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Home and Garden
Housekeeping
Stain Removal
How to Remove a Henna Stain Download Article Co-authored by Moushami Iyer and Sophia Bell
Last Updated: July 8, 2025 References
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Getting Henna off of Skin
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Removing Henna from Fabric
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Video
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Expert Q&A
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Tips
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Things You'll Need
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This article was co-authored by Moushami Iyer and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Bell. Moushami Iyer is a Henna Artist and the Owner of Pastel Zenna, an art store in Chicago featuring Moushami's specialty in blending Zentangles and Henna. With over five years of experience, Moushami specializes in Henna tattoos, Henna-inspired art, woodwork, and offers Henna parties. This article has been viewed 134,996 times.
Henna is a plant-based dye that is often used to create beautiful temporary tattoos. It can also be used as a hair dye. Though henna fades naturally over time, you may have a stain that you want to get rid of immediately. Luckily, you can easily remove henna from your skin or from fabric using a few common household items.
Things You Should Know
To remove henna (mehndi) stains from clothes or fabric, apply vinegar or rubbing alcohol and let it sit on the stain for an hour, then launder the item like you normally would. For henna stains on skin, Henna artist Moushami Iyer recommends "washing the area often with soap to expedite fading."
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 2:
Getting Henna off of Skin
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1 Mix equal parts salt and olive oil in a bowl. The oil is an emulsifier, while the salt is an exfoliant, so the combination works well to get the henna off of your skin. You can use any kind of salt you wish.[1]XResearch source You could use baby oil if you don’t have olive oil.[2]XResearch source
Some alternatives for removing henna from skin include baking soda, lemon juice, soapy water, and whitening toothpaste.
2 Soak a cotton ball in the mixture and rub the stain with it. Vigorously scrub the stained area of your skin with the cotton ball. When the cotton ball dries out, switch to a freshly-soaked one. Keep scrubbing until the henna is gone.[3]XResearch source Advertisement
3 Leave the mixture on your skin for 10 minutes, then wash the area. Once the stained area has been scrubbed clean, thoroughly coat it with the mixture. Then, wash the area with warm water and mild soap, and rinse thoroughly.[4]XResearch source
Soap can also speed up the fading process.[5]X Expert Source Moushami IyerHenna ArtistExpert Interview
4 Scrub the stain with hydrogen peroxide if it persists. If you still have henna on your skin, don’t despair. Soak a fresh cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide, then use it to scrub the stain. When the henna begins to rub off onto the cotton, get a new cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Keep scrubbing until the henna is gone.[6]XResearch source
Hydrogen peroxide is gentle, so it shouldn’t irritate your skin. But, if your skin seems dry after using it, apply an unscented lotion to the area.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 2:
Removing Henna from Fabric
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1 Treat the stain as quickly as possible. You’ll have an easier time removing the stain right after it happens than after the dye has dried and set into the fabric. If possible, treat the stain immediately.
2 Blot the area with an old cloth or paper towel. Avoid rubbing the stain, which could make it bigger. Instead, press a soft and absorbent cloth onto the stain to soak up the excess dye. The dye will ruin the cloth, so you could use paper towels instead. Use a clean part of the cloth or towel each time you blot the fabric to prevent the stain from spreading.[7]XResearch source
3 Scrub laundry soap or fabric cleaner into the area with a toothbrush. Put a few drops of color-safe laundry detergent onto the stain if the item can be laundered. If the item can’t be laundered, spray the stain with fabric cleaner. Use a clean toothbrush to scrub the detergent or cleaner into the fabric. Continue to scrub until you don’t see any dye left in the fibers of the fabric.[8]XResearch source
4 Flush the fabric with cold water. Pour cold water over the stained fabric or place it under running water to rinse away the detergent or cleaner and dye. Don’t use hot water, which could set the stain. Keep rinsing until all the bubbles and dye are gone.[9]XResearch source
5 Apply vinegar or rubbing alcohol to the area if the stain persists. If you still see henna dye on the fabric, pour a little distilled white vinegar or rubbing alcohol onto the stain. Let it sit for up to an hour, then launder the item according to the care label. If the item is too big to launder, flush the area with cold water to remove the vinegar or alcohol.
If necessary, you could scrub the fabric with the detergent or fabric cleaner again, then rinse it out with cold water.
Question Do henna stains come out? Moushami Iyer Henna Artist Moushami Iyer is a Henna Artist and the Owner of Pastel Zenna, an art store in Chicago featuring Moushami's specialty in blending Zentangles and Henna. With over five years of experience, Moushami specializes in Henna tattoos, Henna-inspired art, woodwork, and offers Henna parties. Moushami Iyer Henna Artist Expert Answer Yes! Henna stain takes 10 day to 2 weeks to completely wear off. If you want to accelerate the process, wash often with soap. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 7 Helpful 12
Question How can I remove instant henna in one minute? Community Answer Rub alcohol on it and it should come out. Use a bottle instead of the alcohol pads the henna comes with. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 17 Helpful 20
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Video
Tips
You can also use mineral oil or lemon juice to remove henna from your hair. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Things You’ll Need
Getting Henna off of Skin
Salt
Olive oil or baby oil
Bowl
Cotton balls
Mild soap
Hydrogen peroxide
Removing Henna from Fabric
Old cloths or paper towels
Laundry detergent or fabric cleaner
Clean toothbrush
Distilled white vinegar or rubbing alcohol
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About This Article
Co-authored by: Moushami Iyer Henna Artist This article was co-authored by Moushami Iyer and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Bell. Moushami Iyer is a Henna Artist and the Owner of Pastel Zenna, an art store in Chicago featuring Moushami's specialty in blending Zentangles and Henna. With over five years of experience, Moushami specializes in Henna tattoos, Henna-inspired art, woodwork, and offers Henna parties. This article has been viewed 134,996 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 7Updated: July 8, 2025 Views: 134,996 Categories: Henna | Stain RemovalArticle SummaryX
To remove henna from your skin, scrub the area with a cotton ball soaked in equal parts olive oil and salt. Let the mixture soak for 10 minutes, then wash the skin with mild soap and water. To get a henna stain out of fabric, scrub a few drops of laundry detergent into the stain using a clean toothbrush, then rinse the area with cold water. For more tips and tricks on getting rid of persistent henna stains, keep scrolling!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Sara Lamen
May 13, 2021
"It came off and it was the simplest way out of all the ones I have tried before!"
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Moushami Iyer Henna Artist Click a star to vote Co-authors: 7Updated: July 8, 2025 Views: 134,996
Sara Lamen
May 13, 2021
"It came off and it was the simplest way out of all the ones I have tried before!" Share yours!
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Download Article Co-authored by Moushami Iyer and Sophia Bell 
How toGet Dye off Skin 
How to Care for Henna Body Art So It Lasts Longer 
How to Remove Highlighter Stains From Clothes 
How toRemove Hair Dye from Skin After It Dries 
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Co-authored by: Moushami Iyer Henna Artist This article was co-authored by Moushami Iyer and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Bell. Moushami Iyer is a Henna Artist and the Owner of Pastel Zenna, an art store in Chicago featuring Moushami's specialty in blending Zentangles and Henna. With over five years of experience, Moushami specializes in Henna tattoos, Henna-inspired art, woodwork, and offers Henna parties. This article has been viewed 134,996 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 7 Updated: July 8, 2025 Views: 134,996 Categories: Henna | Stain Removal Article SummaryX
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1 Mix equal parts salt and olive oil in a bowl. The oil is an emulsifier, while the salt is an exfoliant, so the combination works well to get the henna off of your skin. You can use any kind of salt you wish.[1] You could use baby oil if you don’t have olive oil.[2] 
2 Soak a cotton ball in the mixture and rub the stain with it. Vigorously scrub the stained area of your skin with the cotton ball. When the cotton ball dries out, switch to a freshly-soaked one. Keep scrubbing until the henna is gone.[3] Advertisement 
3 Leave the mixture on your skin for 10 minutes, then wash the area. Once the stained area has been scrubbed clean, thoroughly coat it with the mixture. Then, wash the area with warm water and mild soap, and rinse thoroughly.[4] 
1 Treat the stain as quickly as possible. You’ll have an easier time removing the stain right after it happens than after the dye has dried and set into the fabric. If possible, treat the stain immediately. 
4 Flush the fabric with cold water. Pour cold water over the stained fabric or place it under running water to rinse away the detergent or cleaner and dye. Don’t use hot water, which could set the stain. Keep rinsing until all the bubbles and dye are gone.[9] 
5 Apply vinegar or rubbing alcohol to the area if the stain persists. If you still see henna dye on the fabric, pour a little distilled white vinegar or rubbing alcohol onto the stain. Let it sit for up to an hour, then launder the item according to the care label. If the item is too big to launder, flush the area with cold water to remove the vinegar or alcohol. 
Moushami Iyer Henna Artist Moushami Iyer is a Henna Artist and the Owner of Pastel Zenna, an art store in Chicago featuring Moushami's specialty in blending Zentangles and Henna. With over five years of experience, Moushami specializes in Henna tattoos, Henna-inspired art, woodwork, and offers Henna parties. 
Community Answer Rub alcohol on it and it should come out. Use a bottle instead of the alcohol pads the henna comes with. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 17 Helpful 20 
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