How to Get Putty Out of Hair: Complete Removal Guide
8 min read
Contents:
- Understanding Putty Types and Hair Interaction
- The Oil-Based Removal Method (Most Effective)
- Why Oil Works to Remove Putty
- Oil Removal Process Step-by-Step
- Alternative Method: Heat and Compression
- Using Heat to Harden Putty
- Professional Removal: When DIY Isn’t Sufficient
- Expert Advice on Putty Removal
- Preventing Future Putty-in-Hair Incidents
- Protective Measures
- Putty Selection for Hair Safety
- Seasonal Considerations
- Common Mistakes to Avoid During Removal
- Post-Removal Hair Care
- FAQ: Putty Removal and Hair Safety
- Will putty permanently damage hair?
- How long does oil removal take?
- Can I use peanut butter to remove putty?
- What if oil doesn’t work?
- Is it ever necessary to cut the hair?
Your child’s been playing, and now there’s sticky putty tangled through their hair—or worse, your own hair. How to get putty out of hair isn’t an obvious problem you can Google in the moment, yet it happens frequently enough that parents and caregivers need reliable solutions. The answer depends on putty type, hair length, and how long the putty has been stuck. Some methods work in minutes; others require patience and care to avoid hair damage. This guide explores every proven approach to removing putty without cutting hair or causing distress.
Understanding Putty Types and Hair Interaction
Different putties create different problems. Standard modelling putty (Play-Doh, cheap craft putties) becomes drier and stickier as it sits in hair, making removal harder over time. Silly Putty and similar silicone-based putties are particularly adhesive and cling tightly to hair strands. Blu-Tack and poster putty are moderately sticky. Oil-based putties (some artist clays) create residual oiliness even after removal.
Hair type affects how difficult putty removal becomes. Fine or thin hair entangles with putty more completely, as strands slip easily into the putty’s sticky matrix. Thick, coarse hair sheds putty more readily because strands are too thick to fully penetrate. Curly hair traps putty in the curl structure, requiring more careful extraction to avoid creating knots.
The Oil-Based Removal Method (Most Effective)
Why Oil Works to Remove Putty
Oil breaks down putty’s adhesive properties by separating the putty from individual hair strands. Most putties, even “oil-free” ones, respond to oil treatment because the oil creates a lubricating barrier preventing the putty from gripping hair. This method is gentlest on hair because it avoids pulling or tension.
Coconut oil (£3 to £6 per 250ml) works excellently for this purpose. Olive oil (£2 to £4) is slightly less effective but works well. Baby oil (£2 to £3) works quickly but leaves more residual oiliness. Vegetable oil from your kitchen works but creates more mess and requires heavier washing afterward. Select based on what you have available—all work, though with slightly different effectiveness and cleanup requirements.
Oil Removal Process Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather supplies: coconut oil (approximately 50ml), fine-tooth comb or old toothbrush, paper towels, and optionally a shower cap. Work near a sink because oil drips.
Step 2: Warm the oil slightly (not hot). Place coconut oil in a small container and warm in warm water for 2 to 3 minutes. Warm oil penetrates better and works faster than cold oil. Test temperature on your inner wrist—it should feel warm but not uncomfortably hot.
Step 3: Apply the oil directly to the putty, not the hair. Saturate the putty thoroughly with oil. Use your fingers or a small brush to work oil into the putty’s surface, breaking it apart slightly as you apply.
Step 4: Wait 10 to 15 minutes. The oil needs time to penetrate and break down the putty’s adhesive bonds. For very sticky putty, wait 20 to 30 minutes. This patience eliminates most of the removal difficulty.
Step 5: Gently work the putty out with your fingers or a fine-tooth comb. Roll the putty between your fingers, working it into balls that separate from the hair. Use the comb to gently separate strands where putty remains.
Step 6: Wash thoroughly with shampoo. Oil-treated hair requires two shampoo applications to fully remove oil residue. Warm water helps—hotter water breaks down oil more completely than cool water.
Alternative Method: Heat and Compression
Using Heat to Harden Putty
A counterintuitive method: heat actually hardens certain putties (particularly Play-Doh and craft putties), making them crumble rather than stick. This works best for non-silicone putties that crystallise when heated.
Use a hair dryer on high heat, directed at the putty for 3 to 5 minutes. The putty will harden and become brittle. Once hardened, work your fingers or a comb through the area—the putty crumbles rather than stretches, often falling out in pieces rather than requiring extraction.
After heat treatment, use cool water to rinse away putty fragments. Avoid oil afterward in this method because the putty is already removed; oil would simply add unnecessary cleanup.
This method works particularly well in spring and summer (March to August) when air is naturally warmer and hair dries faster. In winter months (November to February), the heat method takes longer because ambient temperature is lower.
Professional Removal: When DIY Isn’t Sufficient
For extensive putty entanglement or if home methods have already failed, professional hairstylists can remove putty without cutting hair. Expect to pay £15 to £40 depending on how much putty is involved and how long the process takes. This is worth considering if home removal would take 1 to 2 hours and cause significant distress (particularly with very young children).
Some stylists use professional-grade solvents that aren’t available to consumers, making removal faster. Most, however, simply use superior technique and patience. Booking an appointment immediately (same-day if possible) prevents the putty from drying further—fresh putty is always easier to remove than putty that’s been sitting for hours.
Expert Advice on Putty Removal
Lisa Rothenberg, a hairstylist at a child-friendly salon in Edinburgh, offers this perspective: “The most important thing is patience. Parents panic and try to scrape putty out aggressively, which damages hair and makes the process take twice as long. Oil and time solve 95% of putty-in-hair situations. If it’s been sitting more than an hour, people assume they need professional help, but oil still works brilliantly even on putty that’s been there all day. The key is warmth and patience, not force.”
Preventing Future Putty-in-Hair Incidents
Protective Measures
Prevention is simpler than removal. Request children wear their hair in a braid, bun, or tight ponytail when playing with putty. This concentrates hair in one location, reducing surface area where putty can tangle. A shower cap or old hair cap (£2 to £4) provides complete protection and eliminates the removal problem entirely.
Supervise putty play, particularly with very young children who are more likely to experiment with putting putty in their hair. Setting a rule—putty plays at the table, never on the floor or near faces—reduces accidents.
Store putty in sealed containers away from hair play areas. Loose putty left lying around invites accidents. If children play with putty regularly, designate a specific play area and keep putty contained there.
Putty Selection for Hair Safety
Some putties are less sticky than others. Kinetic sand (£4 to £8) is less likely to stick to hair than traditional putty because it’s drier in texture. Slime made from specific recipes (less adhesive than commercial slime) causes less entanglement. If you have the choice of what putty to buy, selecting less-sticky varieties reduces the risk.
Seasonal Considerations
Winter months (November to February) present additional challenges because hair is often drier, making it more likely to catch on putty. Ensure hair is well-conditioned during winter, which reduces static and improves hair’s natural slip, preventing putty from gripping as tightly. Summer months see more outdoor play with putty, so summer is when most incidents occur. Plan accordingly during this season with protective measures (braids, shower caps) if your children play with putty frequently.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During Removal
Pulling aggressively: Attempting to yank putty out causes hair breakage and extreme discomfort. The “gentle and patient” approach always outperforms force.
Using cold oil: Warm oil works 30% to 50% faster than cold oil. Take 2 minutes to warm it—the time investment returns exponentially in easier removal.
Cutting hair immediately: Most putty can be removed without cutting. Cut hair only after multiple removal attempts have failed, as regrowth takes months.
Waiting too long: Putty becomes harder to remove as it dries. Address the problem within the first 1 to 2 hours for optimal ease.
Using harsh chemicals: Paint thinner or acetone can damage hair and scalp. Oil is gentler and more effective.
Post-Removal Hair Care
After putty removal, your hair will feel oily and may look dull. Deep conditioning treatment (leave on for 10 to 20 minutes) restores moisture and shine that oil treatment strips. Use a product like SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner (£6 to £8) or Cantu Shea Butter Conditioner (£4 to £7). Follow with a light hairspray or serum (Cloud Nine Serum, £25, or Batiste Hairspray, £3 to £5) to restore shine.
Avoid heat styling for 24 hours post-removal if possible, allowing hair to recover from the oil treatment and any tension from removal.
FAQ: Putty Removal and Hair Safety
Will putty permanently damage hair?
No. Putty doesn’t chemically bond to hair permanently. Oil removal extracts all putty without lasting damage. If hair breaks during aggressive removal attempts, that’s mechanical damage, not chemical—the broken strands regrow within 6 to 12 months.
How long does oil removal take?
Total time is typically 20 to 40 minutes: 10 to 15 minutes for oil to penetrate, then 10 to 20 minutes for careful removal. Very sticky putty takes longer; drier putty removes faster. This is far faster than cutting affected hair short.
Can I use peanut butter to remove putty?
Peanut butter works because of its oil content, but it’s messier than dedicated oils and requires more vigorous washing afterward. Oil works better. Save peanut butter for your sandwich.
What if oil doesn’t work?
If oil has failed after two attempts, professional removal becomes sensible. Some putties (particularly older, hardened ones) resist oil removal, and professional-grade products or techniques become necessary. Attempting to remove very stubborn putty yourself can cause hair damage worse than professional help.
Is it ever necessary to cut the hair?
Rarely. Only if putty has been in hair for days and has completely dried and hardened, and removal causes significant discomfort or pain, consider cutting. For nearly all fresh putty incidents, oil removal prevents cutting necessity.
How to get putty out of hair is a solvable problem requiring patience rather than panic. Warm oil, gentle hands, and time remove putty safely without hair damage in the vast majority of cases. Begin with oil removal immediately after discovering putty—those first 1 to 2 hours make the process remarkably easy. If you wait longer, the problem becomes harder, but even dried putty typically responds to oil with extended waiting time. Keep coconut oil in your bathroom cabinet alongside first aid supplies; for £3 to £6, you’ve got a solution to one of parenting’s stickiest problems.
