Faux leather is a material that can get stained by hair dye. If you sit or use a faux leather item and you have dyed your hair then the dye can actually seep onto the faux leather and stain it.
If this happens to you don’t worry, there are ways to remove the dye from the faux leather items and I will share them with you in today’s article.
So how do you remove hair dye from faux leather items? You can use hairspray, rubbing alcohol, acetone, etc, to dissolve or break down the hair dye stain from the surface of your faux leather item and make it easy for your to wipe it off with a microfiber cloth.
One of the most important things as far as removing hair dye stains from faux leather items is by making sure that you prepare the stained area by cleaning with a mild dish soap solution.
To learn the step-by-step guide on how to remove hair dye from your faux leather items, simply go continue reading this article.
What’s In A Hair Dye?
Before we move on to how to remove the dye let’s first take a look at what is in hair dye. Hair dyes are made up of ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and a variety of pigments that can cause stains.
The way hair dye colors different objects is by changing the molecular structure of the pigment, which then changes it into a different color.
In order to change your hair from one color to another, the hair dye first needs to strip the pigment that is currently in your hair.
To do this it uses hydrogen peroxide and ammonia as well as other chemicals to remove the pigment from your hair. And then the hair dye will add new pigment to your now stripped hair.
These chemicals can stain many different surfaces from wood, clothing, and even faux leather.
In the next section of this article, I’m going to talk about the different ways you can remove hair dye from faux leather.
How To Remove Hair Dye From Faux Leather?
Now that you know a little bit more about what is in hair dye it will be easier to understand how you can remove the stain from your faux leather.
1. Using Rubbing Alcohol To Remove Hair Dye From Faux Leather
The first method that you can try is using alcohol to remove the dye from your faux leather item.
Rubbing alcohol contains the chemical isopropyl alcohol, which acts as a solvent on stains. This means that it can remove the dye from your faux leather.
Rubbing alcohol is a common household item that can be found in most households.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to remove hair dye from faux leather;
Things Needed:
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Mild Dish Soap
- Microfiber Cloth
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Start by vacuuming or dusting off any crumbs, debris, or dust from the surface of the faux leather item.
- You want to do this to remove anything that can possibly scratch the surface of the faux leather item.
Step 2:
- Put 2-3 drops of mild dish soap into a bowl of warm water and swish to mix.
Step 3:
- Dip a microfiber cloth in the bowl of soap solution, wring out any excess liquid from the cloth and then gently wipe the hair dye stain on the faux leather in a circular motion.
Step 4:
- After you have wiped down the surface of your faux leather item (where the hair dye stain is) with the microfiber cloth, take a clean and dry microfiber cloth to wipe the surface again using a circular motion.
Step 5:
- Leave the faux leather item to air-dry for a few minutes.
Step 6:
- Once dry, make a mixture of one part rubbing alcohol to one part distilled water in a spray bottle.
Step 7:
- Squirt some of the rubbing alcohol solution onto the part of the faux leather with the hair dye stain and wait for a few seconds for the rubbing alcohol to dissolve the hair dye stain.
Step 8:
- Now gently rub the surface of the faux leather in a circular motion with your microfiber cloth to remove the hair dye stain from your faux leather item.
- You can repeat the process if you feel that there is still some hair dye stain on your faux leather item.
- Once the surface of the faux leather item is clean, use a damp clean cloth to wipe the surface of the faux leather to remove any remaining rubbing alcohol and hair dye residue.
- Be as thorough as possible and use a dry cloth to dry the surface.
Step 9:
- Leave the surface to air-dry and your faux leather item should be as good as new.
2. Using Acetone To Remove Hair Dye From Faux Leather
Another method that you can use to remove hair dye from faux leather is using acetone.
Before we get into how to use acetone to remove hair dye from your faux leather items, let’s first take a look at why acetone is the perfect solution to your faux leather woes.
Acetone is a chemical solvent that can dissolve many organic compounds, including hair dye.
This means that acetone can dissolve the hair dye pigment that has stained your faux leather.
Since it is a chemical solvent, you should be careful when using acetone to remove hair dye from faux leather.
You should always take the necessary precautions when using a chemical solvent. You can get acetone from your local hardware store or beauty supply shop.
Acetone may be harmful if ingested, inhaled, or comes into contact with the skin, so it is recommended that you wear protective gloves when using acetone.
Here is how to safely use acetone to remove hair dye from faux leather;
Things Needed:
- Acetone
- Mild Dish Soap
- Microfiber Cloth
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Just like the previous method, start by vacuuming or dusting off any crumbs, debris, or dust from the surface of the faux leather item.
Step 2:
- Put a few drops of mild dish soap into a bowl of warm water and mix.
Step 3:
- Dip a microfiber towel in the bowl of dish soap solution, wring out any excess liquid from the cloth and then gently wipe the hair dye stain on the faux leather in a circular motion.
Step 4:
- After you have wiped down the surface of your faux leather item (where the hair dye stain is) with the microfiber cloth, take a clean and dry microfiber towel to wipe the surface again using a circular motion.
Step 5:
- Leave the faux leather item to air-dry.
Step 6:
- Once dry, make a mixture of one part acetone and three parts distilled water in a spray bottle.
Step 7:
- Squirt some of the solution onto a microfiber cloth and begin to wipe the part of the faux leather with the hair dye stain and wait for a few seconds for the acetone to dissolve the hair dye stain and wipe again thoroughly until the hair dye stain is completely removed.
- Repeat the process if you feel that there is still some hair dye stain on your faux leather surface.
Step 8:
- Once the surface of your faux leather item is clean, use a damp cloth to wipe down the entire surface.
- Allow the faux leather to air-dry.
3. Using Hairspray To Remove Hair Dye From Faux Leather
The next method that you can use to remove hair dye from your faux leather items is using hairspray.
Using hairspray is feasible often because hairspray contains chemicals that can dissolve hair dye.
Chemicals such as alcohol, acetone, and methylene chloride are some of the ingredients that can dissolve hair dye.
Hairspray is also an inexpensive and effective way to remove the stubborn hair dye stains from your faux leather items and chances are you already have it sitting on your beauty supply shelf.
Here is how to use hairspray to remove hair dye from faux leather;
Things Needed:
- Hairspray
- Mild Dish Soap
- Microfiber Cloth
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Follow steps 1-5 of the previous two methods to prepare the faux leather surface.
Step 2:
- Apply a generous amount of hairspray onto the hair dye stain, wait for about 30 seconds before you wipe off the excess with a microfiber cloth.
Step 3:
- Repeat step two by spritzing and wiping with a microfiber cloth until the hair dye stain is completely removed.
Step 4:
- Once the surface of your faux leather item is clean, use a damp cloth to wipe down the entire surface.
- Allow to air-dry.
4. Using Lacquer Thinner To Remove Hair Dye From Faux Leather
Next, you can use lacquer thinner to remove hair dye stain from faux leather.
Lacquer thinner is another chemical solvent that can dissolve the stubborn hair dye stains on faux leather.
Lacquer thinner contains chemicals like benzene, making it a good option to remove hair dye stains from your faux leather items.
Here is how to use lacquer thinner to remove hair dye from faux leather;
Things Needed:
- Lacquer Thinner
- Mild Dish Soap
- Microfiber Cloth
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Follow steps 1 through to 5 in the first and second methods to clean and prepare your faux leather item.
Step 2:
- Apply a few drops of lacquer thinner onto the hair dye stain and wipe immediately using a dry clean microfiber cloth.
- Repeat until you are satisfied with the results.
Step 4:
- Once your faux leather item is clean, wash it using cold water and mild dish soap to remove any chemicals or residue.
Step 5:
- Use a damp microfiber cloth to clean the soap residue and follow up with a dry clean cloth to dry the surface.
Step 6:
- Allow the faux leather to air-dry and your faux leather should be as good as new.
5. Using Hydrogen Peroxide To Remove Hair Dye From Faux Leather
Last but not the least, you can also use hydrogen peroxide to remove hair dye stains from your faux leather items and at the same time disinfect your faux leather surface.
As with the other methods, you may have some leftover hydrogen peroxide in your bathroom.
You can use it to remove stubborn hair dye stains from faux leather items as hydrogen peroxide contains ingredients that will dissolve hair dye.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to use hydrogen peroxide to remove hair dye from faux leather;
Things Needed:
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Dish Soap (Mild)
- Water
Procedure:
Step 1:
- Follow steps one to five of the first method and clean your faux leather surface to ready it for the rest of the process.
Step 2:
- Prepare a mixture consisting of three parts water and one part hydrogen peroxide.
- Dip a clean microfiber cloth into the mixture, wring out any excess liquid before you wipe the surface of your faux leather item with it.
- Repeat step two until you are satisfied with the results.
Step 3:
- Once the surface of your faux leather item is clean, wash it with mild dish soap and cold water to remove any chemicals or residue.
- You can also use a clean damp cloth to wipe the surface clean.
Step 4:
- Allow to air-dry.
Final Thoughts
This article presents 5 easy but effective ways on how to remove hair dye from faux leather.
All the methods are safe and effective, so you need not worry about damaging your items when using them.
They also don’t require a lot of time, so you can get your faux leather items clean and good as new in no time at all.
So, if you just had a mishap with your faux leather surface or have had the hair dye build up on your faux leather item for some time now these methods should help you deal with it effectively.
It is important to, however, add that you need to test all of the methods mentioned on a small, inconspicuous area of the faux leather item first before applying them to the entire faux leather item.
This way you can be sure of how it will affect the faux leather surface. So, go ahead and give one of these easy methods a try today!
