How to Remove Chlorine from Hair – Tips from a Hairstylist
How to remove chlorine from hair naturally, and some extra tips on how to remove chlorine from blonde hair, which can be the trickiest because you can see that lovely pool-time green.
Summertime! Fun memories surrounding the water, but what about the chlorine smell or the green sheen that you just can’t seem to get rid of?
It’s actually pretty easy!
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I clearly remember from my childhood the hours spent testing this and that on my hair to get the chlorine green out. And more than once my mom gave up and just chopped it all off.
But as a hair professional now, I wish I could have saved my long locks and told the younger me, “You don’t have to cut it all off! There’s an easy and natural solution!”
What Does Chlorine Do to Hair?
There actually is a science behind chlorine in your hair.
Chlorine is a strong chemical that prevents fungus and algae to grow in water. But we don’t have to worry about algaes growing in our hair, but the chemical gets into our hair anyway.
- Chlorine dries out hair
- Makes the hair brittle- causing split ends to happen faster
- Strips the hair of natural healthy oils
- Creates a sticky buildup on the hair that can turn hair green
Even if you don’t swim frequently you can still have a chlorine buildup from the last time you swam. If you smell chlorine in your hair when it is wet, it is time for a clarifying treatment.
9 Ways to Remove Chlorine from Hair
Though there are several ways how to remove chlorine from hair but let’s talk first about preventing the chlorine from building up on the hair first.
The Water and Conditioner Method
Hair is like a sponge, the cuticle will open to allow moisture in, and whatever the moisture brings with it- including chemicals.
So the best way to prevent extra chlorine absorption is to wet the hair with clean water, and lather conditioner into the hair without rinsing it out.
This will allow the hair to absorb the water and the conditioner will seal it in and will take up whatever space is left in the hair shaft so that there is no room left in the hair to absorb the pool water filled with chlorine.
This goes for hot tubs too!
Of course the conditioner will wash away after about an hour, so it will need to be reapplied the longer you spend in the water.
The water and conditioner technique is great for those that spend a lot of time in the pool or hot tub with no cap.
Coconut Oil
A nice coating of coconut oil (or olive oil) will soak into the hair, just like the conditioner described above, making it so that there is no room left in the hair to soak up the chlorine water.
If you choose this method be sure to wash the hair thoroughly with clarifying shampoo afterward, and be mindful in the shower that it’s oil and when rinsed out the shower can become slippery.
100% Pure Coconut Oil for Skin and Hair 16oz for $9.99
Kenra Clarifying Shampoo Safe All Hair Types and Chemically Treated Hair 10oz for $14.39
Wear a Swim Cap
Using a swim cap is another effective way to prevent chlorine damage or buildup on the hair.
Swim caps are designed for frequent swimmers to prevent hair damage and to avoid hair distracting a swimmer’s workout and not be in the way while in the water.
They also come in various sizes so that anyone can wear them and any hair type and length will fit in side.
When you wear a swim cap you do not need to use the conditioner method. You can, however still wet your hair with clean water beforehand as an extra precaution.
2 Pack Neutral Color Swim Cap Kids Age 3-15 with Accessories for $15.99
Swim Cap Adult Size for Men or Women with Long Hair with Acessories for $9.99
Braiding the Hair
A regular three strand braid is excellent to help prevent tangles and keep the hair out of your face while swimming.
Braiding your hair is also a great technique that makes it difficult for chlorine to bond to the hair on the inside of the braid. With that being said, braiding your hair does not eliminate buildup altogether but it does slow down the process.
If you are using the conditioner tip from above braiding the hair will make it last longer before needing to reapply more conditioner.
Rinse and Wash As Soon As You are Done Swimming
As soon as you are finished with your time in the water it is very important that you rinse your hair immediately to prevent the chlorine from drying on the hair.
When you rinse, you can use a clarifying shampoo, which we will discuss in a moment, or regular shampoo.
However, if you don’t have shampoo that is okay too. The important part is that you rinse the pool water, the chlorine, out of the hair and have as much fresh water in and on your hair. The shampoo can happen as soon as you get home.
How to Get Chlorine Out of your Hair Fast
Alright now that we’ve prevented the buildup of chlorine, the removal will be easier, and quicker – fewer treatments. But even if this is all new information for you, it’s okay, you can still use these methods below to completely remove chlorine from the hair.
Washing with Clarifying Shampoo
Clarifying shampoo is a strong cleansing shampoo designed to break down and remove product buildup on the hair. It can help break down product on the scalp as well but is more for hair than for the scalp.
Do not use clarifying shampoo as a regular daily wash. It is designed to remove product, not cleanse daily. If overused clarifying shampoo will remove too much of the natural oils and dry out the scalp and hair.
Always use a deep conditioner after clarifying to restore the pH and rehydrate the scalp and hair.
Here are the top 4 Clarifying Shampoos of 2024- Professionally Reviewed (by me)
Kenra Clarifying Shampoo Safe All Hair Types and Chemically Treated Hair 10oz for $14.39
Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo for Oily Hair 10oz for $14.00
OUAI Clarifying Shampoo Sulfate-Free Apple Cider Vinegar & Keratin 10oz for $29.19
Olaplex Clarifying Shampoo for Curly Hair 8.5oz (250ml) for $30.00
How to Use Clarifying Shampoo to Remove Chlorine
Apply the shampoo and allow it to lather up, massaging it into the hair for 1 minute. This gives the product enough time to do its work and remove the chlorine.
Rinse thoroughly and condition hair as usual.
As you rinse you should be able to feel the chlorine slide off of the hair. It should feel slimy. If the first time around you do not feel the chlorine come out and the hair still smells like chlorine, feels sticky, or looks green apply a second round of clarifying shampoo.
How to Use Clarifying Shampoo – Ask a Hairstylist
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Remove Chlorine from Hair?
- Mix 1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar with 1/4 cup of Baking Soda
- Let the mask sit on the hair for 1-3 minutes (NOT more than 5 minutes or it might damage the cuticle)
- Rinse and condition as usual
How to Use Baking Soda to Remove Chlorine from Hair
Removing chlorine from the hair without the use of clarifying shampoo is not terribly difficult.
- 2 TBS or so of Baking soda, mixed with roughly 1/4 – 1/2 cup of regular shampoo
- Let it sit for 1-3 minutes and then rinse and condition
If you don’t want to use regular shampoo, you can also just mix baking soda into a paste with water and use the mask with the same instructions as above.
- or mixed into a paste with water is a great clarifying shampoo alternative to remove chlorine from hair naturally.
How to Use Baking Soda to Remove Chlorine from Hair Naturally
- Simply mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with your choice of either water or shampoo and let it sit for 1 minute.
- Rinse and continue with a deep conditioner or chemical-free mask to help hair grow.
How to Make Homemade Conditioner – 21 Ingredients Found in your Kitchen
Lemon Juice and Club Soda Trick
Another natural trick to get hair back to normal quickly after chlorine is the lemon juice and club soda trick.
Lemon juice is another great little trick to use to remove chlorine from hair without the use of unnatural chemicals or clarifying shampoo.
- Pour 1/4 of a cup of lemon juice in 1 cup of water.
- Massage it into the hair and make sure that the hair is all saturated with the lemon-water mixture.
- Leave for 3-4 minutes before rinsing.
- If the chlorine is still in the hair try mixing the lemon juice with club soda (sparkly water), sometimes the carbonation helps break down the buildup a little bit more to allow the lemon juice do its thing.
Air Dry to Avoid Heat Damage
If you can afford the time, don’t use a blow dryer to dry your hair after swimming. The heat from the blow dryer causes the cuticle to lift the moisture to come out of the hair. Making the hair more dry.
Heat opens the cuticle causing the hair to become dry and with the cuticle lifted it makes the hair more ready to allow chlorine inside, which is worse than chlorine buildup on the outside.
Because dry hair is looking for any kind of moisture, it will soak up and cling to pool water more than hair that isn’t dry.
Allow the hair to dry 100% before using a hot tool like a curling iron or flat iron.
How to Air Dry your Hair Without Frizz
How do You Know the Chlorine has Been Removed Successfully?
If the hair feels sticky, use your choice of chlorine removal solution again.
As you are rinsing the solution out, whether clarifying shampoo, baking soda and apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice and club soda, and it feels slimy that means it’s working. Once chlorine is broken down on the hair it slides right off but you can definitely feel it on it’s way out.
When the hair is still wet after the shower and after using conditioner, does the hair feel smooth or sticky?
When your hair is smooth again and it’s not extra tangly, feel sticky, and you can’t smell the chlorine while it’s wet, congratulations! You have successfully removed the stubborn chemical from your hair.
What NOT to do When Removing Chlorine from Hair
🛑 Do not attempt more than two treatments of any variety to remove chlorine from hair to avoid drying out the hair and removing too much of the natural oils from the scalp.
In the long run (even two days) will encourage the scalp to start over producing sebum (oil from your skin) to compensate and allow the skin to become greasy.
If two treatments to remove chlorine doesn’t work, apply a deep conditioner and try again the next day.
FAQs – How to Remove Chlorine from Hair
How to Remove Chlorine from Blonde Hair Naturally
Using the methods above, mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with your choice of either water or shampoo and let it sit for 1 minute, rinse and condition as usual.
Repeat up to 3 times IF necessary.
What if My Hair is Already Damaged from Chlorine?
Coconut Oil is a great leave-in conditioner and mask ingredient to use on hair that is recovering from any kind of damage, but especially chlorine damage.
Chlorine dries out the hair and coconut oil contains healing properties that soak into the hair and allow the cuticle to soften, not become dry and hard, and allows it to stay closed.
How to Make Homemade Conditioner and Masks- 21 Ingredients Found in Your Kitchen
Can I get Chlorine out of my Hair at Home?
Of course! By using the clarifying shampoo, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice methods, removing chlorine from hair at home is really easy!
Can Chlorine be Washed out of Hair?
Yes, though it might take more than one try you can absolutely remove chlorine from hair.
Once you remove the chlorine, use the tips in this article to prevent the hair from soaking up so much pool water, then it’ll be less work to wash the chlorine out next time.
What Will Remove Chlorine from Hair?
- Clarifying shampoo
- Baking Soda
- Lemon Juice
- Club Soda
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Do not try all of the above on the hair at the same time.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Remove Chlorine from Hair?
Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with a very little amount of baking soda can help remove the last traces of chlorine out of hair.
How to Get Chlorine Out of Blonde Hair
Blonde hair is typically the first hair type that you are able to see chlorine buildup on because of the green tint it leaves coated on the hair.
Removing chlorine out of blonde hair is just as simple as removing chlorine from other hair colors and textures.
My professional advice is to start with clarifying shampoo, maybe needing to use it and let it set on the hair twice. And if the chlorine is still on the hair after that try baking soda next.
Kenra Clarifying Shampoo Safe All Hair Types and Chemically Treated Hair 10oz for $14.39
However, blonde hair is naturally dry, whether it is natural or lightened to become blonde. I would not advise treating the hair to remove chlorine more than twice in one day.
If it takes longer, allow the hair to rest before trying again the next day.
How to Remove Chlorine Out of Hair After Swimming
If you forgot to wet the hair with clean water and add conditioner before the pool, or forgot to refresh the conditioner during your time in the water and you buildup a nice coat of chlorine from the pool or hot tub, removing chlorine out of hair after swimming is easy.
Wash the hair with clarifying shampoo, allow the shampoo to sit for at least 1 minute. You will be able to feel the chlorine slide out of the hair once it is rinsed, it feels like plastic sliding off. And then use a deep conditioner once the treatment is done.
The treatment may need to be repeated twice before all of the chlorine is removed, depending on how much buildup there is.
How to get Chlorine Out of your Hair Without Shampoo
Baking soda mixed with apple cider vinegar will remove chlorine from hair.
Or lemon juice with club soda.
Do not treat the hair more than twice in one day and BE SURE to deep condition the hair once the treatments are finished.
Are There Any Other Alternative Natural Solutions for Removing Chlorine from Hair?
1 cup of club soda and 1/4 cup of lemon juice is an alternative natural solution that will remove chlorine from hair.
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