You know how they say that blondes have more fun? Well, for some reason only known to herself, the wife of a friend decided that she wanted to change from her natural blonde to a brunette. My friend didn’t even know this himself, until he heard the shrieks of despair from the bedroom. Somehow his wife had spilled half the bottle of brunette hair dye onto their cream colored carpet. My phone rang about 30 seconds later. It was an expensive carpet.
Their predicament has prompted me to write this blog, detailing how to get hair dye out of carpet. It’s not only for blondes that want to be brunettes – this method holds good for all hair colors!
Act fast to get hair dye out of carpet
Like most spillages, the faster you get to work on a hair dye stain the easier it’s going to be to remove. So the method I’m about to explain is for fresh spills. Dried hair dye is more difficult to remove, and I’d recommend calling an expert to help.
First things first: getting hair dye out of carpet is similar to the method of getting ink out of carpet, but not the same. It’s a slightly different technique. Here are the 10 steps as I explained them on the phone to my friend:
Step 1: Blot the dye
Use a clean cloth and gently dab the dye. Really gently. Soak up as much dye as possible without scrubbing or rubbing. The idea is to lift the dye, not spread it or push it deeper.
Step 2: Mix a cleaning solution
My friend’s wife did this while he was blotting the dye.
In a small bowl mix two cups of lukewarm water with a tablespoon of dish liquid and a tablespoon of white vinegar.
Step 3: Dab the stain with the cleaning solution
Use another clean cloth and, dipping it into the cleaning solution regularly, dab at the stain. After every dab with the wet cloth, use a clean dry cloth to soak up the stain. Repeat this process until the stain is removed. This will probably take some time, so be patient and gentle.
Step 4: Rinse
Now rinse the affected piece of carpet with clean, cold water. You don’t need a hose or bucket; just enough to thoroughly wet the area.
Step 5: Sponge dry
Use a clean sponge or cloth to soak up the excess water. You’ll now notice that a stain still remains.
Step 6: Use rubbing alcohol to remove the last spot
Use another clean cloth to dab the rubbing alcohol onto the stain. Repeat until the stain has disappeared.
Step 7: Rinse again
Use clean, cold water, and rinse the carpet once more.
Step 8: For a stubborn stain use a different solution
If the stain is proving extra stubborn, return to step 2 but make the cleaning solution with two cups of lukewarm water, one teaspoon of dish liquid, and one tablespoon of ammonia. (If you have a wool carpet, do not do this – you’ll risk damaging the carpet beyond repair.)
Step 9: Soak up the remaining liquid
Once the hair dye has been completely removed, use a clean cloth to soak up all the remaining liquid.
Step 10: Leave to dry and vacuum
When the carpet is completely dry, vacuum it. This will bring your carpet to a good-as-new condition.
Fortunately my friend’s carpet was revived. My friend’s wife is adamant that it is, indeed, blondes who have more fun.
If there are any other cleaning issues you need help with, get in touch – but don’t expect hairdressing tips!