The Secret Ingredient That'll Clean Up Hairspray In The Bathroom

Hairspray can be a lifesaver, especially on windy days or when your hair just isn't falling into place no matter what you do. However, it can quickly turn into a nightmare when you come home and realize that your bathroom has been coated in it. A little rubbing alcohol can be the secret ingredient needed to help attack the hairspray mess.

The problem with sticky hair spray residue on surfaces is that it binds quickly and leaves hardened specks behind. While you want hair spray to take effect immediately in your hair, you don't want it to leave residue all over your bathroom. Still, there isn't much that can be done since the particles spray out and spread all around.

The one saving grace of hair spray particles adhering to areas in the bathroom is that most affected surfaces are usually mirrors, sinks, and counters. These often tend to be tile or glass which respond well to rubbing alcohol. In fact, rubbing alcohol can even be used to clean tile grout and requires minimal effort when used to remove hair spray.

The problem with hairspray is not only that it leaves specks that can be seen and felt, but it can make your mirrors appear fogged up and unclear. It might not be that noticeable on one or two uses, but since we often use hairspray in the same area, the build-up sets in quickly.

To begin the clean-up grab a bottle of rubbing alcohol, ideally with a 70-90% concentration. Make sure whenever you clean with alcohol that the area is properly ventilated, and open a window or plug in a fan. Get a microfiber cloth and dip a portion of it in the alcohol or put it into a bottle and spray some alcohol on the cloth. Next, place the wet cloth on the stuck-on hair spray allow it to sit on the area for about 10 seconds, and allow the alcohol to penetrate. Then, wipe away the residue — it should detach quite easily from the tile or mirror.

You can also use rubbing alcohol on the faucet and other bathroom fixtures to remove stuck-on hairspray. Use the same method as you do for tile and mirrors. Keep in mind that depending on how much hair spray has been built up, it may take more than one or two wiping sessions to completely remove the residue.