How to Remove Dye from Your Children's Hands

Learn several methods to remove the dye from your children's hands so that they're as clean and impeccable as ever.

Reviewed and approved by the teacher Samanta Ruiz.

Written by Samanta Ruiz

Last update: 27 December, 2022

Did you make a family plan to teach your kids tie-dye? That’s great! But now you’re faced with a dilemma: How do you remove dye off your kids’ hands?

They had a fun and creative afternoon. They’ve dyed t-shirts with beautiful colors and all that’s left is to remove the stains from their skin so that it looks as clean and radiant as ever.

Here are several effective solutions, ranging from homemade formulas to special products. Take note!

Methods to remove dye from skin

Dyeing techniques are very old and include methods such as batik, bandhani, shibori, and tie-dye. The latter is the most popular, as it allows anyone to customize their garments with the simple “tie and dye” process.

If you’re dyeing clothes with the kids, it’s best if everyone wears gloves. But dye may still get on the skin of the hands and impregnates them with color. In the event that this happens, you shouldn’t worry because modern dyes aren’t toxic and can be easily removed from the skin.

In any case, and to avoid accidents such as children putting dye on their hands, the first step after finishing the craft is to wash your hands with water and soap or dish soap. With this, the most superficial dye can be removed.

If there’s still color left on the skin, we recommend you use some of the following methods to remove it.

1. Prepare a baking soda paste

Baking soda is a mild abrasive that, when mixed with water, can remove the dye from the pores of the skin.

So, make the paste and put some of the mixture on your children’s hands. Then tell them to rub vigorously under running water until the paste disappears. And with it, the dye.

2. Use exfoliation products

Other products that can be used to remove the dye from children’s hands are exfoliants, which have abrasive microparticles capable of removing impurities from the skin.

You can use a cosmetic cream as a facial scrub, rub the product on children’s hands, and rinse under running water.

3. Use white vinegar to remove dye from the skin

White vinegar has the quality to clean the dermis deeply, so it’s very effective in removing dye. You have to soak a cotton ball or cloth in the vinegar, rub the children’s hands gently, and then rinse with water.

This method can irritate the delicate skin of little ones, so it’s not advisable to use it if your child has sensitive skin.

4. Rub the skin with oil-based products

Some oils have the ability to break down the dye and remove stains from the skin. You can use olive oil, baby oil, or any cosmetic product that contains natural oils.

The advantage of these items is that they’re non-abrasive and don’t irritate the skin. Just wipe them with a cotton pad, then remove with a dry cloth, and then rinse with water.

5. Wash your children’s hands with professional products

There are stain removal products that can be purchased at specialty art, craft, or cleaning supply stores that are effective in removing dye. Some come as wet wipes or in liquid form.

6. Removing stains with hydrogen peroxide

Natural dyes can be removed by simply rubbing a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide.

7. Other home methods to remove stains

There are more options to remove dye from your children’s hands, and some of the best known are the following:

• Mix lemon juice with laundry soap. You need to massage the skin gently. While the soap breaks down and sweeps away the dye, the lemon lightens the skin and thus restores its usual color.
• Cleaning with whitening toothpaste. Simply rub the product until the dirt disappears.
• Nail polish remover on a cotton pad and rinse with warm water.
• Exfoliating paste based on sugar and some emulsion or lotion for the skin.

How to remove dye from your children’s hands: The final step

Whatever method you have used to remove dye from your children’s hands, after rinsing and drying the skin well, it’s a good idea to moisturize it with a good lotion. This prevents the delicate tissue from drying out and causing uncomfortable reactions, such as itching or burning.

Finally, we recommend that you supervise your children during both the dyeing process and the cleaning of their hands so that the handling of the chemicals is controlled and safe.