How To Remove Hair Color With Baking Soda

Hair color is a hit or miss. In case of a mishap or hair color correction, you can remove hair color with baking soda. It is a natural alternative to harsh chemicals. You don’t have to chop your hair or color it jet black. This simple ingredient can help fade the hair dye naturally. Want to know more? Keep reading to learn how to use baking soda to remove hair color.

How To Remove Hair Color With Baking Soda

Note: These methods will help fade semi-permanent hair colors. If you have used permanent hair color and are unhappy with the results, please consult a hair specialist. Also, most of these methods are not backed by scientific evidence. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that they can help remove hair color.

1. Wash Hair With Baking Soda To Remove Hair Color

Baking soda and vinegar are excellent deep cleansing agents (1). This mix is likely to dry out your hair a little, but it will also help fade your hair color to a certain extent.

You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 5 drops fragrant essential oil (whichever you prefer)

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

10 minutes

Process

1. Combine two tablespoons of baking soda with half a cup of water.
2. Wet your hair and apply this mixture to it.
3. Work the mixture into your hair and leave it in for about 10 minutes.
4. Rinse your hair with water.
5. Combine the vinegar, water, and essential oil in a jug and pour it through your hair as a final rinse.
6. Do not rinse your hair any further.

How Often Can You Do This?

3-4 consecutive days.

Quick Tip

Baking soda and vinegar can be harsh on the hair. Therefore, follow a strict aftercare routine. Oil and condition your hair frequently and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

2. Dish Soap And Baking Soda To Remove Hair Color

This method effectively fades semi-permanent hair color. The dishwashing soap’s harsh detergents will considerably strip color after the first wash.

You Will Need

• 3 tablespoons baking soda
• 4 tablespoons anti-dandruff shampoo
• 1 tablespoon dishwashing soap
• Shower cap/Plastic bag

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

20 minutes

Process

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl until you get a smooth mixture.
2. Apply the mixture to dry hair until it is completely saturated.
3. Cover your hair with a shower cap or a plastic bag and leave the mixture on for about 20 minutes.
4. Wash your hair with warm water.
5. Condition well.

How Often Can You Do This?

2-3 consecutive days.

3. Baking Soda And Shampoo To Remove Hair Dye

Anti-dandruff shampoos have strong clarifying properties, which can help strip the color from your hair. In combination with baking soda, it will remove a considerable amount of color without causing as much damage as bleach would.

McGee, a blogger, gently faded her hair color by using a mixture of shampoo and baking soda. She said, “I have noticed adding baking soda had a pretty good impact on removing a little extra color (i).” She only uses a tablespoon or so to reap its benefits. She further adds, “I only used it every other treatment due to the drying effect it has.”

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon anti-dandruff shampoo

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

20 minutes

Process

1. Combine the baking soda with a strong anti-dandruff shampoo in a bowl.
2. Dampen your hair with hot water and then shampoo your hair with the baking soda mixture.
3. Leave the mixture in for about 20 minutes.
4. Wash off with warm water.
5. Condition your hair well.

How Often Can You Do This?

3-4 consecutive days.

4. Baking Soda And Lemon Juice To Remove Hair Color

Lemon has strong bleaching properties and is a natural clarifier, which will help strip your hair of color. You may use it for bleaching hair or hair lightening. In combination with baking soda, it will help clarify your hair while also fading the color.

You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

20 minutes

Process

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl until you get a smooth mixture.
2. Apply this mixture to the colored hair only.
3. Leave it on for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Wash your hair with shampoo and condition well.

How Often Can You Do This?

3-4 consecutive days.

5. Baking Soda And Epsom Salt To Remove Hair Color

Using Epsom salt is one of the most effective ways of color stripping from your hair. However, there is no scientific evidence to back this up.

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon Epsom salt
• 1 cup water

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

20 minutes

Process

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Saturate your hair with the mixture and leave it on for about 20 minutes.
3. Shampoo your hair and condition well.

How Often Can You Do This?

3-4 consecutive days.

6. Vitamin C And Baking Soda To Remove Hair Color

Using crushed vitamin C supplements is a popular way of stripping hair color. The presence of anti-dandruff shampoo and baking soda in this method makes it all the more effective.

You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons anti-dandruff shampoo
• 5-10 crushed vitamin C tablets
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

30-60 minutes

Process

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl until you get a smooth paste.
2. Apply the mixture to damp hair until it is completely saturated.
3. Leave it on for about 30-60 minutes.
4. Wash off and condition well.

How Often Can You Do This?

2-3 consecutive days.

7. Baking Soda And Peroxide To Remove Hair Color

Peroxide is a bleaching agent that can strip most of the dye’s color out of your hair. While this process can dry out your hair, it is not as harsh as using strong hair bleach.

You Will Need

• 6 tablespoons baking soda
• 3 tablespoons 3% hydrogen peroxide
• 1 tablespoon conditioner
• Shower cap

Prep Time

2 minutes

Processing Time

1 hour

Process

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl until you get a smooth mixture.
2. Apply this mixture to your hair and leave it on for about 60 minutes.
3. Cover your hair with a shower cap.
4. Wash your hair with clarifying shampoo and condition well.

How Often Can You Do This?

1-2 times a week.

Quick Tip

Excess use of baking soda may dry out your hair. Therefore, use it moderately.

You can use baking soda in combination with other ingredients to remove hair color. But can it damage your hair? Find out in the next section.

Can Baking Soda Damage Your Hair?

Baking soda is a great ingredient with multiple uses. But one should exercise caution when using it as its high alkaline content may damage your hair and scalp in the following ways:

• Strip The Natural Oils: It is abrasive and may remove the natural scalp oils, resulting in dry and brittle hair.
• Affect Hair Health: The gritty texture of baking soda can damage your hair’s protective outer layer, making it more prone to breakage.
• Cause Scalp Irritation: Baking soda can throw off your scalp’s pH balance, causing dryness, itching, and irritation.

If your hair is already dry and brittle, avoid using baking soda altogether to protect your hair from further damage.

Infographic: 4 Ways To Remove Hair Color With Baking Soda

The wrong hair color can ruin your look. If you want to get rid of your hair color without going to the salon, you can use a simple ingredient like baking soda. We have rounded up the 4 best ways to remove dye from your hair with the help of baking soda. Check out the infographic below to know more!

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if baking soda residue remains in the hair?

Baking soda residue in hair may cause an itchy, dry, and sensitive scalp. Therefore, it is best to clean the hair thoroughly after using baking soda.

Can baking soda cause hair breakage?

Regular use of baking soda may strip off the natural oils from your hair and make the hair brittle. It may cause hair breakage and hair damage.

Are there any alternatives to using baking soda to remove hair color?

Yes. There are several alternatives to baking soda to remove hair color. You may use clarifying shampoo or hot oil treatment to remove hair color. Washing your hair frequently can fade out the color faster.

Can baking soda be used to remove hair color from all hair types?

While it can be used to remove hair color from many hair types, it may not be suitable for everyone. People with dry, or fine hair should exercise caution when using baking soda, as it can strip natural oils from the hair and cause breakage. Also, those with sensitive scalps may experience irritation.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

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Tiffany YoungCertified Trichology Practitioner

     

Tiffany Young is the CEO and founder of ThinHairThick and a certified trichology practitioner with 6 years of experience. She is also a recognized expert in the hair and beauty industry with celebrity clientele. Her own personal struggles with hair loss created an opportunity for her to deep-dive into learning all things related to medical conditions and external factors that...more

Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor

 

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy. She has taken it upon herself to show...more

Eshna DasAssociate Editor

Eshna is an associate editor and a certified skin care coach. She has over three years of experience, a triple main bachelor’s degree in psychology, English, and journalism from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, and a master’s degree in psychology from Sampurna Montfort College, Bengaluru. Her passion for writing and editing and her background in psychology help her create content that...more

Swathi ESenior Beauty & Lifestyle Writer

Swathi has a postgraduate degree in English literature from The English And Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and over two years of experience in writing on health and lifestyle. She also has a diploma in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Kottayam, and is a certified skincare coach. She writes on skin care and aims to present well-researched...more