Cleaning Marble Hair Dye Stain

by Lisandra
(CA)

QUESTION:
Can I get hair dye out of a marble counter top? If so, how?

ANSWER:
Wellllll.... maybe. But quite possibly yes! Below I'll detail a method the can have good success with removing all sorts of stains from marble countertops, but first....

As a point of education... there are two types of "stains" that people ask about. One is the type that looks like a "water spot." It is usually a clear but dull spot on the countertop.

This occurs when fruit juice, alcohol, coffee, cleaning products or other acidic substances have come in contact with the marble surface. Marble is mostly made of calcite, which will react with any acid corroding or "etching" the surface, which destroys the polish causing the dull spot or glass ring.

This is NOT a stain. Nothing has been absorbed into the surface (although that can happen in addition and at the same time as etching). The polish has simply been chemically removed.

Sometimes a marble polishing powder will solve the problem, but typically you need to call in a professional to re-polish the surface. Expensive! So, always use coaster and....

Don't dye your hair over any natural stone! Hair dye will truly stain your marble countertops. The marble has absorbed the dye and it must be removed.

Lucky for you, there is a very inexpensive method to remove stains from marble and other stones that you can easily perform yourself. The severity of the stain, length of time it's been there and using the proper ingredients will determine your success.

What is it!?

A poultice.

A poutice is a mixture of an absorbing agent (talc/baby powder, paper towels, baking soda or diatomaceous earth) and a liquid chemical. The chemical will react with the stain and the powder will re-aborb the staining agent.

So... you will mix and apply a poultice to the stain. The poultice will draw the hair dye out of the marble. You may have to repeat the procedure several times to get it all out, but it's your only hope.

IMPORTANT: The type of substance that has stained the marble will determine which chemical to be mixed with the powder (which can be the same for any stain) in your poultice recipe.

Hair dye is considered an "inorganic" stain, so here's what to do:

How To Make A Poultice

For inorganic stains like hair dye:

Chemical = 12% Hydrogen Peroxide/water solution --get it at a beauty supply... the kind at the drug store is only 3% and too weak.

Mix the powder and the hydrogen peroxide in bowl. Make a paste about the consistency of peanut butter... maybe just a bit more runny.

If you are using paper towels... wet the towels until soaked, but not dripping.

Using a plastic or wooded spatula, apply the paste to the stain about a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch thick and a 1 inch border around the stain. Cover the poultice with plastic wrap and tape all the edges down with masking tape.

Let sit for about 24-48 hours. Take the plastic wrap off and let the poultice dry COMPLETELY (another day) before removing the poultice with a plastic/wooden spatula.

If the stain is still there... hopefully lighter... repeat the process until it is gone.

Comment back and let me know how it goes.

Good Luck,
Ryan