How To Get Vaseline Out Of Hair In 8 Simple Ways

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase.

Every household has had a Vaseline petroleum jelly tub on their medical kits. You’ve probably seen and used this at least once.

People commonly use this wonder jelly to heal chapped lips, moisturize parched skin, groom facial hair, prolong the effect of perfume on the skin, and many more.

However, did you know that Vaseline can also be used in your hair? 

In fact, Vaseline has a long history of usage in both the skin and hair care departments. 

However, the only downside of using this petroleum product on your hair is that it can be tough to wash it away.

This mostly happens when you apply too much of the product on your hair..

If you don’t know how to remove Vaseline from hair properly, it might lead to hair tangling, greasiness, and even hair loss.

But don’t worry! This article will help you get out of that sticky predicament. Read on to learn the best ways to get Vaseline out of your hair.

What Is Vaseline?

Vaseline is one of the most popular brands of petroleum jelly. This product is made of 100% pure petroleum jelly, which is a mixture of waxes and mineral oils. 

Vaseline creates a seal on top of damaged or dry skin to speed up the skin’s natural recovery process. As a result, the skin heals from within while Vaseline shields it from the elements. 

Petroleum has a comedogenicity rate of 0, which means that it does not aggravate or clog the pores, making it great for the skin. 

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), Vaseline has multiple skin care uses — from relieving dry skin and healing minor wounds to treating diaper rash and even rehydrating nails. 

Aside from that, it also popularly benefits the hair when used correctly. 

Uses of Vaseline on Hair

There are many ways to use Vaseline on your hair, and that depends on the benefits you’re after. 

Here are some of the reasons why people use Vaseline in hair:

• Can be used as a hair mask
• Can be used as a styling gel
• Combats hair dryness
• Combats flakiness and itching
• Prevents dryness
• Prevents frizz
• Prevents hair breakage
• Reduces the likelihood of split ends

However, make sure to use petroleum jelly on your hair in moderation or in small quantities. Also, you should never use it more than once per week. 

A pea-sized amount of Vaseline is good enough to put on your hair. If used excessively, it can be challenging to remove Vaseline from hair. 

Since it creates a barrier or seal, it may trap dirt, excess sebum, and other impurities in your hair follicles when not properly removed, leading to product buildup and hair issues.

If you’ve never used Vaseline before, patch testing is a must before applying it to either your skin or hair. 

Why Is It Difficult to Remove Vaseline From Your Hair?

Vaseline is a potent mixture of various minerals, oils, and chemicals. While it’s an excellent product for a range of uses, getting Vaseline out of hair can be challenging and tricky.

Petroleum jelly is a quite stubborn and clingy substance that sticks to the hair very easily, and because it’s composed of waxes and oils, it is therefore insoluble in water and repellent to water.

This is why you must be extra careful when using Vaseline or other petroleum products on your hair. 

How to Get Vaseline Out of Hair

If you don’t want to miss out on the benefits that Vaseline can offer to your hair, you’re probably asking one thing: “How do I get Vaseline out of my hair?”

To help you with that, we’ve compiled eight ways to remove Vaseline from hair effectively. 

Read below and learn how to wash Vaseline out of hair correctly.

PRO TIP: Before you try any of these hacks, you should follow these steps for greater results:

1. Remove as much of the Vaseline excess on your hair as possible using blotting paper or a paper towel to make sure there are no clumps or lumps in your hair. Otherwise, excess Vaseline will only spread to other parts of your head, making the issue even worse. 
2. At this point, do not wet your hair! Just try to blot and remove the vaseline from your hair strands and try not to rub it in further.

After doing these steps, you can now try any of the methods below: 

Glycerin Soap

Glycerin soap is made from fats and natural oils, which makes it the best soap to remove Vaseline from hair. It usually comes in a bar or liquid form and can be purchased at any local drugstore. 

Glycerin soaps contain glycerol — a component of oil or fat. You might think using an oil-based soap to remove an oil-based ointment is counterintuitive. But it actually makes sense! 

According to dermatologists, it’s oil that absorbs oil, not water, which means that glycerin soaps can effectively dissolve and eliminate excess dirt on your hair and leave it clean.

1. Wipe and blot out as much Vaseline product as possible on your hair with an absorbent paper towel. 
2. Wet the part of the hair that has the product. 
3. If you’re using liquid glycerin soap, apply a small amount to your fingertips and then rub it onto the affected area to remove the Vaseline excess.
   For glycerin soap bars, you need to wet them first with hot water. Then get some of it and massage it using downward strokes onto the affected area and out of your hair strands until it creates a soapy lather. 
4. Rub the glycerin soap gently and let it sit on your hair for about 20 minutes. 
5. If you need to add more soap, feel free to do so. 
6. Lastly, wash the soap from your hair using warm water and shampoo. 

Clarifying Shampoo

The easiest and best way to deal with Vaseline on your hair is to use a clarifying shampoo. Use it similarly to how glycerin soaps are used to remove petroleum from hair effectively. 

Clarifying shampoos are specifically formulated to trap any buildup of impurities and wash any type of residual product away. 

So you can use a clarifying shampoo to remove all the excess natural dry shampoo products you used throughout the day too.

But remember that clarifying shampoos contain harsh ingredients. So make sure not to use too much product and not to use it too often if you don’t want to damage your hair.

Keep washing your hair until the water runs clear. 

Baking Soda

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a fine powder that is excellent at soaking up oil and grease. It is an affordable and excellent deodorizer that has become a staple in most households.

Since baking soda is highly absorbent, it’s a good choice for removing oil and grease from your hair.

1. After removing the excess Vaseline from your hair using a blotting paper or paper towel, apply a generous amount of baking soda to the greasy part of the hair. 
2. Gently rub it with your fingertips. Avoid rubbing it too much if you don’t want the Vaseline to clog your scalp. 
3. Let it sit on your hair strands to absorb the excess oil. This procedure usually takes five to ten minutes. 
4. Remove it afterwards by washing your hair with warm water and a clarifying shampoo. 

If necessary, you can also reapply and redo the process to ensure that all the petroleum oils are soaked.

Ultimately, you need to wash your hair with shampoo to help eliminate all extra baking soda and oil residues from your hair. 

Baby Powder

Baby powders can be found in almost any home. Use it as an alternative to baking soda to eliminate Vaseline from your hair.

Follow the steps listed under the baking soda method and expect to get great results. 

However, you need to be mindful of two things if you’re using baby powder to remove Vaseline on hair:

• If you have respiratory problems, be careful when using it since baby powders usually contain crushed talc, which causes further medical complications. If possible, keep away from all products with talc.
• Don’t rub too much while using a towel on your hair to avoid working the petroleum deeper into your hair shaft and follicles. 

Dish Soap

Standard dish soaps contain harsh cleaning agents formulated to break down the grease on your dishes. Similarly, you can use it for getting Vaseline out of your hair.

1. Apply the dish soap as you normally would with shampoo. 
2. Massage the soap into the hair strands where the petroleum is.
3. Rinse and don’t forget to follow it up with a good hair mask or conditioner to restore your hair’s moisture.

However, note that dishwashing soaps are not intended to be used on the hair and scalp. So as much as possible, use only a small amount of soap.

Vinegar

For this method, regular vinegar will do. But if you want a more effective option, use apple cider vinegar. Since vinegar is highly acidic, it can cut through even the greasiest substances like petroleum oil. 

PRO TIP: Use a bottle spray to help apply the vinegar to your hair easily.

1. Combine warm water and ½ cup of vinegar on your bottle spray and mix it well. You can add clarifying shampoo as well.
2. If you’re using a spray bottle, spray some of the mixture on the affected hair strands until they are saturated. You can rinse your hair using the mixture if you don’t have a spray bottle. 
3. Afterward, wipe your hair using a paper towel in a downward motion. 
4. You may have to redo the saturating/rinsing step a few times until you’re sure that all excess petroleum jelly is removed from your hair. 
5. Follow it up with a shampoo wash and a moisturizing conditioner. 

Baby Oil or Other Oils

Using oil to get grease out may seem counterintuitive. But again, it’s science! 

Oil breaks down the hydrocarbon chains contained in Vaseline, which makes it easier to remove it from your hair. 

Baby oil is one of the oils that can help you with that. But you can also use oils like jojoba oil, coconut oil, olive oil — whatever oils you have in your home. 

If you prefer coconut oil, it should be warm before applied to your hair. 

1. Start by rubbing around two tablespoons of oil into your hair, work it into the strands affected by Vaseline. 
2. Leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes. 
3. Grab your paper towels and pat or blot the oil and Vaseline mixture to keep it out of your hair strands. If you’re wiping it out, use a downward motion. 
4. After the process, your hair will feel greasy because of the oils added. So wash it with warm water afterward and keep rewashing it as much as you need until it clears. 

Eggs

Did you know that whisked eggs are a good way to remove Vaseline from your hair?

However, this method should be your last option because of the mess and the scent. Nevertheless, it still works just like the other methods listed here!

1. Grab two or more eggs and whisk them together. You may also add three tablespoons of olive oil to further absorb the petroleum and one tablespoon of lime juice to help remove the eggs’ scent.
2. Dampen your hair with cold water and apply this mixture from roots to tips. 
3. Rinse with cold water. Do not use hot water as this might cook the eggs in your hair.
4. You may shampoo and conditioner as usual afterwards if you don’t like the scent. But if you don’t sense any stench, you can skip this step and still enjoy clean, nourished hair.

This may be quite an unpleasant experience for some because of the odd consistency of eggs. 

But if you don’t mind all the fuss about this mixture, this method is not only effective in removing Vaseline from your hair, it also nourishes hair because of the nutrient content of eggs. 

Can Vaseline Damage Your Hair?

The use of Vaseline on hair remains debated today. Some vouch for its benefits, while others are reluctant and claim it can cause more harm than good.

If you have oily skin, are prone to breakouts and acne, you should avoid applying Vaseline to your skin, face, or scalp because its greasiness can potentially block your pores and trap excess sebum. 

Some say that using Vaseline also prevent hairs follicles from properly developing and, as a result, promote bacterial growth instead. However, there’s still no reliable scientific evidence to prove these claims. 

Generally, Vaseline is not actively harmful and won’t damage your hair if used sparingly. 

However, if you apply it in large quantities and leave it on for days, Vaseline might do more harm than good to your hair. 

If you don’t regularly remove petroleum from your hair and scalp, it can foster a breeding ground for bacteria and result in blocked hair follicles because of its occlusive properties. 

Ultimately, avoid using too much petroleum product on your hair to avoid lank, limp, and overly greasy hair. 

Use Vaseline in moderation. If you’re already oily-skinned and acne-prone, you should start looking for other hydrating hair care ingredients like coconut or jojoba oils.

Conclusion

If you’re planning to add Vaseline to your hair care routine, ensure you know how to remove it to avoid further problems.

All you need to do is to remember and follow the Vaseline removal tips detailed in this article. 

Do you need more hair care articles? 

Find out more here:

• 9 Best Shampoos For Asian Hair
• Aloe Vera For Curly Hair: Benefits And Different Ways To Use It
• Different Types Of Hair Dyes: The Guide To Hair Color