Removing Vaseline/Vaporub from hair
One memorable day, a few months ago now, Lil’ Duck discovered the joy of Baby Vaporub. This product must feel especially lovely in hair, because that is exactly where he put it. We tried hot water, shampoo, etc. but it just took about 8-10 washings before it was back to normal (we had some mohawk fun in the meantime).
However, if I’d known that putting cornstarch in his hair would sop up the extra oil, it would have saved us a lot of scrubbing. Hopefully I don’t need to use this tip again, but it might help one of you – I’d try it for removing any petroleum-based/oily product. It would probably have also helped us with our vegetable oil flood….. ah, well.
Be sure to visit the rest of the Works For Me Wednesday tips for other great ideas as well.
My Grace put vasoline in my toddler (at the time), Jacob’s hair. Then she mushed baby powder in it.
We thought they were asleep and she climbed in his crib. It could have been really, really bad (baby powder is bad for their lungs) but instead it was just hilarious (and a pain).
Great story, hours of work… Glad it all worked out for you too. Hope you took pics!
Ahhh, that’s good to know. I’ll file that information and hope I never have to use it!
ACK! We had a similar situation one time, and we washed and washed and washed and washed some more… Now, I’ll be sure to remember this tip!
Thanks for the tip. I hope I never need it.
That’s a really good practical tip! Thanks!
Ah this is one of those pieces of information that I keep repeating to myself so I can remember it when the time is needed, thanks.
Thanks for the great tip! You never know whey you might need one like that!
Tracy
I’ll have to keep this one in mind. I’m sure it will come in handy.
Thanks for this tip! My one son seeks out all kinds of tactile sensations, and vaseline is his favorite. While I was away one night, my husband called me for suggestions on getting it out of his hair. It seems he forgot to put the vaseline out of our son’s reach, and he smeared it all over his body and all through his hair. I had suggested dish soap, since it works on grease, but he never tried it. Now I know what to do next time my husband leaves it within reach!
That’s a really good tip! I also use this or baby powder when I have to run out of the house quickly, having missed my shower. I put some in my hands and tackle the bad spots of my hair, comb lightly, and go!
That’s a great idea – I never knew that and it could have been VERY helpful a couple of times;)
After the cornstarch, head and shoulders shampoo seems to be good at removing the remaining oil and gunk. Be careful not to get it in the kids eyes though!
As always, great advice!
Thanks for the tip..never heard of using corn starch before. Hope you nor i or anyone else has to deal with that again.
Thanks for sharing this! I’m sure it’ll come in handy sooner or later. Great tip! =)
What a great idea! That you hopefully won’t ever have to try.
LOL I wish I would have known that 15 years ago when my son had an obsession with putting vaseline in his hair. Seriously he climbed the linen closet shelves to get to it. Not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!!! Dawn dish detergent did a pretty good job too. And yeah, I never will let him live that down.
Great idea!! Never would have thought of that. DAWN dishwashing liquid works pretty well too – takes grease out of your way
Wow! Vapoprub in the hair just happened to the girls a few days ago. Since they are still sick I haven’t really worried about it too much. But now, thanks to you, I know what to do!
Have a great Thursday!
Hmmm…I wonder if this would have worked on the Desitin that my 2 year old niece smeared all over her head a few months ago. I’ll have to remember this one for my own kids, too!
We had a problem with head lice (a 3 month long problem) and someone suggested putting Vasoline in our hair overnight. Well, we tried the bright idea and now myself (below shoulder curly hair), my oldest daughter (to the butt straight hair) and my baby girl (to the butt CURLY RINGLET DO NOT COMB TOO MUCH hair)have hair that looks like we could make oil based sculpters out of it. I have tried everything on myself (I’m the guiney pig)… Dawn dishwashing liquid, Gojo, Borax, Tide, Vinegar (which really really BURNED)! So my next try will be the corn starch. Thanks for the tip and if you have any more suggestions pertaining to our lovely eventful lives at this moment fighting Head Lice (they are winning) PLEASE email me!!!
THanks
Adrienne
Well we used the Vaseline trick which actually did smother the lice and my son has not had it since. So I guess it works for some. Anyways I incorporated two methods into one. The only thing I could find to get the Vaseline out was Ivory and Aussie Mega Shampoo. Seemed to work though. I will say we had the shinest hair on the block. LOL.
My daughter found the vapo rub that I had put on my son the night before. She decided that it would be a great idea to put a whole lot of it in her hair. I have washed her hair three times now and really nothing has changed. I cant even stand to touch it. I am going to try this right away… THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!
I am so glad I found your blog!!!… we are in the process of cleaning my son’s hair right now… my husband washed about 10 times with baby shampoo and soap… rinsed in vinegar (bathroom REALLY stinks!)… and so I am getting ready to go clean with cornstarch… I will be right back…..
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Well, I rubbed cornstarch in for about 5 minutes.. .and you could almost immediately see a difference in the texture of his hair…after I rinsed the cornstarch I followed with Dawn (very carefully)… after I dried it it was SO much better, but still a little greasy, so I am keeping the cornstarch in his hair this time for about 20 minutes to see if it makes a difference…But it DEFINITELY works! Thanks so much for the tip!!!