn parts of the stain that you’re struggling to remove.
Captain’s notice: Hydrogen peroxide will almost certainly affect the color of your carpet. Use it only as a last resort, and avoid using it on dark carpets. Hydrogen peroxide acts as an industrial-strength solvent, dissolving the color pigment in the hair dye, and allowing you to remove it from the carpet. Since it’s industrial strength, though, it will also dissolve the pigments in your carpet, and can leave your carpet looking washed-out or even entirely white.


How to Get Black Hair Dye Out of Carpet

When you have a cream carpet or a similar lightly-colored carpet, black hair dye can seem next to impossible to remove. It’s also an eyesore because it’s glaringly obvious. All is not lost, though, and it is possible to remove the stain. When you’re faced with a black dye stain, follow these directions:
  1. Use a dry cloth to remove as much of the liquid dye as you can.
  2. Try one of the simpler removal options like a baking soda solution or a vinegar solution to get most of the dye out of the carpet.
  3. If the method you tried is effective, repeat the cleaning process until most of the dye has come out.
  4. Use rubbing alcohol or an ammonia cleaning solution to help remove the leftover dye from the stained area.
  5. Rinse the carpet with cold water
  6. Dry the carpet
  7. Repeat steps two to six till the stain is completely removed, or use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to the stubborn parts of the stain.


How to Get Red Hair Dye Out of Carpet

Red hair dye has a reputation for being difficult to remove, whether it be from hair, clothing, or carpets.
Stained carpet being vacuumed
A red dye stain can be a challenge, but a lot of cleaning solutions work well on it.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get this color dye out of your carpet if you know what you’re doing. You can follow the same procedure as you would for removing black dye from a carpet:
  1. Clean the stained area with a wet cloth to remove as much hair dye as possible.
  2. Was the stained area with a few drops of dish soap to see how much of the dye comes out naturally.
  3. Rinse the area with cold water.
  4. Dry the carpet thoroughly with a dry towel or cloth.
  5. Start with a basic solution, like baking soda, and see how much of the stain it removes.
  6. If the solution works well, rinse the area with cool water, dry, and apply more solution.
  7. If the solution doesn’t work well, move on to a more intense solution, like ammonia.
  8. Keep repeating a solution that works till most of the stain is gone.
  9. If necessary, use a commercial dye stain remover or hydrogen peroxide to remove any tough stains.
Even the most durable carpet in the world would have trouble with hair dye. Fortunately, I’m an expert at removing old stains from carpets. Whether you need to know how to clean carpet or which is the best carpet cleaning solution, I’ve got you covered. Check out my article about removing red wine stains for more handy stain removal tips. Did these techniques help you remove the hair dye from your carpet? Let us know in the comments.
Woman using vinegar cleaning solution to clean a carpet
Vinegar is an effective cleaning solution for getting dye out of carpet.
The same properties that make white vinegar eat through copper make it invaluable for removing dried hair dye stains. As with most of the options on this list, white vinegar does best when combined with dish soap or another basic liquid soap. Here’s how to use white vinegar as a hair dye remover:
  1. Use a clean cloth to blot up as much of the liquid dye as possible.
  2. Mix two cups of warm water, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and a generous helping of dish soap or baby shampoo.
  3. Use a toothbrush to apply the cleaning solution to the dye stain and scrub thoroughly.
  4. Dry the liquid from the carpet with a dry cloth, then use a fan or hairdryer to help the carpet dry quickly.
  5. Repeat steps three and four till the entire stain has been lifted from the carpet
As with baking soda, vinegar works best on fresh stains and semi-permanent hair dye. When you’re using baking soda as a cleaning agent, you can add white vinegar to the mix to help improve the efficiency. The reaction between the baking soda and the vinegar is often enough to remove any semi-permanent dye stain completely.


Removing a Hair Dye Stain Using Dish Soap, Rubbing Alcohol, and Vinegar

The best cleaning solution for removing the dye stains from carpets doesn’t consist of one substance, but a combination of multiple substances. Rubbing alcohol is an effective cleaning agent for everything from removing permanent marker stains from walls to removing hair dyes from carpets. When combined with dish soap or baby shampoo and white vinegar, rubbing alcohol is effective for even the most dried in stains. Here’s how to use rubbing alcohol as part of a cleaning solution:
  1. Use a wet sponge or clean cloth to remove as much hair dye from the carpet as possible
  2. Mix two cups of warm water with one tablespoon of vinegar, and one tablespoon of dish soap.
  3. Dip a clean cloth into the solution and dab the stain gently to allow the liquid to penetrate the fibers deeply.
  4. Using a dry cloth, dry up the liquids from the affected area.
  5. Use a clean cloth to apply rubbing alcohol to the affected area.
  6. Dry the area again with a dry cloth.
  7. Rinse the area with cold water and dry it again.
  8. Repeat steps three to seven till the stain is completely gone.
In this solution, the dish soap acts as a general cleaning agent, the vinegar acts as a corrosive (eats through the stain) and the alcohol helps dissolve what’s left of the hair dye. This technique is effective on older stains of semi-permanent hair dye and sometimes even permanent dyes.


Removing Hair Dye Stains With Ammonia

Ammonia is a strong base that works well as a cleaning solution. It’s a compound that consists of Nitrogen and Hydrogen, with a strong odor, and a powerful abrasive that can remove everything from soap residue to grease and hair dye.
Person removing a carpet stain using ammonia
Ammonia is a strong base that’s highly effective for removing any dye stain.
Ammonia solution is one of the most effective ways to remove permanent hair dye stains or stains that have had time to get dried into the carpet. Unfortunately, due to its strong chemical nature, an ammonia solution may remove the coloration from some carpet types. Here’s how to (safely) use an ammonia solution to remove dye stains from your carpet.
  1. Use a clean cloth or wet sponge to remove as much of the dye as you can easily remove
  2. Create an ammonia solution by mixing two cups of lukewarm water with a teaspoon of dish soap and a tablespoon of ammonia
  3. Find a small area of the carpet where you can test the solution without anyone noticing if the ammonia solution bleaches or singes the carpet.
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of the solution to the test area, and leave it for a few minutes. If it burns or bleaches your carpet, don’t use ammonia solution on the stain.
  5. If the test went well, use a clean cloth to dab liberal amounts of the solution on the stain. Keep dabbing till the entire stain is covered.
  6. Come back every five minutes for at least thirty minutes to dab more solution onto the stain.
  7. Keep an eye on the carpet to see if the ammonia is damaging it. If you see any signs of damage, watch the solution out immediately.
  8. After the half-hour has passed, the stain should mostly have come up out of the carpet.
  9. If the technique is effective, but not all the stain has come out, you can continue dabbing for an extended time.
  10. Once the stain is removed, use cold water to rinse the stained area and ensure that you dry up the liquid.
  11. Once you’ve removed most of the liquid from the carpet, use a fan to ensure that it dries completely.


Removing Hair Dye Stains With Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used to lighten hair, remove nail polish, and do various other things. It’s a powerful solvent and can remove most dyes and paints. Unfortunately, hydrogen peroxide is also capable of turning your colored carpet into a colorless carpet. However, if you have a light-colored carpet, hydrogen peroxide is still an option. For instance, a slightly bleached area on your cream carpet will be less obvious than red or black hair dye. Here’s how to use hydrogen peroxide as a dye removal liquid:
  1. Clean the stained area with liquid soap
  2. Use one of the other methods listed above
  3. Dry the carpet thoroughly
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to any stubborn parts of the stain that you’re struggling to remove.
Captain’s notice: Hydrogen peroxide will almost certainly affect the color of your carpet. Use it only as a last resort, and avoid using it on dark carpets. Hydrogen peroxide acts as an industrial-strength solvent, dissolving the color pigment in the hair dye, and allowing you to remove it from the carpet. Since it’s industrial strength, though, it will also dissolve the pigments in your carpet, and can leave your carpet looking washed-out or even entirely white.


How to Get Black Hair Dye Out of Carpet

When you have a cream carpet or a similar lightly-colored carpet, black hair dye can seem next to impossible to remove. It’s also an eyesore because it’s glaringly obvious. All is not lost, though, and it is possible to remove the stain. When you’re faced with a black dye stain, follow these directions:
  1. Use a dry cloth to remove as much of the liquid dye as you can.
  2. Try one of the simpler removal options like a baking soda solution or a vinegar solution to get most of the dye out of the carpet.
  3. If the method you tried is effective, repeat the cleaning process until most of the dye has come out.
  4. Use rubbing alcohol or an ammonia cleaning solution to help remove the leftover dye from the stained area.
  5. Rinse the carpet with cold water
  6. Dry the carpet
  7. Repeat steps two to six till the stain is completely removed, or use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to the stubborn parts of the stain.


How to Get Red Hair Dye Out of Carpet

Red hair dye has a reputation for being difficult to remove, whether it be from hair, clothing, or carpets.
Stained carpet being vacuumed
A red dye stain can be a challenge, but a lot of cleaning solutions work well on it.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get this color dye out of your carpet if you know what you’re doing. You can follow the same procedure as you would for removing black dye from a carpet:
  1. Clean the stained area with a wet cloth to remove as much hair dye as possible.
  2. Was the stained area with a few drops of dish soap to see how much of the dye comes out naturally.
  3. Rinse the area with cold water.
  4. Dry the carpet thoroughly with a dry towel or cloth.
  5. Start with a basic solution, like baking soda, and see how much of the stain it removes.
  6. If the solution works well, rinse the area with cool water, dry, and apply more solution.
  7. If the solution doesn’t work well, move on to a more intense solution, like ammonia.
  8. Keep repeating a solution that works till most of the stain is gone.
  9. If necessary, use a commercial dye stain remover or hydrogen peroxide to remove any tough stains.
Even the most durable carpet in the world would have trouble with hair dye. Fortunately, I’m an expert at removing old stains from carpets. Whether you need to know how to clean carpet or which is the best carpet cleaning solution, I’ve got you covered. Check out my article about removing red wine stains for more handy stain removal tips. Did these techniques help you remove the hair dye from your carpet? Let us know in the comments.
How to get hair dye out of carpet. A bowl of dye and a brush.
Once you know how to get hair dye out of carpet, it’s easy.
In this article, we’ll share some of the most reliable ways to remove hair dye from carpets.


In Short

  • Removing a hair dye stain from carpet is easier than you think
  • There are five general options that you can use to remove hair dye from carpet:
    • Vinegar
    • A dish soap, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol blend
    • Ammonia
    • Hydrogen peroxide
    • Commercial hair dye removal cleaning solution
  • A hair dye stain gets absorbed into the carpet fibers, which is why it can be stubborn.
  • Don’t expect instant results when removing hair dye stains. The process takes at least one hour.


Tips for Removing a Hair Dye Stain from Carpet

  1. Act quickly. The longer you leave the stain, the harder it will be to remove it.
  2. Always use a dry cloth to soak up as much of the hair dye as possible before you start cleaning.
  3. Be patient. None of these fixes is 100% instant, and you’ll have to wait for the cleaning solution to take effect before you can lift the hair dye stain.
  4. If the stained area has dried out before you notice the stain, it will benefit from moistening. Place a wet cloth on the affected area for 15 minutes, so the carpet can absorb some moisture.
  5. Always start with the lowest strength solution (baking soda) and work your way up to the strongest (hydrogen peroxide).
  6. If you find the sweet spot somewhere between the weakest solution and the strongest, you won’t have subjected your carpet to harsh chemicals.
  7. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide on dark carpets, or unless no other option works.
  8. The key to thorough stain removal is getting the solution right down into the carpet’s fibers. You can accomplish this by dabbing repeatedly or dripping small amounts of the solution onto the stained area.
  9. If you have a hardcore dye stain that you just can’t get out, consider buying a commercial dye stain remover. They may be expensive, but they’re also effective.
  10. Always test any ammonia cleaning solution on an out-of-the-way piece of carpet before using it on a stained area. Ammonia singes certain fiber types.


How to Get Hair Dye Out of Carpet Using Baking Soda

Baking Soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a common household product used in baking. It also happens to be one of the best and most affordable scrubbing agents on the market. It’s a basic substance on the PH scale, which means that it reacts to acidic substances like vinegar. Thanks to the shape and consistency of its particles, it’s also an excellent abrasive. In essence, baking soda operates like microscopic sandpaper. It abrades stains, removing the particles piece by piece. Whether you’re whitening your teeth or trying to remove a hair dye stain from your carpet fibers, baking soda is your friend. Baking soda is so effective that you can even use it to lighten hair dye in your hair or systematically remove hair dye from your hair. Expert Tip: Baking soda works best on semi-permanent hair dye or acidic hair dye products. Here’s how to use baking soda to remove a dye stain:
  1. Use a clean cloth to remove as much of the liquid as you can from the dye stain
  2. Apply some liquid cleaning solution to the hair dye stain
  3. Sprinkle baking soda over the detergent and mix it into a paste
  4. Use a toothbrush to scrub the dye stain and then rinse the affected area with cold water
  5. Using a dry cloth, remove the moisture from the carpet fibers
  6. Allow the carpet to dry completely and repeat if necessary.
Baking soda isn’t the ideal choice if you’re dealing with permanent hair dye or if the dye stain is old and dry.


How to Get Hair Dye Stains Out of Carpet With Vinegar

White vinegar is the polar opposite of baking soda and is acidic instead of basic. When you were in school, you probably mixed white vinegar and baking soda to see how the mixture reacts. Many acids make an excellent cleaning solution because they have such strong corrosive properties.
Woman using vinegar cleaning solution to clean a carpet
Vinegar is an effective cleaning solution for getting dye out of carpet.
The same properties that make white vinegar eat through copper make it invaluable for removing dried hair dye stains. As with most of the options on this list, white vinegar does best when combined with dish soap or another basic liquid soap. Here’s how to use white vinegar as a hair dye remover:
  1. Use a clean cloth to blot up as much of the liquid dye as possible.
  2. Mix two cups of warm water, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and a generous helping of dish soap or baby shampoo.
  3. Use a toothbrush to apply the cleaning solution to the dye stain and scrub thoroughly.
  4. Dry the liquid from the carpet with a dry cloth, then use a fan or hairdryer to help the carpet dry quickly.
  5. Repeat steps three and four till the entire stain has been lifted from the carpet
As with baking soda, vinegar works best on fresh stains and semi-permanent hair dye. When you’re using baking soda as a cleaning agent, you can add white vinegar to the mix to help improve the efficiency. The reaction between the baking soda and the vinegar is often enough to remove any semi-permanent dye stain completely.


Removing a Hair Dye Stain Using Dish Soap, Rubbing Alcohol, and Vinegar

The best cleaning solution for removing the dye stains from carpets doesn’t consist of one substance, but a combination of multiple substances. Rubbing alcohol is an effective cleaning agent for everything from removing permanent marker stains from walls to removing hair dyes from carpets. When combined with dish soap or baby shampoo and white vinegar, rubbing alcohol is effective for even the most dried in stains. Here’s how to use rubbing alcohol as part of a cleaning solution:
  1. Use a wet sponge or clean cloth to remove as much hair dye from the carpet as possible
  2. Mix two cups of warm water with one tablespoon of vinegar, and one tablespoon of dish soap.
  3. Dip a clean cloth into the solution and dab the stain gently to allow the liquid to penetrate the fibers deeply.
  4. Using a dry cloth, dry up the liquids from the affected area.
  5. Use a clean cloth to apply rubbing alcohol to the affected area.
  6. Dry the area again with a dry cloth.
  7. Rinse the area with cold water and dry it again.
  8. Repeat steps three to seven till the stain is completely gone.
In this solution, the dish soap acts as a general cleaning agent, the vinegar acts as a corrosive (eats through the stain) and the alcohol helps dissolve what’s left of the hair dye. This technique is effective on older stains of semi-permanent hair dye and sometimes even permanent dyes.


Removing Hair Dye Stains With Ammonia

Ammonia is a strong base that works well as a cleaning solution. It’s a compound that consists of Nitrogen and Hydrogen, with a strong odor, and a powerful abrasive that can remove everything from soap residue to grease and hair dye.
Person removing a carpet stain using ammonia
Ammonia is a strong base that’s highly effective for removing any dye stain.
Ammonia solution is one of the most effective ways to remove permanent hair dye stains or stains that have had time to get dried into the carpet. Unfortunately, due to its strong chemical nature, an ammonia solution may remove the coloration from some carpet types. Here’s how to (safely) use an ammonia solution to remove dye stains from your carpet.
  1. Use a clean cloth or wet sponge to remove as much of the dye as you can easily remove
  2. Create an ammonia solution by mixing two cups of lukewarm water with a teaspoon of dish soap and a tablespoon of ammonia
  3. Find a small area of the carpet where you can test the solution without anyone noticing if the ammonia solution bleaches or singes the carpet.
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of the solution to the test area, and leave it for a few minutes. If it burns or bleaches your carpet, don’t use ammonia solution on the stain.
  5. If the test went well, use a clean cloth to dab liberal amounts of the solution on the stain. Keep dabbing till the entire stain is covered.
  6. Come back every five minutes for at least thirty minutes to dab more solution onto the stain.
  7. Keep an eye on the carpet to see if the ammonia is damaging it. If you see any signs of damage, watch the solution out immediately.
  8. After the half-hour has passed, the stain should mostly have come up out of the carpet.
  9. If the technique is effective, but not all the stain has come out, you can continue dabbing for an extended time.
  10. Once the stain is removed, use cold water to rinse the stained area and ensure that you dry up the liquid.
  11. Once you’ve removed most of the liquid from the carpet, use a fan to ensure that it dries completely.


Removing Hair Dye Stains With Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used to lighten hair, remove nail polish, and do various other things. It’s a powerful solvent and can remove most dyes and paints. Unfortunately, hydrogen peroxide is also capable of turning your colored carpet into a colorless carpet. However, if you have a light-colored carpet, hydrogen peroxide is still an option. For instance, a slightly bleached area on your cream carpet will be less obvious than red or black hair dye. Here’s how to use hydrogen peroxide as a dye removal liquid:
  1. Clean the stained area with liquid soap
  2. Use one of the other methods listed above
  3. Dry the carpet thoroughly
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to any stubborn parts of the stain that you’re struggling to remove.
Captain’s notice: Hydrogen peroxide will almost certainly affect the color of your carpet. Use it only as a last resort, and avoid using it on dark carpets. Hydrogen peroxide acts as an industrial-strength solvent, dissolving the color pigment in the hair dye, and allowing you to remove it from the carpet. Since it’s industrial strength, though, it will also dissolve the pigments in your carpet, and can leave your carpet looking washed-out or even entirely white.


How to Get Black Hair Dye Out of Carpet

When you have a cream carpet or a similar lightly-colored carpet, black hair dye can seem next to impossible to remove. It’s also an eyesore because it’s glaringly obvious. All is not lost, though, and it is possible to remove the stain. When you’re faced with a black dye stain, follow these directions:
  1. Use a dry cloth to remove as much of the liquid dye as you can.
  2. Try one of the simpler removal options like a baking soda solution or a vinegar solution to get most of the dye out of the carpet.
  3. If the method you tried is effective, repeat the cleaning process until most of the dye has come out.
  4. Use rubbing alcohol or an ammonia cleaning solution to help remove the leftover dye from the stained area.
  5. Rinse the carpet with cold water
  6. Dry the carpet
  7. Repeat steps two to six till the stain is completely removed, or use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to the stubborn parts of the stain.


How to Get Red Hair Dye Out of Carpet

Red hair dye has a reputation for being difficult to remove, whether it be from hair, clothing, or carpets.
Stained carpet being vacuumed
A red dye stain can be a challenge, but a lot of cleaning solutions work well on it.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get this color dye out of your carpet if you know what you’re doing. You can follow the same procedure as you would for removing black dye from a carpet:
  1. Clean the stained area with a wet cloth to remove as much hair dye as possible.
  2. Was the stained area with a few drops of dish soap to see how much of the dye comes out naturally.
  3. Rinse the area with cold water.
  4. Dry the carpet thoroughly with a dry towel or cloth.
  5. Start with a basic solution, like baking soda, and see how much of the stain it removes.
  6. If the solution works well, rinse the area with cool water, dry, and apply more solution.
  7. If the solution doesn’t work well, move on to a more intense solution, like ammonia.
  8. Keep repeating a solution that works till most of the stain is gone.
  9. If necessary, use a commercial dye stain remover or hydrogen peroxide to remove any tough stains.
Even the most durable carpet in the world would have trouble with hair dye. Fortunately, I’m an expert at removing old stains from carpets. Whether you need to know how to clean carpet or which is the best carpet cleaning solution, I’ve got you covered. Check out my article about removing red wine stains for more handy stain removal tips. Did these techniques help you remove the hair dye from your carpet? Let us know in the comments.

How to Get Hair Dye out of Carpet: Methods for Any Stain Color


It’s so easy to get hair dye stains on your carpet, but few people know how to get hair dye out of the carpet.
How to get hair dye out of carpet. A bowl of dye and a brush.
Once you know how to get hair dye out of carpet, it’s easy.
In this article, we’ll share some of the most reliable ways to remove hair dye from carpets.


In Short

  • Removing a hair dye stain from carpet is easier than you think
  • There are five general options that you can use to remove hair dye from carpet:
    • Vinegar
    • A dish soap, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol blend
    • Ammonia
    • Hydrogen peroxide
    • Commercial hair dye removal cleaning solution
  • A hair dye stain gets absorbed into the carpet fibers, which is why it can be stubborn.
  • Don’t expect instant results when removing hair dye stains. The process takes at least one hour.


Tips for Removing a Hair Dye Stain from Carpet

  1. Act quickly. The longer you leave the stain, the harder it will be to remove it.
  2. Always use a dry cloth to soak up as much of the hair dye as possible before you start cleaning.
  3. Be patient. None of these fixes is 100% instant, and you’ll have to wait for the cleaning solution to take effect before you can lift the hair dye stain.
  4. If the stained area has dried out before you notice the stain, it will benefit from moistening. Place a wet cloth on the affected area for 15 minutes, so the carpet can absorb some moisture.
  5. Always start with the lowest strength solution (baking soda) and work your way up to the strongest (hydrogen peroxide).
  6. If you find the sweet spot somewhere between the weakest solution and the strongest, you won’t have subjected your carpet to harsh chemicals.
  7. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide on dark carpets, or unless no other option works.
  8. The key to thorough stain removal is getting the solution right down into the carpet’s fibers. You can accomplish this by dabbing repeatedly or dripping small amounts of the solution onto the stained area.
  9. If you have a hardcore dye stain that you just can’t get out, consider buying a commercial dye stain remover. They may be expensive, but they’re also effective.
  10. Always test any ammonia cleaning solution on an out-of-the-way piece of carpet before using it on a stained area. Ammonia singes certain fiber types.


How to Get Hair Dye Out of Carpet Using Baking Soda

Baking Soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a common household product used in baking. It also happens to be one of the best and most affordable scrubbing agents on the market. It’s a basic substance on the PH scale, which means that it reacts to acidic substances like vinegar. Thanks to the shape and consistency of its particles, it’s also an excellent abrasive. In essence, baking soda operates like microscopic sandpaper. It abrades stains, removing the particles piece by piece. Whether you’re whitening your teeth or trying to remove a hair dye stain from your carpet fibers, baking soda is your friend. Baking soda is so effective that you can even use it to lighten hair dye in your hair or systematically remove hair dye from your hair. Expert Tip: Baking soda works best on semi-permanent hair dye or acidic hair dye products. Here’s how to use baking soda to remove a dye stain:
  1. Use a clean cloth to remove as much of the liquid as you can from the dye stain
  2. Apply some liquid cleaning solution to the hair dye stain
  3. Sprinkle baking soda over the detergent and mix it into a paste
  4. Use a toothbrush to scrub the dye stain and then rinse the affected area with cold water
  5. Using a dry cloth, remove the moisture from the carpet fibers
  6. Allow the carpet to dry completely and repeat if necessary.
Baking soda isn’t the ideal choice if you’re dealing with permanent hair dye or if the dye stain is old and dry.


How to Get Hair Dye Stains Out of Carpet With Vinegar

White vinegar is the polar opposite of baking soda and is acidic instead of basic. When you were in school, you probably mixed white vinegar and baking soda to see how the mixture reacts. Many acids make an excellent cleaning solution because they have such strong corrosive properties.
Woman using vinegar cleaning solution to clean a carpet
Vinegar is an effective cleaning solution for getting dye out of carpet.
The same properties that make white vinegar eat through copper make it invaluable for removing dried hair dye stains. As with most of the options on this list, white vinegar does best when combined with dish soap or another basic liquid soap. Here’s how to use white vinegar as a hair dye remover:
  1. Use a clean cloth to blot up as much of the liquid dye as possible.
  2. Mix two cups of warm water, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and a generous helping of dish soap or baby shampoo.
  3. Use a toothbrush to apply the cleaning solution to the dye stain and scrub thoroughly.
  4. Dry the liquid from the carpet with a dry cloth, then use a fan or hairdryer to help the carpet dry quickly.
  5. Repeat steps three and four till the entire stain has been lifted from the carpet
As with baking soda, vinegar works best on fresh stains and semi-permanent hair dye. When you’re using baking soda as a cleaning agent, you can add white vinegar to the mix to help improve the efficiency. The reaction between the baking soda and the vinegar is often enough to remove any semi-permanent dye stain completely.


Removing a Hair Dye Stain Using Dish Soap, Rubbing Alcohol, and Vinegar

The best cleaning solution for removing the dye stains from carpets doesn’t consist of one substance, but a combination of multiple substances. Rubbing alcohol is an effective cleaning agent for everything from removing permanent marker stains from walls to removing hair dyes from carpets. When combined with dish soap or baby shampoo and white vinegar, rubbing alcohol is effective for even the most dried in stains. Here’s how to use rubbing alcohol as part of a cleaning solution:
  1. Use a wet sponge or clean cloth to remove as much hair dye from the carpet as possible
  2. Mix two cups of warm water with one tablespoon of vinegar, and one tablespoon of dish soap.
  3. Dip a clean cloth into the solution and dab the stain gently to allow the liquid to penetrate the fibers deeply.
  4. Using a dry cloth, dry up the liquids from the affected area.
  5. Use a clean cloth to apply rubbing alcohol to the affected area.
  6. Dry the area again with a dry cloth.
  7. Rinse the area with cold water and dry it again.
  8. Repeat steps three to seven till the stain is completely gone.
In this solution, the dish soap acts as a general cleaning agent, the vinegar acts as a corrosive (eats through the stain) and the alcohol helps dissolve what’s left of the hair dye. This technique is effective on older stains of semi-permanent hair dye and sometimes even permanent dyes.


Removing Hair Dye Stains With Ammonia

Ammonia is a strong base that works well as a cleaning solution. It’s a compound that consists of Nitrogen and Hydrogen, with a strong odor, and a powerful abrasive that can remove everything from soap residue to grease and hair dye.
Person removing a carpet stain using ammonia
Ammonia is a strong base that’s highly effective for removing any dye stain.
Ammonia solution is one of the most effective ways to remove permanent hair dye stains or stains that have had time to get dried into the carpet. Unfortunately, due to its strong chemical nature, an ammonia solution may remove the coloration from some carpet types. Here’s how to (safely) use an ammonia solution to remove dye stains from your carpet.
  1. Use a clean cloth or wet sponge to remove as much of the dye as you can easily remove
  2. Create an ammonia solution by mixing two cups of lukewarm water with a teaspoon of dish soap and a tablespoon of ammonia
  3. Find a small area of the carpet where you can test the solution without anyone noticing if the ammonia solution bleaches or singes the carpet.
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply a small amount of the solution to the test area, and leave it for a few minutes. If it burns or bleaches your carpet, don’t use ammonia solution on the stain.
  5. If the test went well, use a clean cloth to dab liberal amounts of the solution on the stain. Keep dabbing till the entire stain is covered.
  6. Come back every five minutes for at least thirty minutes to dab more solution onto the stain.
  7. Keep an eye on the carpet to see if the ammonia is damaging it. If you see any signs of damage, watch the solution out immediately.
  8. After the half-hour has passed, the stain should mostly have come up out of the carpet.
  9. If the technique is effective, but not all the stain has come out, you can continue dabbing for an extended time.
  10. Once the stain is removed, use cold water to rinse the stained area and ensure that you dry up the liquid.
  11. Once you’ve removed most of the liquid from the carpet, use a fan to ensure that it dries completely.


Removing Hair Dye Stains With Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used to lighten hair, remove nail polish, and do various other things. It’s a powerful solvent and can remove most dyes and paints. Unfortunately, hydrogen peroxide is also capable of turning your colored carpet into a colorless carpet. However, if you have a light-colored carpet, hydrogen peroxide is still an option. For instance, a slightly bleached area on your cream carpet will be less obvious than red or black hair dye. Here’s how to use hydrogen peroxide as a dye removal liquid:
  1. Clean the stained area with liquid soap
  2. Use one of the other methods listed above
  3. Dry the carpet thoroughly
  4. Use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to any stubborn parts of the stain that you’re struggling to remove.
Captain’s notice: Hydrogen peroxide will almost certainly affect the color of your carpet. Use it only as a last resort, and avoid using it on dark carpets. Hydrogen peroxide acts as an industrial-strength solvent, dissolving the color pigment in the hair dye, and allowing you to remove it from the carpet. Since it’s industrial strength, though, it will also dissolve the pigments in your carpet, and can leave your carpet looking washed-out or even entirely white.


How to Get Black Hair Dye Out of Carpet

When you have a cream carpet or a similar lightly-colored carpet, black hair dye can seem next to impossible to remove. It’s also an eyesore because it’s glaringly obvious. All is not lost, though, and it is possible to remove the stain. When you’re faced with a black dye stain, follow these directions:
  1. Use a dry cloth to remove as much of the liquid dye as you can.
  2. Try one of the simpler removal options like a baking soda solution or a vinegar solution to get most of the dye out of the carpet.
  3. If the method you tried is effective, repeat the cleaning process until most of the dye has come out.
  4. Use rubbing alcohol or an ammonia cleaning solution to help remove the leftover dye from the stained area.
  5. Rinse the carpet with cold water
  6. Dry the carpet
  7. Repeat steps two to six till the stain is completely removed, or use a cotton swab to apply hydrogen peroxide to the stubborn parts of the stain.


How to Get Red Hair Dye Out of Carpet

Red hair dye has a reputation for being difficult to remove, whether it be from hair, clothing, or carpets.
Stained carpet being vacuumed
A red dye stain can be a challenge, but a lot of cleaning solutions work well on it.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get this color dye out of your carpet if you know what you’re doing. You can follow the same procedure as you would for removing black dye from a carpet:
  1. Clean the stained area with a wet cloth to remove as much hair dye as possible.
  2. Was the stained area with a few drops of dish soap to see how much of the dye comes out naturally.
  3. Rinse the area with cold water.
  4. Dry the carpet thoroughly with a dry towel or cloth.
  5. Start with a basic solution, like baking soda, and see how much of the stain it removes.
  6. If the solution works well, rinse the area with cool water, dry, and apply more solution.
  7. If the solution doesn’t work well, move on to a more intense solution, like ammonia.
  8. Keep repeating a solution that works till most of the stain is gone.
  9. If necessary, use a commercial dye stain remover or hydrogen peroxide to remove any tough stains.
Even the most durable carpet in the world would have trouble with hair dye. Fortunately, I’m an expert at removing old stains from carpets. Whether you need to know how to clean carpet or which is the best carpet cleaning solution, I’ve got you covered. Check out my article about removing red wine stains for more handy stain removal tips. Did these techniques help you remove the hair dye from your carpet? Let us know in the comments.

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