How to Bleach Your Hair With Hydrogen Peroxide

Co-authored by Laura Martin

Hydrogen peroxide is an ingredient that is included in most commercial hair dyes. It is a cheap, easy way to brighten your hair or bring out your natural highlights. However, keep in mind that with any home bleaching or dyeing process, there is a chance of damaging your hair or getting an unnatural looking result. See a professional hair stylist if you are planning on making a dramatic change or if your hair is already damaged or discolored.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting Ready to Bleach Your Hair

1
Start with healthy hair. Even old hair dye can affect the results. Don't dye or otherwise process your hair in the weeks leading up to the bleaching. Bleaching your hair will work better and cause less damage if your hair is strong and unprocessed. If your hair is damaged or processed, then you are better off going to a salon.^{[1]
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Research source} Strengthen your hair in the following ways:
- Use a natural shampoo and conditioner. Avoid products containing sulfates, which dry out your hair.
- Avoid chemical-laden hair sprays, gels, straightening products, and other hair products.
- Don't apply heat to your hair with a straight iron, blow dryer, or other heating appliance.
2
Gather your supplies. To bleach your hair with peroxide, you'll need the following materials. Gather them together and set them up on a table in your kitchen or bathroom:^{[2]
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- A 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Any higher than 3% and you risk hair loss when applying. Not fun!
- A clean, empty spray bottle. You can buy a new one at the drugstore, or use an old one. If you use an old one, wash it out thoroughly. If you're going to store the peroxide, keep it in a dark bottle and away from light.
- Hair clips.
- Cotton balls.
- A towel.
- Gloves.
- Aluminum foil, if you plan to do highlights.
- Shower cap, if you plan to bleach your whole head of hair.
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3
Wash and condition your hair. On the day you plan to bleach your hair, wash and condition it as normal to make sure the oils and grime caused by natural wear and styling products don't interfere with the peroxide.
- Condition well with a good natural conditioner. Bleaching your hair with peroxide can dry it out, and conditioner will protect it during the process.
- Let your hair air-dry instead of blow drying it. Pat it dry with a towel to keep it from dripping, comb it out gently, and let it dry for about thirty minutes. Hair that is a little wet will take the hydrogen peroxide better.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Applying the Hydrogen Peroxide

1
Do a strand test. Take a small section from the underside of your hair and use a cotton ball to apply peroxide. Let it sit for a few minutes, then check it. You can leave it in for up to 30 minutes if desired, but rinse it out with cold water when it reaches your desired color. Make sure to pay attention to how much time it takes to reach the desired color and use this time to help you determine how long to leave the peroxide on the rest of your hair.
- It is important to do a strand test because hydrogen peroxide may result in damage to your hair.
2
Section your hair with clips. Once your hair is reasonably dry, section off parts of hair you want bleached with claw clips. Sectioning your hair will help you make sure you treat every last lock with peroxide.
- If you want a very even bleach, the claw clip method is highly recommended. It takes more time, but it looks more professional and it offers more even highlights.
- Leave the first section of hair that you want to treat down. You'll unclip further sections as you go.
3
Apply the peroxide to sections for highlights. For bringing out natural highlights, apply peroxide with a cotton ball. Pour some peroxide on a cotton ball. Smooth it over vertical sections of hair that are about ¹⁄₄ inch (6.4 mm) thick. Start at the roots and stroke down to the tips with the cotton ball.
- Wrap each hair section in a piece of tin foil to keep the peroxide from getting onto the rest of your hair.
- Repeat this process with multiple sections of your hair for all over highlights, or just do a few sections towards the front of your face for face framing highlights.
4
Apply peroxide to the bottom half of your hair for an ombre effect. If you want an ombre look, start applying the peroxide near the ends of your hair. Use a cotton ball to apply peroxide to the bottom half of your hair all around your head.
- To avoid a blunt, horizontal line through your hair, apply the peroxide to a different spot on each strand of hair. You should still aim to apply it somewhere near the middle of the strand.
- You can go as far up the strands of hair as you want, but make sure to begin the application at your ends. This way the tips will be a brighter blonde and the color will fade to a darker shade as you move up towards your roots.
5
Use a spray bottle to apply peroxide to your whole head. To bleach all of your hair, use a spray bottle to spray the entire section of hair you left down. Spray it thoroughly and run a comb through your hair multiple times. Repeat with the remaining clipped sections of your hair.
- After you have finished applying the peroxide, put on a shower cap to keep the peroxide from dripping or touching your clothes.
6
Leave the hydrogen peroxide in your hair for about 30 minutes. Depending on how dark your hair is, how light you want it, and how much irritation the chemical may cause, you'll want to experiment and play around with it.
- Use your strand test to help you determine how long to leave the peroxide in your hair. You may only need a few minutes, or you may need the full 30 minutes.
- When you are ready to rinse, remove the tin foil or shower cap if you used them.
7
Wash your hair thoroughly with cold water and apply conditioner. Shampoo your hair to remove the peroxide, and rinse with cool water to add shine. The conditioner will help to restore some of the lost moisture.
- Add another coat of deep conditioner to your hair. Massage it into your scalp to ease any dryness or irritation the peroxide might have caused. Rinse it out with cool water.
- Allow your hair to air dry, then style as desired.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Perfecting Your Bleached Look

1
Repeat the process to lighten your hair further. The first time you use the peroxide treatment, your hair may get just a little lighter. If you want to lighten your hair more, then you'll have to repeat the treatment one or more times.
- Your hair will become much lighter if you repeat this process in smaller doses every day for a week than if you use a whole bottle of hydrogen peroxide on your hair one night.
- The final color also depends on what color your hair was to start out with.
- If your hair is very dark, your peroxide-saturated hair might seem a bit more orange at first. Keep continuing the treatment and your hair should seem blonder.
EXPERT TIP

Laura Martin
Professional Hair Stylist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin
Professional Hair Stylist

Wait at least a week between treatments. Laura Martin, a licensed cosmetologist, advises: "A single application may lighten hair anywhere from 1-3 levels. It could take a month or two to reach your desired result since you should wait a week between applications to avoid damaging your hair."
2
Apply gentle heat to speed up the process. Using a hair dryer on a low setting to gently heat your hair can help to speed up the lightening process. Turn on your hair dryer to a low heat setting and move it from root to strand all over your head. Do this until your hair reaches the desired lightness.
- It is best to use heat if you have bleached your hair with peroxide before and have a good idea of how it will turn out. If you are not sure, then avoid using a hair dryer. Go slow instead and see how the peroxide affects your hair as it air dries.^{[3]
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3
Wash your hair less often. Don't wash your hair every day. Washing your hair daily strips out natural oils that protect your hair from breaking. Try shampooing your hair only once or twice per week and use a dry shampoo (a powder you comb into your hair) to keep it looking fresh between washes.
4
Use a violet-tinted conditioner once or twice a week. This will control any yellow tones in your hair. You can buy a violet conditioner at a grocery store or beauty store.
5
Cut back on heat treatments. Don't blow dry or straighten your hair too much. These heating tools can exacerbate the damage caused by the peroxide, so only use them once a week or less. Try using heat free styling methods, or use a hair dryer on a lower setting.
6
Handle your hair gently. Let your hair air dry as often as possible, and don't wring it out or rub it with a towel after showering. Just give your hair a gentle squeeze with the towel, and then leave it be for a while. Also, make sure that when you brush your hair, you start from the ends and go slow to avoid breaking your strands.

Expert Q&A

Question

Is it bad to put hydrogen peroxide in your hair?

Laura Martin
Professional Hair Stylist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Hydrogen peroxide can cause dryness and damage, but it isn't as harsh as many other chemicals. Used in moderation, it won't have a negative effect on the hair.
Question

How long does it take for hydrogen peroxide to bleach hair?

Laura Martin
Professional Hair Stylist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

The speed at which peroxide lightens your hair is dependant on how dark your natural hair color is and how thick your hair strands are. You will generally achieve the maximum lightening possible in a single session after an hour. You may need to wait a couple of weeks and repeat the application.
Question

Can peroxide be used to bleach hair?

Laura Martin
Professional Hair Stylist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Yes, it can. It is more effective at lightening when mixed with a powdered lightener but it will produce a subtle lightening effect on its own.

Warnings

Hydrogen Peroxide isn't safe to use around children as it will burn and be very painful if it gets in your eyes or if you swallow it. Be careful and use common sense.

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Don't just pour the bottle of peroxide over your head. Use a medium, like a cotton swab or spray bottle.

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Don't rub your scalp too hard when washing it.

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Don't wash it out quicker than the instructions say or you won't get a good result.

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Keep an eye on the bleach, as it can affect one person's hair quicker than others.

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