How to Remove Paint From Human Hair

Your recently completed project looks perfect, but your hair has paid the price. Those paint drips you carefully kept off of the floor and other surfaces seem to have landed in your hair. If you are wondering how to get paint out of your hair without damaging your delicate locks, never fear. A few tricks will have you looking as fresh and clean as your new paint job.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shampoo and conditioner
• Fine-toothed comb
• Olive oil
• Plastic wrap

1. Remove water based paints from hair by simply isolating the paint and massaging a few drops of your regular shampoo into the area. Let the shampoo set for about 10 minutes, and comb out the paint with a fine toothed comb. If not all of the paint comes out on the first try, reapply. Once removed, shampoo and condition your hair as normal.

2. Get oil-based paints out of your hair with an olive oil soak. Oil-based paints are the most difficult to remove, and may take some patience; however, olive oil is a gentle and natural moisturizer that will actually condition your hair while removing paint.

3. Apply a generous amount of olive oil to the paint in your hair, and massage with your fingertips. Continue applying oil and massaging until you begin to feel the paint flaking away. When the paint begins to come away on it's own, use a fine-toothed comb to help it along, reapplying oil as necessary.

4. Soak larger clumps of paint by saturating the hair with olive oil and then tying a piece of plastic wrap around the drip. Allow the oil to set for an hour or two before removing the paint with a fine-toothed comb. Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Never apply paint thinner to your hair, as it can change the color of your hair, strip the hair of it's natural oil, and damage it permanently down to the root.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Best Overnight Hair Treatment. Try it Free!

[loriluv7]

on 8/21/2009 Can't using turpintine be used? My Mom always used it on us when we were little with no problems. I used it on my kids to, when they were young with no problems.

[DIYLady]

on 8/10/2008 I was painting the eaves of my roof with white oil base paint and a dollop of paint dropped straight onto my hair right in the front. I have color treated hair and didn't know how I was going to get it out. I did a search on Google and found your website. I tried the olive oil and the paint came straight out of my hair. Thanks for the great tip!