You can use household items, such as oil or acetone to get glue out of your hair without having to cut it. 

Super glue is a fast-drying adhesive that creates a strong bond on multiple materials.

So the same happens when super glue gets in the hair – it dries fast, and you cannot just pull it off as it bonds to your hair very strongly. 

Super glue is one of the hardest adhesives to remove from hair, so simply combing it or washing it with shampoo and water won’t do the trick. 

Some of the safest and most effective ways to get glue out of hair without having to cut it involve household items, such as:

• Acetone 
• Oil 
• Lemon juice
• Rubbing alcohol
• Apple cider vinegar 

In this guide, you will learn exactly how to use these methods (step-by-step) to remove super glue from your hair, whether it dried on your ends or close to your scalp. 

Nobody intends to get super glue in their hair, but these unwanted accidents happen.

This is why we create easy-to-follow guides to help you get out of these sticky situations with items you have immediate access to in your home. 

Keep in mind that even though these methods work well, they are both effective and safe to apply; it will most likely take some time to get to the end of the matter. 

Getting super glue out of the hair may be simple and even easy, but it will take more than just a few minutes to fully remove it, which doesn’t surprise us, knowing that this adhesive is one of the strongest ones on the market. 

So be patient with the process. Keep reading to find out exactly what you need to use and how you need to apply to remove super glue from your hair. 

For further info, check out my guide on getting super glue off glasses.

Acetone

We recommend using a pure acetone product, but if you do not have it in your home when the accident happens, you can swap it for an acetone-based nail polish remover. 

Prepare the following items to get glue out of your hair with acetone:

• Acetone 
• Cotton ball
• Bowl 
• Shampoo and conditioner

Follow these steps if the super glue is close to your scalp:

1. Protect your scalp from acetone by covering it with a plastic bag, wax paper, or any other item that you can hold between your skin and the area of your hair with the glue dried on it
2. Soak the cotton ball in acetone 
3. Apply the acetone-soaked cotton ball to where the glue is dried to your hair
4. Cover the whole glue
5. Let it soak through well
6. Repeat this step until the glue is starting to soften or loosen 
7. Once it is loose enough, gently pull it away from your hair or along your hair strands to the ends of your hair strands and pull it away
8. Wash your hair with warm water and shampoo to remove any glue residue from it
9. Use a conditioner as the acetone usually causes the hair to dry

Follow these steps if the super glue is at the end of your hair:

1. If the super glue is dried to the ends of your hair strand, add acetone to a bowl big enough to fit the parts of your hair that have the dried glue 
2. Let the glue soak in acetone for a few minutes
3. Check if the glue has loosened sufficiently to pull it off your hair
4. If not, soak it in acetone again (be careful not to leave it in for too long as acetone can dry out your hair)
5. Once the super glue is soft enough, grab it with an acetone-soaked cotton ball and pull it down along the strands of your hair
6. Wash your hair with shampoo to make sure there is no adhesive residue left in your hair
7. Use a good conditioner to nurture your hair as acetone can cause dryness

The acetone method can also be used to get super glue off carpet.

Oil 

Oil (such as vegetable oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, or grapeseed oil) can weaken super glue’s bond on the hair. 

Oil is safe to use on hair as it doesn’t contain chemicals that could damage your hair through this process. 

You will need the following items to get super glue out of your hair with oil:

• Oil
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Gloves 

Follow these steps to remove the super dried glue from your hair:

1. Use gloves that will allow you to easily dispense the oil into your hair that is covered with super glue
2. Gently rub the oil into the glue until the adhesive loosens 
3. Once the glue becomes loose enough, gently pull it out of your hair
4. Wash your hair with shampoo to make sure there is no glue residue left 
5. Use a nurturing and moisturizing conditioner to treat your hair and protect it from dryness

When you apply this method, you may be tempted to go rougher by rubbing the oil into the super-dried glue to cause it to loosen faster.

Rubbing your hair excessively could cause damage, such as breakage, so we don’t recommend it.

Be gentle. This may take longer to get the glue out of your hair, but it will protect it from various potential damages.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice can help you get super glue out of your hair. Plus, it is one of the safest methods because it doesn’t get chemicals into your hair or scalp. 

Lemon juice, thanks to its acidity, can loosen hardened super glue. 

You will need the following items:

• Lemon juice 
• Bowl 
• Comb 
• Shampoo
• Conditioner 

Follow these simple steps to remove super glue from hair with lemon juice:

1. Pour lemon juice into a bowl (depending on the size of the bond in your hair, use one cup or more)
2. Add the part of your into the bowl that has super glue on it
3. Let it soak for about 10-15 minutes 
4. Check to see if the glue is loose enough to comb it out
5. If not, place your hair back into the bowl 
6. Soak the glue in lemon juice until it loosens up
7. Use a comb to comb the loosened super glue out of your hair
8. Wash your hair well with shampoo to remove any super glue residue that still may be in your hair
9. Use a good conditioner to nurture your hair

Lemon juice can also be used to get super glue off car paint.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is yet another common household item that can be used to get super glue out of your hair. 

Prepare the following items before starting:

• Rubbing alcohol 
• Bowl
• Shampoo
• Conditioner

Follow these easy steps to remove super glue from hair using rubbing alcohol:

1. Pour rubbing alcohol into a bowl (big enough to fit the portion of your hair that has glue on it)
2. Soak the glue in the rubbing alcohol for about 10-15 minutes
3. Lift your hair out and check if the glue has loosened
4. If not, soak the glue in rubbing alcohol again for another 10-15 minutes
5. Please repeat this step until the super dried glue is loose enough to remove it
6. Use a comb to comb the flexible glue out of your hair (or put some gloves on and gently pull the glue out of your hair)
7. Once the bond is out, wash your hair with shampoo to clean it off well
8. Apply a good conditioner that will nurture and protect your hair from dryness

Additionally, rubbing alcohol is great to get super glue off metal.

Apple Cider Vinegar

You may try white vinegar if you don’t have apple cider vinegar. 

Apple Cider Vinegar is safe to apply to hair as it won’t cause damage to it. But as with any other method, you shouldn’t leave it on for too long. 

Here is what you need to get glue out of your hair with apple cider vinegar:

• Apple cider vinegar 
• Cotton ball
• Comb 
• Shampoo
• Conditioner 

Follow these simple steps to remove the super glue:

1. Dab the cotton ball into apple cider vinegar and let it soak through
2. Apply the cotton ball to the dried glue on your hair, covering it all
3. Let it soak the glue for at least 5 minutes
4. Repeat this step until the glue will loosen
5. Once the glue loosens, use a comb to comb it out of your hair
6. Wash your hair with shampoo to remove all glue residue
7. You may need to repeat this step a few times
8. Use a good conditioner to moisturize and nurture your hair

If the glue is at the ends of your hair, you can also pour apple cider vinegar into a bowl and place your strands of hair into the bowl with the glue dried on them. Let it soak for a minimum of 5 minutes. 

Check if the glue is loosening. If not, let your hair soak for longer, checking every few minutes if the bond is loosening. Once it is, follow the next few steps from above. 

Can Super Glue Damage The Hair?

Super glue is a very strong adhesive with various chemicals in it. 

Depending on how long the glue remains in the hair, it could potentially cause some damage to it. If left in longer, your hair could suffer dryness and breakage. 

If you notice it right away when the super glue gets in your hair and have warm water and soap beside you, try getting the adhesive out of your hair before it dries. 

Soak your hair with the glue in warm water and apply a generous amount of soap to it. Rub it gently to remove the glue.

Do not do this with bare hands; you will get glue on your hands and create a bigger mess in your hair. 

Use gloves to rub the soap into the glue and gently pull it out of your hair. If the bond is drying too fast, try any of the methods mentioned above if this doesn’t work.

Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find the one that best works for you. 

Conclusion

Yes, super glue will dry fast and create a strong bond in your hair. If you get super glue in your hair, there is no going back, but there is fixing the sticky situation without using scissors. 

You can get super glue out of your hair using household items, such as:

• Acetone 
• Oil 
• Lemon juice
• Rubbing alcohol
• Apple cider vinegar 

Super glue dries very fast. It can dry as quickly as 3-10 seconds which doesn’t leave you with a high chance of removing it before it dries. 

Once the glue dries to your hair, there are several methods you can apply to get it out of your hair, but we recommend getting to it right away. 

The more the super glue stays in your hair, the more there is a chance of it causing damage to it, such as breakage or dryness. 

You may need to experiment to find which method best works with your hair. But regardless of the method, ensure that after removing the glue, you wash your hair with shampoo to remove all residue.

You may need to re-wash your hair a few times to clean hair of any leftover adhesive. 

Apply a good conditioner that will nurture your hair and keep it healthy.