How to Remove Black Hair Dye Without Damaging Your Hair

Whether you’ve been dyeing your hair black for years or you wanted to try it just this once, there may come a moment when you’re ready for a change. Black dye is one of the toughest colors to get out of your hair, but don’t despair—with a little bit of time and patience, you can work on fading it out slowly to remove your color without a ton of damage. Keep reading to learn a few DIY remedies you can do from home, and also some ways you can treat and repair your hair during the process to cut down on dryness and breakage.

This article is based on an interview with our professional hair stylist, April Ferri, co-owner of Widows Peak Salon. Check out the full interview here.

Ways to Remove Black Hair Dye

If your hair is freshly dyed, try washing with dish soap to remove excess color.
Use a clarifying shampoo to strip away some of the color and help it fade faster.
Use a color remover from a drugstore or beauty supply store to open the hair cuticle and break down color molecules.
Apply a paste of equal parts baking soda and anti-dandruff or clarifying shampoo, and let it sit for 20 minutes.

1

Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo.

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These shampoos can strip away some of your hair color. At your local drug store or home goods store, pick out a shampoo that says “clarifying” somewhere on the bottle. Wash your hair like you normally would, scrubbing the shampoo into your locks and then rinsing with hot water. Clarifying shampoo probably won’t pull out all your color, but it will help fade it a little bit.^{[1]XExpert SourceApril Ferri
Professional Hair StylistExpert Interview. Tuesday, December 8, 2020.}
- Hot water helps open up your hair follicles and strip out more dye.
- Even if you’re going to try other methods of removing color, it’s always a good idea to start with a clarifying shampoo. It’s fairly gentle on your hair, and it can help remove that top layer of dye.
- You can use clarifying shampoo as often as you’d like, but it’s a good idea to give your hair a bit of rest in between washes, since it can be drying.

2

Scrub your hair with dish soap if you just dyed it.

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Grease-fighting soap helps wash out excess color. This method works best on freshly dyed hair, so try this one if you only just tried out black dye. Get your hair wet in the shower, then rub dish soap all over your locks. Rinse it out with warm water to pull a lot of the excess color out of your hair.^{[2]XResearch source}
- This method really only works to rinse out the dye that didn’t manage to penetrate your hair strands, so it’s only going to work once.
- Washing with dish soap can cause some dryness, so use a conditioner afterward.

3

Try a color remover.

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These products open your hair cuticle and break down the color molecules. Pick up a color remover from your local drug store or beauty supply store. Then, follow the application instructions on the box.^{[3]XExpert SourceApril Ferri
Professional Hair StylistExpert Interview. Tuesday, December 8, 2020.} Like most home methods, color remover probably won’t get rid of all your black dye, but it can help get the majority out without damaging your hair. Use this product one time in your hair to avoid damage, since it can be a little drying.^{[4]XExpert SourceAngela Justice
Master Hair StylistExpert Interview. 5 November 2021.}
- Since color remover only targets the color molecules in your hair, it won’t damage your natural hair or lighten your natural color.
- In general, color remover products work well on hair that was recently dyed.

4

Use a baking soda paste.

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Baking soda helps rub out color molecules because it’s abrasive. This method works best on demi- and semi-permanent hair dyes, and it’s also most effective if you’ve just recently dyed your hair. To use baking soda in your hair, mix equal parts of baking soda and anti-dandruff or clarifying shampoo together. Spread the paste on your dry hair, then let it sit for about 20 minutes before rinsing.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If you don’t have anti-dandruff shampoo, you can also use dish soap.
- Try doing this once a day for 3 days to fade your black dye fast.
- Follow up with a deep conditioner, since this method can make your hair feel a little dry.

5

Mix vitamin C powder with your own shampoo.

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This is an acidic compound that can dissolve color molecules in your hair. Head to your local health store and pick up a bottle of vitamin C tablets, then crush 5 to 10 of them into a fine powder. Pour some clarifying shampoo into a small bowl, then mix in your vitamin C tablets. Get your hair damp and apply the paste from your roots to your ends, then let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes before rinsing.^{[6]XResearch source}
- You can also wash your hair with normal shampoo if you’re having trouble getting the paste out.
- This is another method that you might need to try for multiple days on end before seeing a dramatic difference.

6

Go to a salon for a professional service.

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If you want to avoid damage, let a professional take care of your hair. Black dye in particular is pretty tough to get out, and it can take multiple sessions of gentle color stripping and bleaching to remove it fully.^{[7]XExpert SourceAngela Justice
Master Hair StylistExpert Interview. 5 November 2021.} Make an appointment with your local salon and tell them about your hair history so they can give your hair the treatment that it needs.^{[8]XExpert SourceApril Ferri
Professional Hair StylistExpert Interview. Tuesday, December 8, 2020.}
- Depending on how long you’ve been dyeing your hair black, it can take up to a year to remove all of the black dye and lighten your hair completely.^{[9]XResearch source}

7

Fade your hair color slowly.

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As you try methods to remove your hair color or you head to a salon, keep in mind that the slower you go, the more your hair will thank you. Over time, you can fade out black dye and get back to your natural color (or even lighter, if that’s what you’re going for).^{[10]XResearch source}

8

Wash your hair fewer times per week.

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Shampooing your hair strips it of its natural oils. As you go through the process of lightening your hair, try to avoid washing it very often if you can. You can use dry shampoo to mitigate some of the grease at the roots, or you can cover up your hair with a hat or a bandana. The less you wash your hair, the more moisture and hydration it will retain.^{[11]XResearch source}
- When you do wash your hair, be sure to use a hydrating, moisturizing shampoo. Look for ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil, and honey.
- Avoid products with ingredients like alcohol, silicones, or sulfates, since those can dry your hair out more.

9

Add moisture back into your hair with a hair mask.

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Stripping and fading your hair color can dry out your hair, which can eventually lead to breakage. To avoid that, rub a deep conditioning treatment or a hair mask on your wet hair and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. When you rinse it out, your hair will feel shinier and smoother than when you started.^{[12]XResearch source}

10

Strengthen your hair with a bond building treatment.

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These products build your hair shaft back up from the inside out. You can ask your salon to give you a treatment after a session, or you can purchase the products from your local beauty supply store. Try using a bond building treatment once a week to restore and repair your hair as you fade your black dye.^{[13]XResearch source}
- A complete bond building treatment kit usually costs around $30.

11

Stay away from heat styling.

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Try to let your hair air dry as much as possible, and use no-heat techniques, like braiding, to get natural waves or curls.^{[14]XResearch source} When you do use heat stylers, always spray your hair with a heat protectant first to offset some of the damage before you start.^{[15]XExpert SourceApril Ferri
Professional Hair StylistExpert Interview. Tuesday, December 8, 2020.}

Expert Q&A

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How do you get rid of black hair dye fast?
Angela Justice
Master Hair Stylist
Angela Justice is a Master Hair Stylist and the Owner of Payton Place Salon based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. With over 33 years of experience, she specializes in styling and cutting hair, coloring hair, providing hair repair and strengthening services, and installing tape-in hair extensions.
Angela Justice
Master Hair Stylist
Expert Answer
You can't remove black hair dye fast unless you want to mess up your hair. Black hair dye typically takes multiple appointments to remove at a salon. When people try to dye their hair at home, they often end up using a high-volume bleach that pulls their color up to an orange, copper, or red color that they don't know what to do with.
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Black hair dye can take a while to fade out, especially if you’ve been using it for a while. Try to be patient, and go slowly to avoid damaging your hair too much.
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