How To Get Chlorine Out Of Hair: 8 Expert Tips And Tricks

Whether you’re an avid swimmer or just like to take an occasional dip in the pool, you’re bound to experience a bit of hair damage due to chlorine. If you’re wondering just how to get chlorine out of hair, you’re in the right place!

Babo Botanicals has just what you need to keep your family’s hair healthy. Here, learn the science behind chlorine and the truth about chlorine and green hair, and then take a look at our tips and tricks for caring for your tresses while swimming.

The Science Behind Chlorine And Your Hair

Even though chlorine is a necessary chemical to stop harmful bacteria from getting in the water, it doesn’t do your hair any good. Chlorine can harm your hair by:

Damaging it
Drying it out
Stripping it of its natural oils
Making it brittle
Causing discoloration

Chlorine And Green Hair

Contrary to popular belief, chlorine alone doesn’t necessarily turn your hair green.

Water has lots of mineral deposits — like copper and iron — in it. For example, if you have well water and you’re not using any filter, whether on your showerhead or on the well itself, your hair might look a little faded and dull, and it might feel dry and coarse.

So why does the water in the pool turn your hair green and not the water in your house? Well, your water at home doesn’t have chlorine added to it frequently.

When chlorine attaches to the mineral deposits that are already in the pool water, they form a type of film that sticks to each strand of your hair. This is why your hair is more likely to turn green in pool water.

Note: People who have lighter-colored hair are more likely to have a green tint in their hair after swimming.

How To Get Chlorine Out Of Hair

Now that you know the science behind chlorine and what it does to your beautiful locks, you’re probably wondering how to get it out. Take a look at our tips and tricks so you can take care of your hair the right way while swimming!

1) Get Your Hair Wet Before Swimming

To slow down the process of chlorine seeping into your hair, get it wet before hopping in the pool. (Don’t wash with shampoo; just wet it with clean water.)

Think of your hair as a sponge. It absorbs everything. But if your hair is already soaked in clean water before you dip into the pool, it clings and attaches to your strands first. The chlorine won’t attach as well to your strands since your hair has already started absorbing water.

Note: This doesn’t mean you won’t get any chlorine in your hair. It just helps minimize the opportunity for the chlorine to penetrate the roots.

2) Use Products That Protect Your Hair From Chlorine

The best way to protect your hair from chlorine is to make sure you’re using the right hair products. Choose products that are all-natural and will actually add moisture and nourishment to your hair.

For your little one, try our Moisturizing Baby Shampoo And Wash. This swim shampoo will leave their hair smooth and shiny. Plus, it provides great nourishment for their skin!

And for you (and your children!), use a purifying shampoo, like our Swim & Sport Citrus Mint Shampoo & Wash. It’s great for replenishing, hydrating, and purifying your hair.

Made with aloe vera, this swim shampoo fights off chlorine and leaves your hair soft and shiny. It’s even effective enough for any age!

3) Apply Leave-In Conditioner Before Swimming

After you wet your hair with clean water and before swimming, apply leave-in conditioner to your hair.

As we mentioned earlier, chlorine can severely damage and dry out your hair. A leave-in conditioner gives your hair even more protection from absorbing some of the chlorine.

Plus, it helps make your hair feel soft so you can avoid tangles. If you’ve ever tried to brush your hair right after swimming, you know how difficult it can be to detangle it.

And if those tangles are just too much for you to handle, try using our Smoothing Dangling Spray!

4) Wear A Swim Cap

Wearing a swim cap is the most bulletproof way to protect your hair from chlorine while you’re swimming. It helps your hair avoid direct contact with chlorine, although this doesn’t necessarily mean your hair won't get any chlorine in it.

If you’re a pretty frequent swimmer, this is the best trick to use. Swim caps are especially great for kids since they turn into little fish once they hit the pool! Plus, there are cute designs to make them appealing for your little one.

Tip: Add conditioner to your hair before you put on a swim cap to keep it soft and shiny.

5) Braid Your Hair

If your hair is long enough, braid it before you take a dip. This way, your hair is contained and out of your face.

Wearing your hair braided makes it harder for chlorine to fully attach to your strands because some of them are hidden within the braid. To top it off, braiding your hair keeps it all in one place, so you won’t get as many knots and tangles.

But just in case, stash a bottle of our Smoothing Dangling Spray in your pool bag since braiding your hair (or your little one’s hair!) isn’t foolproof and you might still find a few tangles.

And after you take out your braids, wash your hair with our Smoothing Detangling Shampoo & Wash and Smoothing Detangling Conditioner to smooth out and give it some TLC.

6) Immediately Rinse And Wash Your Hair After Swimming

One of the best ways to get chlorine out of your hair is to immediately rinse and wash it after swimming. Most pools have a showerhead outside, so you can quickly rinse your hair and body after swimming.

If you don’t have access to clean water near the pool, just hit the shower as soon as you can. You don’t want to let the chlorine sit any longer than it has to.

And remember to use a shampoo that targets your swim hair needs, like our Swim & Sport Citrus Mint Shampoo & Wash and Swim & Sport Citrus Mint Conditioner. Both work together to help remove any chlorine, salt, pollution, and grime. Just what you need after a day in the water!

7) Don’t Blow Dry Your Hair

And after washing your hair, let it air dry instead of drying it with a hairdryer. If there is any existing damage to your hair from the chlorine, heat could make it worse.

8) Use Home Remedies

If you’re having some trouble with hair discoloration caused by the pool water, try at-home remedies, like:

Soaking green sections of your hair in baking soda (mix ½ cup of baking soda with water until it forms a paste)
Using lemon juice (soak your hair in real lemon juice for five minutes, and then wash and condition as you normally would)

Swimming With Healthy Hair

You don’t have to avoid the pool water completely just because it contains chlorine. You can enjoy swimming in the pool with your family this summer and keep your hair healthy!

To start, wet your hair before you go swimming and choose products that protect your hair from chlorine, like swim shampoo.

Try using a leave-in conditioner before heading to the pool, and wear a swim cap if you find yourself swimming a lot. Make sure you immediately rinse and wash your hair after swimming, and then let it air dry.

Lastly, remember to use hair products that treat and moisturize your hair. You can have your cake and eat it, too (a.k.a. having healthy hair and taking a dip) by using Babo Botanicals Swim And Chlorine products!