How to Get Hair Dye Off Counter Easily

Dyeing hair at home is all fun and games until it’s time to clean the spatters and stains of color from the counter. But you don’t have to spend a fortune at the salon for the smallest dye jobs or touch-ups in fear of stains, as long as you know how to get hair dye off countertops.

The most popular solutions for dye stain removal from any material are a mix of vinegar and baking soda or plain dishwashing liquid. You can also use readily available items like hydrogen peroxide, bleach, rubbing alcohol, etc. Household items that can do the trick include nail polish remover, hairspray, dish soap, and more.

Let’s take a detailed look at how to use different products to clean hair dye off the counter.

Key Takeaways

To get hair dye off the counter, you can use a range of readily available natural and store-bought cleaning solutions.
It’s important to consider the material your counter is made of and only apply safe-to-use cleaners.
Use protective gloves when removing hair dye from your counter.
For stubborn hair dye stains on the counter, you may need to repeat the cleaning process.
To prevent hair dye from staining your counter, cover it with a plastic sheet or an old towel.

How to Get Hair Dye Off Counter: Step-by-Step Guide

Don’t panic if you see spilled or spattered dye on the counter. Instead, take the following steps to clean your bathroom counter.

Gather the Materials:

Before you start, pick the cleaning solution you want to use and gather the materials. You can use one of the following:

Baking soda
White vinegar
Dish soap
Diluted household bleach
Commercial cleaner
Hydrogen peroxide
Rubbing alcohol
Nail polish remove

You may also need one or more of the following accessories to complete the cleaning process:

Gloves
Mask
Bowl or container
Toothbrush
Magic Eraser
Sponge
Microfiber cloth
Plastic scraper
Steam cleaner

Identify the Surface Type

Counters may be made of different materials like stone, wood, laminate, concrete, resin, synthetic materials, glass, etc. Remember that every material reacts differently to various cleaners, depending on their nature and composition.

Mild dish wash liquids, baking soda, and vinegar work for almost any counter material. The same goes for household bleach, as long as it’s diluted to make the effects mild. If you wish to use a bathroom or tile cleaner, make sure it’s mild and non-abrasive.

Stone

Stone materials, such as granite or marble, are porous in nature. So, they deserve the soft touch of non-abrasive cleaners, like rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.

Wood

If your counter is made of wood, it can handle hydrogen peroxide. As for alcohol-based products, go with rubbing alcohol, though you should avoid nail polish removers.

Laminate

Laminate counters can be cleaned easily with the help of alcohol-based cleaners, like rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover.

Resin

Another popular material used for making counters is resin. This material is compatible with cleaning solutions like hydrogen peroxide and nail polish remover.

Concrete

For concrete counters, you can use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol without causing any damage to the material.

Engineered Materials

If your counter is made of a synthetic material like quartz, you can use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to get rid of hair dye stains.

Glass

Sometimes, plain water might be enough to clean your glass countertop. Since it is a non-porous material, you can use almost any cleaner to remove stains from it.

Here’s a quick look at different cleaning solutions that suit counter materials:

Baking soda – all materials
White vinegar – all materials
Dish soap – all materials
Diluted household bleach – all materials
Commercial cleaner (non-abrasive and chemical-free) – All materials
Hydrogen peroxide – wood, concrete, resin, synthetic materials, glass
Rubbing alcohol – stone, laminate, concrete, wood, synthetic materials, glass
Nail polish remover – stone, laminate, resin, glass

Use Protection

Before making the cleaning solutions and beginning the application or cleaning process, wear gloves. These will protect your skin from the effects of the ingredients, especially if you have sensitive skin.

The cleaning solution will have ingredients that may be harsh on your skin. It may contain acid or other chemical compounds of any degree of abrasiveness. Gloves will protect your hands from them.

Later on, gloves will also prevent the loose color from staining your hand when the cleaning solution breaks down the hair dye molecules. You can also put on a mask during the process if you are sensitive to the fumes of vinegar, bleach, cleaners, etc.

Mix a Cleaning Solution

Some cleaners need to be diluted and turned into a mild solution to clean any counter surface. Otherwise, they may deface, dull, crack the counter, or fail to have the desired effect.

Baking soda, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, household bleach, dish soap, and bathroom or tile cleaners must be diluted. Here’s how to do it:

Baking soda & water: Add a small amount of water to 2 tbsp of soda to form a thick paste.
Vinegar & water: Both ingredients should be used in equal parts.
Baking soda & vinegar: Use equal parts of the two ingredients to make a paste.
Baking soda, vinegar, soap & water: Mix 1 ⅔ cups baking soda, ½ cup liquid soap, ½ cup water, and 2 tbsp of white vinegar.
Hydrogen peroxide & water: Mix 4 parts of hydrogen peroxide with 1 part of water.
Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, & water: Use 2 parts of hydrogen peroxide and 1 part baking soda, and mix with a small amount of water to form a thick paste.
Dish wash and baking soda: Use equal parts of dish wash liquid and baking soda.
Bleach and water: Dilute 3-4 tbsp of bleach in 1 gallon of water, depending on the bleach’s strength.
Commercial cleaner: Apply as instructed by the manufacturer.

It is a good idea to test how a cleaning solution reacts with your counter material before applying it on a larger scale. For that, apply a small amount of the solution on a small, inconspicuous area and wait for some time before wiping it away. This will help you make sure it does not damage or discolor the surface.

Apply the Cleaning Solution:

Now that you are ready with the cleaning solution of your choice, it’s time to apply it on the counter. If it’s liquid, like vinegar and water solution or diluted bleach, put it in a spray bottle. Then, spray a thin layer of the solution on the stain.

If it is a paste, like the baking soda and water mix, spread it over the stained area. And if you want to use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover, apply a small amount of the liquid to the area with the hair dye stain.

Let the Solution Sit

After applying the cleaning solution, let it sit on the stained area. For a bathroom/tile cleaning solution, wait for the time recommended by the brand. If it is a homemade solution, leave it for about 5-10 minutes. This will let the solution activate the dye.

Agitate the Stain

At this point, scrub the stained area with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Agitating the spot while the cleaning solution is activated helps break down stubborn color particles. You can also use Magic Cleaner for laminate, concrete, or non-glossy synthetic materials.

Wipe Clean

It’s time to clean the counter’s surface with a clean and soft microfiber cloth or a sponge. Make sure that it’s damp when you wipe away the cleaning solution along with the loose dye.

Repeat the process and apply a little water if required. You can also use a steam cleaner to clean a laminate, concrete, or resin surface. You’ll need to use a towering bonnet and run the cleaner on a low-medium setting. Here’s a video to help you.

Dry the Surface

Use a dry cloth to gently wipe down the counter surface and remove any remaining moisture or cleaning solution. Remember that leaving water or a cleaning solution on the counter can make the material look dull, pale, discolored, and rough.

Scrape Away the Remaining Dye

You may find a few spots of hair dye stains that are still stuck to the surface. Use a plastic scraper to remove these. You can also use Magic cleaner. But remember to use a light and gentle touch to minimize damage. Also, move in the direction of the grain.

Repeat if Necessary

You may find that after the entire process, the stain is faded but still present. In that case, you will need to repeat the steps, starting from the application process. You may also use a stronger cleaning solution that suits your counter material.

How to Prevent Future Hair Dye Stains on Counter

To prevent hair dye from staining your counter in the future, ensure the following:

Before you start preparing your dye or applying it, make sure to place a protective layer on the counter surface. It can be an old towel, plastic sheets, or saran wrap.

When dyeing your hair, use your comb or brush gently to prevent splattering and dripping. Shaking and tapping the brush, picking up too much product, and using vigorous motions can leave you with hair dye everywhere.

Make your hair damp before applying dye. After the application on a particular section of hair, twist it up and secure it on the top of your head to prevent the locks from flying around and splashing dye everywhere.

Keep cleaning any dye on the counter that you notice during the hair dyeing process. Use a kitchen towel to blot any dye drops and prevent them from setting into the counter material.

While rinsing your hair after the dyeing process, hold the hair strands over the sink. Keep rinsing until you see clear water running out. This will prevent residue dye from splashing accidentally over the counter space around the sink.

Wrap your hair in a towel to prevent water from dripping. Blow dry immediately or tie it up with a towel instead of swishing or swinging it to prevent residual dye from bleeding.

To maintain the fresh look of the counter, make sure to use the preventive steps above and clean the counter regularly.

Final Words: Dye Your Hair – Not Your Counter

Taking proper preventive measures before you pull out the hair dye can help you save a lot of cleaning and scrubbing work. However, if you end up with drops of color on the counter, don’t worry.

You can use readily available products to get hair dye off countertops. Using these tips will ensure that you enjoy your new hair look while your bathroom counter continues to look squeaky clean!