Step by step: how to remove hair dye from a sink, fresh or set in
Safety first. Wear gloves and open a window when you use bleach. Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia, rubbing alcohol or other cleaners, and rinse the sink well between products.
- 1
Wipe fresh dye immediately
Hair dye stains because it is designed to grab onto porous surfaces. Wipe drips with a soapy cloth as soon as you see them, even mid-application, and rinse. Fresh dye on a glazed sink usually comes off in one or two passes.
- 2
Identify your sink surface
Most bathroom sinks are glazed vitreous china or porcelain, but yours may be enameled cast iron, acrylic, cultured marble, natural stone, or a composite. The material decides how hard you can scrub and whether bleach is safe, so check before step 4.
- 3
Scrub with a baking soda paste
Mix about 3 tablespoons of baking soda with enough water to make a paste and rub it onto the stain with a damp cloth in small circles. Leave it for 5 minutes, then scrub again and rinse. Light pink, brown or purple stains usually fade at this stage.
- 4
Go over it with a damp melamine sponge
Wet a melamine sponge, squeeze it out and rub the stain with light pressure. It is a very fine abrasive, so it lifts dye from the surface of the glaze. Use it gently and test it first on acrylic and on glossy or colored finishes, since it can dull them.
- 5
Dab rubbing alcohol on stubborn spots
Wet a cotton pad with rubbing alcohol and hold it on the spot for a minute, then rub. Alcohol helps break down dye on hard, nonporous surfaces. Rinse the sink well with water before trying anything else.
- 6
Use diluted bleach on white porcelain or ceramic
Plug the sink, add 1 gallon of cool water and 1/3 cup of bleach, then wipe the stained area with the solution and keep it wet for a few minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Skip this on colored, chipped enamel, marble or stone sinks.
- 7
Rinse and dry the sink
Run clean water over the whole bowl, wipe it dry with a soft cloth and check the stain in good light. A faint shadow often fades after one more round of baking soda the next day.
What to use on each kind of sink
Match the method to the sink: glazed porcelain handles almost everything, while acrylic, enamel and stone need gentler treatment.
| Sink material | Safe to use | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Vitreous china or porcelain | Baking soda, melamine sponge, alcohol, diluted bleach (white only) | Steel wool, full-strength bleach |
| Enameled cast iron | Dish soap, baking soda, soft cloth | Abrasive powders and pads, which wear the shine |
| Acrylic or cultured marble | Dish soap, alcohol, gentle baking soda | Harsh scrubbing, acetone, abrasive powders |
| Natural stone (marble, travertine) | pH-neutral stone cleaner, soft cloth | Bleach, vinegar, acidic cleaners |
| Stainless steel | Dish soap, baking soda, Bar Keepers Friend | Bleach on any non-stainless metal parts |
Kohler says abrasive cleaners are not recommended on enameled sinks, because they wear away the original luster. The Natural Stone Institute notes that calcium-based stones such as marble are sensitive to acids, so it recommends mild, non-acidic cleaners.
When bleach and powder cleansers are worth it
Use bleach only as a last step, diluted, on white glazed sinks. It oxidizes leftover dye that soap and abrasives can’t reach, but it can damage other surfaces.
Clorox’s sink directions use 1/3 cup of bleach in a gallon of cool water, and say not to use bleach on aluminum, copper, brass, chipped or cracked enamel, or unsealed wood, marble, tile or granite. Never apply full-strength bleach.
Bar Keepers Friend is an acidic cleanser, unlike most bleach-based powders. The company recommends leaving it on a surface no longer than one minute and does not recommend it for marble. It works well on stainless and many ceramic sinks, but don’t follow it with bleach without rinsing first.
How to keep dye off the sink next time
Protect the sink before you start and keep a damp cloth in reach; prevention is easier than any stain removal.
- Rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly or a coat of car wax onto the sink rim and counter edge beforehand so dye beads up.
- Lay an old towel over the counter and rinse your hair in the shower rather than the sink when you can.
- Keep a bowl of soapy water and a cloth beside you and wipe every drip as it lands.
- Dye that gets onto towels, carpet or the tub needs other methods. See getting hair dye out of carpet and our porcelain sink guide.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting dye sit until the end of the processing time before wiping it.
- Pouring full-strength bleach on the stain instead of diluting it.
- Using bleach on a colored, marble, stone or chipped enamel sink.
- Scrubbing acrylic or enamel with steel wool or a gritty powder and dulling it for good.
- Following bleach with vinegar or an acidic cleaner without rinsing in between.
Products that make this easier
Optional. Everything above works with basic supplies; these just save time or effort.
- See it on Amazon
First thing to try
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
The fine melamine foam lifts surface dye from glazed sinks with water alone. It is mildly abrasive, so go gently on acrylic and glossy finishes.
- See it on Amazon
For stainless and ceramic
Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser
A cream cleanser that works on many sink stains. Leave it on no more than a minute, and keep it off marble.
- See it on Amazon
For white porcelain
Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach
A ready-to-use bleach spray for white glazed sinks. Not for colored, stone or metal surfaces, and never mix it with other cleaners.
- See it on Amazon
Gentle scrub
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
Makes a mild paste that is safe on almost every sink. Slower than bleach on dark, set-in dye.
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