Did you get hair extensions, and now you want them gone? You’ll need to get the glue out of your hair first.

We have several solutions below that will help with this:

• Shampoo and conditioner
• Peanut butter
• Warm water and soap (for latex glues)
• Baking soda and apple cider vinegar (for keratin polymer glues)
• Ice cubes
• Hair oil
• Acetone
• Rubbing alcohol (for silicone glues)
• Dish soap

We’ve glossed over forums, researched, and developed this guide on removing hair glue from your hair.

It contains all the known solutions that are guaranteed 100% to work.

Keep reading to find out how to get glue out of your hair!

Also, check out my guide on removing Gorilla Glue from your hair.

Shampoo and Conditioner

The first solution is a good wash with shampoo and a hair conditioner.

It shouldn’t take too long, and it’s one of the safest methods for removing hair glue from your hair.

You’ll need:

• Shampoo
• A gentle hair conditioner
• A wide-toothed comb
• Warm bath
• Towel

Follow the steps below to do this:

1. Prepare the bath (not shower) by warming the water to comfortable levels;
2. Wet your hair and apply shampoo. Rub through the hair thoroughly;
3. Wash your hair with water and remove the shampoo
4. Apply the hair conditioner generously. Don’t worry; it won’t harm your hair;
5. Use your fingertips to cover your hair in conditioner, especially the areas with glue in them;
6. Apply as much conditioner as needed;
7. Place a towel or shower cap over your head and stay like that for 10-20 minutes;
8. Wash the conditioner off and dry off your hair;
9. Use the wide-toothed comb to remove all the glue from your hair. Do it slowly to avoid damaging your hair;
10. When you’re done, wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner again.

If the hair glue doesn’t come off from your hair, repeat the process once more. That should solve your problem!

Peanut Butter

If you haven’t heard about this use of peanut butter, this will be a weird solution.

Peanut butter is legendary for removing chewing gum from hair. It’s one of the most effective methods to do it.

It also works for getting hair glue out of hair.

To do this, you’ll need:

• Peanut butter
• Hair conditioner
• Warm water
• Shower cap
• Detangling comb

Follow the steps below to remove hair glue with peanut butter:

1. Apply peanut butter liberally to the area with the glue;
2. Massage the peanut butter into the hair strands and on the glue itself
3. Use a towel or shower cap to cover your head for 30-40 minutes;
4. Rinse your hair and add conditioner, lots of it;
5. Remove the glue with a detangling comb.

You shouldn’t have to repeat the process if you apply enough peanut butter first.

The peanut butter won’t stick to your hair if you rinse it well enough and apply conditioner!

Warm Water and Soap

You don’t necessarily need fancy ingredients to get the glue out of your hair.

Warm water and soap should do the trick most times.

You’ll only need warm water, soap, and a towel for this.

Follow the steps below:

1. Wet your hair, so it’s damp;
2. Apply soap liberally and massage your hair. Do this for 15-20 minutes;
3. Rinse your hair with the soap and then wash it thoroughly;
4. Repeat this process 2-3 times until there’s no more glue in your hair.

This solution might not work if there’s a huge quantity of hair glue in your hair. 

For that, you’ll need dissolving substances like acetone or vinegar.

This method can also be used to remove eyelash glue.

Baking Soda & Apple Cider Vinegar

Baking soda and apple cider vinegar are a great combination for removing hair glue out of hair.

For this, you’ll need:

• Apple cider vinegar (with a spray)
• Baking soda
• Warm water
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Soft cloth (optional)

Follow the steps below:

1. Wet your hair thoroughly, then dry it out with a towel until it’s damp;
2. Take a handful of baking soda and spread it throughout your hair, especially in the glued areas;
3. Rub the baking soda into your hair thoroughly;
4. Spray apple cider vinegar liberally on your hair. As you’re spraying, you’ll start hearing a sizzling sound. That’s the baking soda + vinegar acting up;
5. Once you can feel the glue lumps starting to dissolve, stop spraying vinegar;
6. Massage your hair and let the baking soda and vinegar do their thing for 5-10 minutes;
7. Use a detangling comb to get the glue out of your hair;
8. Rinse the vinegar and baking soda in the shower or a bath (warm water);

A word of warning – baking soda has a pH of 9. The human skin has a pH between 5.4 and 5.9.

So, if you use baking soda too often to get the hair glue out of your hair, it may harm your hair and scalp (it dries them out).

If this solution doesn’t work on the first try, move to another one!

Ice Cubes

Ice is an easy and simple solution to removing hair glue.

After trying another solution on this list, it works best as a finishing touch.

But it’s a great standalone fix for glue hair, as well.

You’ll need:

• Ice cubes
• Spoon / fork / ice cream stick
• Comb
• Water

Follow the steps below to remove hair glue with ice cubes:

1. Freeze water into cubes but insert a spoon/fork or ice cream stick so you have a handle;
2. Once you have the ice cube, use the handle to rub the ice through your hair;
3. Apply the ice liberally, especially on the glued areas;
4. Hold the ice on the glued areas for 10-15 minutes until the glue freezes off;
5. Once the glue is frozen, use the comb to remove the frozen particles from your hair;
6. When it freezes, glue loses its adherence and will slide off easily;
7. Wash your hair, rinse it, dry it, and that’s it!

This works because the glue isn’t sticky anymore once it freezes solid.

Once that happens, you’ll have solid glue particles in your hair that are covered in a layer of ice.

You can easily remove the icing glue with a comb!

Hair Oil

Glue and oil don’t mix well together. When they do, the oil softens and dissolves the bonds between the glue particles.

For this solution, you’ll need:

• Oil – Any type, including tea tree oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, extra virgin olive oil, etc.
• A shower cap
• A comb
• Water, shampoo, and conditioner

Follow the steps below to clean the hair glue using hair oil:

1. Apply oil to your fingertips and run it through your hair gently. Focus on the glued areas;
2. Keep doing this until all your glued hair is coated in oil;
3. Cover your hair with a towel or shower cap and wait for 30-40 minutes;
4. Comb your hair to remove the softened glue. Do it gently to avoid damaging your hair;
5. Shampoo and condition your hair, wash it down, and dry it.

The oil will soften the glue and damage its particle bonds, making it easier for you to remove with the comb.

All the oil will be removed if you wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner.

No oily hair after this solution!

Acetone

Acetone is known for its acidic properties, especially against glue and nail polish.

Moreover, it’s inexpensive and easy to get your hands on. You can buy it from any cosmetic shop or beauty store.

For this solution, you’ll need:

• 100% acetone-based nail polish remover or pure acetone
• Latex gloves
• Cotton swab
• Comb
• Water, shampoo, and conditioner

Follow the steps below to get the hair glue out of your hair with acetone:

1. Put on a pair of latex gloves. You don’t want to irritate your hands with acetone;
2. Soak the cotton swab in acetone;
3. Apply the acetone to your hair (focus on the glued lumps) with the cotton swab;
4. Let the acetone sit there for 5-10 minutes. During this time, the glue will harden and become non-sticky;
5. Comb out the hardened glue;
6. Once you remove all the glue from your hair, wash it with shampoo and conditioner, and dry it out.

We recommend a hydrating conditioner because the acetone will dry off your hair and scalp.

A special scalp cream might also help stave off acetone’s dehydrating effects.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol (at least 70% concentration) is similar to acetone and natural oils.

It will soften and dissolve the glue. This makes it easy to comb it out with a wide-toothed comb.

For this, you’ll need:

• 70% concentration of rubbing alcohol
• Cotton balls
• Paper clips
• A Comb
• Your fingertips

Follow the steps below to remove the hair glue with rubbing alcohol:

1. Soak several cotton balls in the rubbing alcohol;
2. Place the cotton balls in your hair, in the glued areas;
3. Lock the balls into place with paper clips or bobby pins;
4. Wait for 10-20 minutes until the glue starts to disintegrate;
5. Use your fingers to rub your hair and free the glue particles;
6. Comb out the remaining glue with a narrow-toothed comb;
7. Wash and condition your hair to prevent it from drying from rubbing alcohol.

Don’t overuse this solution too much because the alcohol will dry your hair, just like acetone.

If it doesn’t work on the first try, use another solution.

Dish Soap

Dish soap has an effect that destroys the bonds between molecules of a given substance. In this case, it’s glue.

Applying dish soap to your hair will make the glue start disintegrating and losing its stickiness.

For this, you’ll need:

• Warm water
• Dish soap
• Shower cap
• Shampoo and conditioner

Follow the steps below to remove the hair glue using dish soap:

1. Soak your hair in warm water until full saturation;
2. Add dish soap liberally to your hair and disperse it thoroughly;
3. Massage the dish soap into those glued areas;
4. Put on the shower cap and wait for 60 minutes before continuing;
5. Rinse the dish soap and comb out the remaining glue particles in your hair;
6. Use shampoo and conditioner to wash your hair of all the dish soap and glue.

This is the final solution on this list. By now, you must have already removed the glue from your hair.

If not, this solution should work!

Conclusion

Hair glue is a pain to remove; that much is clear. But with the right tools, you’ll finish in no time.

To sum up, you can get the hair glue out of your hair using:

• Shampoo and conditioner
• Peanut butter
• Warm water and soap (for latex glues)
• Baking soda and apple cider vinegar (for keratin polymer glues)
• Ice cubes
• Hair oil
• Acetone
• Rubbing alcohol (for silicone glues)
• Dish soap

Be consistent, have patience, and be gentle with your hair. Don’t forget to shampoo and condition your hair after trying out these solutions, especially the ones involving acetone, alcohol, and baking soda.

Good luck!