Getting Glue Out of Hair: Superglue, Hair Glue, EEG Glue & More

Apply skin-safe oil to remove most types of glue.

Massage oil into your hair to loosen the glue. Skin-safe oils like olive oil, baby oil, mineral oil, and vegetable oil are an effective, non-abrasive way to get glue out of your hair. This method works for most types of glue, including superglue, hair or wig glue, and EEG or medical glue. Let the oil sit for up to an hour depending on the type of glue, then comb out the pieces of glue. For superglue, let the oil sit for at least an hour. For hair glue, wait 10-30 minutes. For EEG glue, it should only take a few minutes. If there’s still a lot of tension after waiting the recommended amount of time, apply more oil and wait a little longer.

Use acetone to remove superglue.

Soak a cotton ball in acetone and apply it to the glue. Hold it onto the affected area for a few minutes. The acetone should break down the glue bonds and allow you to comb through your hair. If this doesn’t remove all the glue, apply more acetone and try again in a few minutes. Acetone can also remove EEG glue and hair glue, but because it can quickly dry your hair out, it’s usually better to try less-abrasive methods first. Acetone works well with superglue because it’s a stronger glue. Acetone-based nail polish removers also work.

Loosen wig glue by soaking your hair in warm water.

Dunk your hair into a sink or basin filled with warm water. Alternatively, run it under warm water in the shower until it’s thoroughly wet. Massage the affected area to further loosen the glue, then use a wide-tooth comb to remove the glue. Finish by washing your hair with clarifying shampoo to remove any remaining residue. Steam can also sometimes loosen hair glue. Hold your hair in the steam above a bowl of warm water, then comb through it with a wide-tooth comb to remove the glue. |Remove glue from hair extensions the same way you remove it from your real hair.

Remove stubborn bits of hair glue with ice.

Hold a piece of ice to the glue to harden it. If there are stubborn bits of glue that you still can’t get out after trying other removal methods, ice can harden the glue so you can slide it right out of your hair. Hold a piece of ice to the affected area for 15 minutes. Then, gently pull the glue particles out of your hair and dispose of them.

Wash your hair to remove Elmer’s glue.

Shampoo and condition your hair as you normally would. Elmer’s school glue is water-soluble, so it should be pretty easy to remove it from your hair. Simply soak your hair with water and massage in shampoo and conditioner as you usually would. Rinse and repeat as necessary until all the glue is gone. In most cases, washing your hair this way should be enough. If for some reason it doesn’t work, try treating your hair with a skin-safe oil beforehand to loosen the glue’s bonds. This works for all brands of school glue, as well as washable glue sticks.

Remove EEG glue using dish soap.

Massage gentle dish soap into your hair. Many dish soaps can effectively and gently loosen EEG glue from your hair. Get your hair wet and massage the soap into the affected area. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it out. EEG or medical glue is used to securely attach electrodes to your scalp during EEGs. When the EEG is finished, the technician will use a special solvent to remove the glue, but sometimes, it won’t all come out and you’ll need to remove the rest yourself.

Comb out small pieces of glue without product.

Use a wide-tooth comb to remove bits of glue. Depending on the type of glue and how much is stuck, it may be possible to remove it without applying acetone, oil, or another product. Start with a wide-tooth comb and run it through the affected area until the glue has been removed. For very small pieces, you may need to switch to a finer comb to ensure you get every bit. If you’re trying to comb out hair glue, it may help to apply a creamy conditioner to loosen the glue’s bonds. If combing alone doesn’t work, try applying acetone or oil and letting it soak before trying again.

Use rubbing alcohol as a last resort.

Apply rubbing alcohol to the glue to break it down quickly. Alcohol is very abrasive, can irritate the skin, and damage your hair, so it isn’t generally recommended to remove glue. However, it does break down the bonds more quickly than products like oils, so it can work in an emergency. Hold it to the affected area for a few minutes, comb out the glue, then wash your hair as soon as possible to avoid damage. If you must use alcohol, try using it in combination with an oil. Dab alcohol onto the affected area with a cotton swab. When the glue loosens, go back over the area with an oil to help soothe the skin.

Shampoo and condition your hair after removing the glue.

Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo and moisturizing conditioner. Clarifying shampoo is a deep cleanser designed to remove grease, product residue, and other impurities from your hair, making it more effective at removing glue than regular shampoo. Conditioners also help loosen glue. Wash your hair as you normally would, repeating as necessary until all the glue has been removed. It’s important to wash your hair no matter which products you used to remove the glue, but especially if you used a product that can dry out and damage hair, like acetone or rubbing alcohol. Pay special attention to the affected area when washing to make sure all the glue residue is removed.