How To Get Rid Of Green Hair

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People with blonde hair often have to deal with their hair turning green after extended periods of time at the pool. Some people's hair turns green after 2-3 days of pool activities, but everyone's hair is different. Here are several methods to remove the green from your hair and to counter the effects of the pool.

1

Wash your hair. This should help the green color come out, or at least fade a bit. Your hair should be clean before you continue to the next steps.
2

Make the vinegar mixture. Mix 1/2 cup of water with 1/4 cup of vinegar in a bowl that is big enough to hold all the hair that has turned green, which is usually only the tips.
3

Soak your hair. In the bowl filled with the vinegar mixture, soak your hair for about two minutes.
4
Add baking soda. Add 2–3 tablespoons (29.6–44.4 ml) of baking soda to the water while your hair is still in the bowl. Let it fizz up and get in your hair for 2-3 minutes.
- You can also make a paste out of shampoo and baking soda and use this to wash your hair in the shower.
5

Dry your hair. Take your hair out and lay it on a dry towel. Pat it dry until it isn't dripping.
6
Rinse your hair. Rinse your hair in warm water until all the vinegar is gone.
- To make sure all the vinegar is out, put a small lock of hair in your mouth and suck on it. If you taste vinegar, rinse it more thoroughly.
7

Add hydrogen peroxide. If your hair is still green at this point (your hair should still be damp), put 4-5 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide in your hand and comb it through with your fingers. You can also rub the hydrogen peroxide into your strands with your hands. Do not apply it to your scalp. Let the peroxide stay in your hair until the green is out. Watch your hair to see when the green is gone and then rinse.
8

Check out the results. If your hair is still green after using hydrogen peroxide, then you may just have to let it wear out.

1

Wash your hair with shampoo. This will help lessen the green to begin with, but it is also important to proceed with clean hair.
2
Wash your hair with tomato juice. Take a cup of tomato juice (or tomato soup) and pour it on your head. Run your fingers through your hair to make sure the tomato juice covers your hair evenly. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Alternatively, you can use ketchup instead of tomato juice or tomato soup. Ketchup is less runny and can be much more manageable in the cleanup process.^[1]
3
Rinse your hair. Rinse the tomato juice completely out of your hair.
- You can repeat washing with tomato juice and rinsing a second time if you want to be extra thorough.
4
Let your hair dry. Allow your hair to dry completely. You can sleep on it overnight or just wait several hours.
- Note: Do not blow dry your hair. Make sure you let it dry naturally.

1
Purchase some professional shampoo. There are several types of commercial hair care products intended for swimmers that can help remove the green from hair when natural home remedies just won't cut it.
- Try Malibu C Swimmers shampoo and conditioner Sally Beauty's Ion Swimmer's shampoo.^[2]
- The main ingredients to look for in the shampoo you choose are aloe, Vitamin E, and EDTA (Edetic Acid).^[3] These will help condition and strengthen your hair and fight the discoloration.
2
Wash your hair with the professional clarifying shampoo. Follow the instructions on the bottle.^[4]
- Alternatively, you can use a leave-in pre-swim treatment for preventative measures. Try Malibu C Swimmer's Natural Wellness Treatment or H2O Pre Swim Gel. These treatments restore color, seal the hair, and help prevent future discoloration.
3

Rinse your hair. Rinse the special shampoo out of your hair completely.
4
Let your hair dry. Don't blow dry your hair; just let it dry naturally.
- Alternatively, you can get a salon treatment called a seal coat (or a gloss coat) that prevents the copper in the water from attaching to the cuticles in your hair. This works best on shorter hair.

1

Wet your hair. Dry hair absorbs moisture and whatever else is accompanying that moisture. Having wet hair will provide protection because your hair will already be saturated with water, so it will not absorb whatever is in the pool. Take a moment to wet your hair using water from a shower or sink before you go swimming.^[5]
2

Condition your hair before you go swimming. Conditioner provides a barrier between your hair and the chlorine in the pool, so it can help to prevent your hair from turning green. Before you hop into the pool, apply a layer of conditioner to protect it.^[6]
3

Wear a swim cap. A swim cap will cover your hair completely and prevent it from coming into contact with the chlorine in the water. Try putting on a swim cap to prevent green hair from the pool water.

EXPERT TIP

"Don't forget to rinse and lightly shampoo your hair after swimming!"

Laura Martin

Professional Hair Stylist

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin
Professional Hair Stylist

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Question

What causes blonde hair to turn green?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Blonde hair can take on a greenish tint from exposure to chlorine or from a toner that is either formulated incorrectly or left on for too long. In either of these cases to preserve the brightness of the hair, it is better to remove the green tint than to try to cover it.
Question

What color cancels out green hair?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Red is the opposite of green on the color wheel. To cover a greenish tint you would want to use a copper tone or a warm brown. Be aware, however, that adding pigment this way will make the hair look a lot darker. You may want to remove the green tone with a lightener or color remover instead.
Question

How do you use peroxide to get green out of your blonde hair?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

You just apply peroxide to clean damp hair and massage it into your strands until the green disappears.
Question

Do I need to cook the tomato soup before using it?

No, you don't need to cook it first.
Question

Why is it important not to blow dry my hair after using ketchup?

It is important to let your hair dry naturally because blowdrying it could cause your hair to become crunchy and/or develop a strong tomato scent.
Question

What do I do if I have a head of green hair?

Red will neutralise green tones in the hair. You could use a red toner or semi permanent colour to counteract it.
Question

I recently dyed my hair green with Arctic Fox but the dye did not attach to the ends of my so in a panic, I dyed my hair blue and now it will not come out. Will ketchup help remove the color?

You will need to rebleach your hair, these methods only work if your hair has been tinted green from the chlorine found in pools or some tap water.

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Lemon juice may also help get out the green.
Keep out of the pool while you are working on getting the green out.
Make sure to wash your hair very well each time after swimming.
Try not to let your hair fully dry after swimming; go straight to the showers and wash your hair.
Kids tend to turn their hair green more than adults because they stay in the water longer. The natural methods are safe to use on children, but make sure you check the instructions on the bottle if you intend to use the commercial swimmer's shampoo on children.

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Article SummaryX

To get green out of blonde hair, wash your hair as soon as you can. Once you are out of the shower, soak your hair for 2 minutes in a mixture of 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup water. You can also add in 2–3 tablespoons of baking soda to the vinegar mixture to help neutralize your hair. After 2 minutes, rinse out and dry your hair. To help prevent green hair, make sure to get your hair wet and add conditioner before going in swimming pools. For our Cosmetologist reviewer's advice on what to do if vinegar and baking soda doesn't remove all of the green, keep reading!

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