How To Get Vaseline Out Of Hair

How to Get Vaseline Out of Hair

If you're reading this article, it probably means that you or someone you know decided to do a hair treatment using Vaseline, aka petroleum jelly. Whatever the reason, you're the lucky one who is literally "stuck" figuring out how to get Vaseline out of hair.

Get Vaseline Out of Hair

get vaseline out of hair

Things to Consider

Fortunately, several tricks can help you get rid of the sticky, gooey mess. Knowing which one to select will depend on the answers to six basic questions:

What is the original texture of the hair (curly, straight, fine, coarse)?
How long is the hair?
What color is the hair?
What was the original purpose of applying Vaseline to the hair?
How much Vaseline is in the hair?
How much time can you dedicate to solving the problem?

Getting petroleum jelly out of your own straight, blonde pixie isn't the same as getting it out of your girlfriend's long, black curly tresses.

And convincing your squirmy 3-year-old toddler to sit still while working the Vaseline out of his hair is a completely different ball game!

Here are some suggestions that will help you remove Vaseline from hair as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Tried and True Ways to Remove Vaseline from Hair

Before you start, do your best to remove as much of the excess petroleum jelly from the hair by wiping and blotting it off with dry paper towels.

Do not wet the hair at this stage. Grip the saturated strands of hair between your fingers and squeeze them as if you were trying to get the last bit of toothpaste out of a tube.

To make it easier, use a hairdryer to melt the Vaseline further. The goal here is to get as much out before moving on to one of these next suggestions:

Baking Soda

baking soda to get vaseline out of hair

When you mix a tablespoon of baking soda with two tablespoons of baby shampoo or non-conditioning shampoo, you get the dual benefits of absorbency and abrasion.

It won't get rid of Vaseline from hair, but it will help loosen it.

Dishwashing Liquid

dishwashing liquid to get vaseline out of hair

Certain brands of dish soap are specially formulated with powerful cleaning agents that cut grease and break down baked-on food from pots and pans. That's why they're a great choice for removing Vaseline from hair.

Apply them as you would your regular shampoo and try to use the hottest water you can safely tolerate. Use a moisturizing conditioner after washing hair.

Glycerin Soap

Scrub your hair repeatedly using a bar of inexpensive glycerin soap. Again, wash with hot water and deep condition afterward.

Baby Oil

baby oil to get vaseline out of hair

You might assume there's no way oil could remove Vaseline from hair, but you'll be happily surprised to see that it does. We won't get into the nitty-gritty science here, but it's a well-known fact that certain oils can break down the hydrocarbon oil chains found in petroleum jelly.

If you don't have baby oil on hand, olive or coconut oil will also work. Massage it into all the affected areas and be sure to cover the entire hair strand.

When finished, use a high-quality antibacterial soap and wash hair several times until clean. Deep condition afterward.

Cornstarch (or Baby Powder)

cornstarch to get vaseline out of hair

Cornstarch isn't just for thickening gravy or sauce; it's also perfect for absorbing grease and oil from the hair and scalp.

Sprinkle it generously on the hair affected by petroleum jelly and comb it through thoroughly, ensuring that all the strands are coated. Let it sit on the hair for at least 10 minutes.

When you're confident the cornstarch (or baby powder) can't absorb any more grease, then wash your hair thoroughly with shampoo or bar soap. Repeat if necessary.

Vinegar, Clarifying Shampoo, and Hot Water

vinegar with clarifying shampoo to get vaseline out of hair

Mix vinegar and clarifying shampoo in equal parts and wash hair with hot water. Keep repeating until you feel your hair is clean and squeaky.

This method works best if you don't have to remove Vaseline from hair that is over-saturated and greasy.

By now, you might have discovered that a combination of one or more of these methods worked best to get Vaseline out of hair completely. That's perfectly fine; when it comes to removing petroleum jelly from your hair, there are no strict rules — whatever works best is the solution you should use in the future.