How To Remove Hair Dye From Wooden Cabinets? (9 Efficient Method)

Last Updated on July 30, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

To remove hair dye from wooden cabinets:

• Mix baking soda and water to form a paste
• Gently rub the paste on the stained area, then wipe with a clean cloth
• For stubborn stains, use a mixture of vinegar and water and rub at the stain with a cloth drenched in the solution

9 Effective Methods Of Removing Hair Dye From Wooden Cabinets 

If the hair dye accidentally spills on your wooden cabinets, it’s advisable to get rid of it as soon as possible. The longer the hair dye remains on the cabinets, the more difficult it is to eliminate it. Use the paper towels to suck up new hair dye as you possibly can. After removing the wet dye, you can now look for a suitable method to remove the remaining dye stains.

Here are the 9 practical methods you can try:

Method 1: Magic Cleaning Eraser

The simplest method to remove hair dye from wooden cabinets is by using a magic cleaning eraser with water.  Moisten the sponge and rub it vigorously over the stained area. Do this repeatedly to remove the dye, especially if your surface is glossy and well-sealed.

However, this sponge is melamine and filled with chemicals to get stubborn stains out from different surfaces. So, sometimes they’re not recommended on varnish or similar finishes due to scratches. Be sure to test your sponge on a hidden part of the wood first before using it on the entire cabinets. This way, you ensure it will not make the damages even worse. 

If the dye remains, try the other methods. 

Method 2: Mix Baking Soda And White Vinegar

Make a paste with one tablespoon of baking soda and ½ of white vinegar. You can play with the ratio as necessary; however, the paste should be thick, not runny.

Spreads your paste over the entire surface stained and let it sit on the cabinets for about 15 minutes. Afterward, remove the paste from your cabinets using a paper towel. Repeat the process until there’re no more traces of the dye remaining. Proceed to the following method if the hair dye is still visible.

Method 3: Baking Soda And Lemon Juice

Baking soda is a very effective method when combined with the acidic element. Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into the baking soda to form the most effective cleaning paste in this method.

Apply the paste to a cloth or brush, and then rub the hair dye stain until the mixture reduces it. The chemistry and texture of this mixture should help eliminate the remaining hair dye. Try another method if there’re still some stains visible.

Method 4: Baking Soda And Detergents

This method shouldn’t come as a surprise to you since it’s the most common mixture for DIY stain purposes.

Fill in 2 cups of warm water into the bowl and add a tablespoon of detergent and baking soda. Use any detergent of your personal choice. Mix the solution vigorously and soak a cloth, brush, or swap in the mixture.

Once it’s soaked through enough, take the cloth and rub it until the dye stains disappear. How vigorously you rub depends naturally on the nature of the dye stains. However, you will not want to run too vigorously as this may damage the wood and make it look even worse. If this doesn’t remove all the stains, feel free to try another method. 

Method 5: Baking Soda And Dish Soap

Take a tablespoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of dish shop and mix them with 2 cups of hot water to create a gentle but effective cleaning solution. 

Soak a cotton swab or a rag into the solution and test it on a hidden wood patch before using it on the stained surface. If it doesn’t cause side effects, rub it gently on the stained surface. Repeat it many times as necessary to remove all the stains. Try another method as well if this doesn’t remove all the hair dye stains.

Method 6: Baking Soda And Hydrogen Peroxide

Peroxide is a more robust cleaning chemical solution than you can typically apply to wooden surfaces. So, you need to ensure the stains are stubborn enough to use this method since hydrogen peroxide is strong and can damage some covers, including wooden ones.

Therefore, it is best to try other options on this list before resorting to this as your last option. Nevertheless, the method has been proven to be effective if used properly.

Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a 50/50 ratio to form a thick paste. Do a patch test on the concealed area of your wooden cabinets before applying it to the stained surface. This ensures there is no harm to your cabinets when stains are made worse.

Method 7: Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol is concentrated alcohol that is usually used to clean and disinfect many surfaces. Soak a cotton swab or cloth in the alcohol and scrub it along the stained surface. Keep scrubbing the surface to eliminate all the hair dye stains.

Unfortunately, this method will not work for all hair dye stains, but it will save you from a riskier clean with harsher chemicals if tried first. Rubbing alcohol is excellent for light dye stains though it could lighten up darker stains before removal using one of the methods discussed here.

Method 8: Olive Oil

This is the best method if used immediately after wiping the wooden cabinets clean when the hair dye spill accidentally. Typically, the oil breaks down the hair dye, so applying it straightaway can stop much staining. Olive oil is also used to remove the watermark on wood when soaked in a cloth and rub the marks.

Method 9: Nail Polish Remover

Moisten a piece of cloth in Acetone-containing nail polish remover and rub the stain surface area in a circular motion for a while. Acetone may strip the finishing from the wood, use it inexpensively, and don’t let it sit on the wood. Afterward, rinse the acetone off your cabinets with water.

Alternative Method

Suppose you have stubborn hair dye stains that don’t go away after trying those simple methods above.  Use this alternative method, and be sure to remove all these hair dye stains permanently once and for all. It might be challenging, but we are confident that you will pull through perfectly if you follow these steps.

• Step 1:  First, place newspapers on your floor around the cabinet and open the windows for ventilation. Then, put on disposable plastic gloves and a mask.
• Step 2: Scrape the stains off your wooden cabinets using an electric sander with 220-grit sandpaper even strokes. Be sure to sand it until natural wood shows when the colors start to lift, though not excessively. Remove the dust from the wood with a clean brush.
• Step 3: Using a clean brush, apply hydrogen peroxide to the cabinet. Then dip your brush into the can and paint the cabinet with smooth, even strokes. Cover the entire surface where you remove stains and wait for the stripper to rust when bubbles form.
• Step 4: Scrape your cabinets with a unique tool. Remove any strippers left by sanding the cabinets using industrial steel wool.  To avoid damaging it, move the steel wool in the wood grain direction. Now use the finest sandpaper and remove the dust with a cleaning brush to smoothen the surface.
• Step 5: Varnish and sand the wood if it’s pickled to keep it in its natural state and give it a shine. Use waterproof and insect varnish by applying two coats using a clean brush. Ensure the primary coat is dry before applying another one.
• Step 6: Pick a color that goes well with the natural color of your wood after sanding. Then apply two coats using a clean brush, but ensure the first coat is dry. To seal in the new stain, apply varnish as in the last step. Often, sanding makes the marks more prominent, and wood grains and stains enhance the natural color of the dark wood.

How To Prevent Hair Dye On Wooden Cabinets?

• Always cover your cabinets’ surfaces with newspaper, plastic trash bags, old towels, and prepare the workstation before dyeing your hair.
• Layout protective covers and uses a bowl to hold dirt brushes or gloves when dirty. This helps stop accidental staining on your cabinets due to some mistakes.
• Dye your hair in the bathroom since these surfaces are easy to clean due to their waterproof design.

Final Word

It’s advisable to wipe any spill as soon as possible to prevent the stain from developing on your wooden cabinets. Different methods may work well when removing a specific type of hair dye stains on various wooden cabinets. So, try a couple of ways to see which one works for you to remove the stains altogether.

References:

https://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-remove-hair-dye-from-wood.html
https://www.hunker.com/12577384/how-to-remove-hair-dye-from-a-kitchen-cabinet