How to get petroleum jelly out of hair

How to remove petroleum jelly from hair

1. 1

   Wipe off the excess

   Squeeze sections of hair between paper towels or an old towel, sliding from the roots toward the ends to pull off as much petroleum jelly as you can.

   Why: Every bit you lift now is grease that doesn't need to be washed out.

2. 2

   Work in a little oil

   Rub a small amount of vegetable or olive oil into the greasy sections with your fingers, then comb gently with a wide-tooth comb. Use vegetable oil only, and very little, near eyebrows and lashes.

   Why: Petroleum jelly is a thick mix of hydrocarbons that dissolve in other oils. A thinner oil softens and spreads it so shampoo can reach it, the same principle dermatologists use to loosen gum.

3. 3

   Shampoo on dry hair

   Before wetting your hair, massage shampoo directly into the greasy areas and work up a lather with as little water as possible. Then rinse with warm water.

   Why: Water repels grease and dilutes the shampoo before it can grip the oil. Applied first, the shampoo's surfactants surround the grease so it rinses away.

4. 4

   Repeat until it feels clean

   Shampoo and rinse again, two or three times if needed. Check by feeling a dry section; damp hair can hide greasiness.

   Why: Each wash removes part of the grease, and thick coatings rarely come out in one round.

5. 5

   Condition and dry

   Use conditioner on the ends to help detangle, rinse, and towel-dry gently.

   Why: Repeated shampooing can leave hair dry and tangled.

Why petroleum jelly won't wash out with water

Petroleum jelly, or petrolatum, is a semi-solid mix of long hydrocarbon molecules. It doesn't mix with water at all, which is why it works as a skin barrier and why it clings to hair through a normal rinse. It's an oil stain on hair, and the petroleum jelly stain guide explains the chemistry on fabric too.

You can't dissolve it in water, but you can dilute it with another oil and then lift the mixture out with shampoo. That's slower than reaching for a solvent, but hair grows from a living scalp, so whatever you put on it also touches skin and is close to the eyes.

What the sources say

No dermatology or extension source gives a tested method specifically for petroleum jelly in hair. The steps here follow from its chemistry and from the American Academy of Dermatology's advice for other oily, sticky substances: loosen with a gentle oil, work it out without pulling, and shampoo. For gum, see the gum in hair guide.

By situation

Healing ointment in hair

Most healing ointments are mostly petrolatum, so they come out the same way. Ointments with zinc oxide, such as diaper creams, can leave white specks; shampoo again and comb them out.

A child or baby who got into the jar

Use the gentlest version: wipe, a little vegetable oil, then a mild shampoo, keeping lather away from the eyes. Several gentle washes over a day or two are better than scrubbing a child's scalp.

Thick, curly or textured hair

Work in small sections and comb with a wide-tooth comb from the ends upward. Follow with a conditioner, since several shampoos in a row can dry curls.

Eyebrows and eyelashes

Wipe gently with a soft cloth and a drop of vegetable oil, then wash with a mild cleanser, keeping your eyes closed. Don't use shampoo or anything else harsh close to the eyes.

What not to do

• Don't use nail polish remover, acetone or rubbing alcohol on hair or scalp. Acetone irritates and dries skin and is an eye irritant, and solvents near the face risk getting into the eyes.
• Don't use gasoline, paint thinner or other fuels. They irritate skin, and extension guidance warns of the extreme danger of using fuels as cleaning solvents.
• Don't rinse with water before applying shampoo. Wet hair repels the shampoo from the grease and makes it harder to lift.
• Don't cut the hair. Unlike some glues and paints, petroleum jelly comes out with repeated shampooing, so cutting isn't needed.

Other methods that work

Cornstarch or another absorbent powder

Sprinkled onto greasy hair, left for a while and then brushed out, an absorbent powder soaks up some of the surface grease before shampooing. It's a traditional method with weak evidence for hair.

Caution: Brush it out fully before wetting the hair, or it turns to paste. Keep it away from the face.

Dish soap

A drop of dish soap cuts grease more strongly than shampoo. It's a traditional method with weak evidence for hair.

Caution: It can dry out hair and irritate skin. Use very little, keep it out of the eyes, and follow with shampoo and conditioner. Not for children.

Stain still there?

Hair still feels greasy after two washes

Apply shampoo to dry hair again and lather well before adding water. A clarifying shampoo, made to remove product build-up, is worth trying for the last round.

Hair feels dry and tangled after all the washing

Use conditioner and comb gently with a wide-tooth comb. Skip heat styling until it recovers.

The scalp is red or stinging

Stop, rinse with plain water, and avoid further products for a day. See a doctor if a rash, swelling or burning develops.

Safety

• Never use acetone, nail polish remover, fuels or paint thinner on hair or scalp.
• Keep oils, soap and shampoo out of the eyes; if anything gets in, rinse with water and call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 if irritation continues.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

Petroleum jelly on other surfaces

• Petroleum jelly stains: the complete guide
• Petroleum jelly on clothes

Other stains on hair

• Stains on hair: the complete guide
• Glue on hair
• Grease and oil on hair
• Gum on hair
• Paint on hair
• Putty on hair
• Slime on hair
• Tree sap on hair
• Wax on hair