What Home Remedy Gets Rid Of Brassy Hair?

What home remedy gets rid of brassy hair? I’m so glad you asked this, as brassiness is one of the trickiest, most frustrating problems that comes up when it comes to colouring hair. You spend time (and often money) getting that perfect blonde, balayage, or highlight, and then bam – you get those unwanted warm tones – yellow, orange or red undertones creeping in, giving you brassy hair.

What Home Remedy Gets Rid Of Brassy Hair?

I’ve got some great advice from hairdressers with years and years of experience, and so let me walk you through exactly what they know from experience, colour theory, and tried-and-tested solutions. They’ve also offered up some of their best home remedies, so you can get your hair back to cool, fresh, and vibrant in no time. It’s professional help for your orange shades, unwanted yellow tones or any other water undertones you simply don’t want.

Why Does Hair Go Brassy In The First Place?

First, let’s get clear on why brassiness happens, because understanding that helps you pick the right solution to get your hair back to the colour you want.

When you lighten your hair (through bleaching, highlights, box dye, etc.), you’re lifting away pigment. But you don’t remove all the underlying pigment, which are levels of yellow, red or orange that remain in the hair shaft.

Over time, as your colour fades or is exposed to stressors, those warmer undertones start to show. That’s when you see yellow undertones (brassy yellow), orange undertones (strong warm-orangey brass), or even reddish tones in some cases.

Also, you might find there are other factors at play. Things like hard water or mineral buildup can leave metal deposits on your hair.

If you live in a sunny climate or are going on holiday, you might find that the sun or UV rays can strip cool pigments. The same can be said for chlorine found in pools or hot tubs. These too can damage and fade hair.

Brassiness can also be caused by heat styling, over-washing and product buildup. You’ll find that using hot water or harsh shampoos can open hair cuticles and fade your hair colour.

So when someone asks “what home remedy gets rid of brassy hair,” the real answer is: a remedy plus a system of care. Let me show you how.

The number-one “home remedy” tool is purple & blue shampoos or toners.

If I were to pick one remedy that works reliably, it’s not a mystery herb; it’s purple shampoo (or blue shampoo, depending on your brassiness). This is the workhorse in my colour maintenance toolkit.

Here’s why:

Based on colour theory, violet or purple pigments cancel yellow (because purple is opposite yellow on the colour wheel), and blue cancels orange.

So if your brassy tones are more yellow (common in pale blondes, greys), you choose a purple toning shampoo. If your brass is more orangey or warm (especially in darker blonde or brunette highlights), you lean toward a blue toning shampoo.

These shampoos deposit a small amount of pigment with each use, neutralising unwanted warmth while cleansing. Use them 1–2 times per week, alternating with your regular (sulphate-free, colour-safe) shampoo. Leaving them on for 3–5 minutes (or as per the instructions) helps the pigment do its job.

A nice bonus: these toning shampoos function as a “home remedy” because they can often be found in UK salons or stores and used by non-professionals. But remember, not all toning shampoos are equal, and you can over-tone. Overtoning might leave your hair too cool or lavender-toned if left too long.

If your hair is dark, with brassy red/orange tones, you’d probably prefer a blue shampoo or blue toning mask designed for brunette hair. So, in short, purple or blue toning shampoos are the best home remedy.

Other DIY Hacks

Now, I can’t ignore those DIY tricks you often see online. Some can help, if used carefully and smartly, but they carry caveats. Let’s go through them.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most cited natural remedies. The idea is that its acidity helps smooth cuticles, add shine, and potentially reduce mineral buildup, which might help pigment absorption. Some suggest a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse.

In practice, I see it used as a final rinse (e.g. 1 part apple cider vinegar
to 4 parts cool water) after shampooing. It’s gentle and can help clarify. But it won’t replace a true toner as it doesn’t deposit violet or blue pigment to cancel brassiness. Use it sparingly, and always follow with a conditioner or mask, because vinegar can dry your hair.

Coconut oil + pigment trick

Some blogs propose applying coconut oil (as a protective base), then applying a few drops of blue or purple food colouring mixed with apple cider vinegar or water, letting it sit, then shampooing. There are a number of risks with this home remedy.

You may over-tone or deposit a bluish or purple cast. You may also find that the pigment in food dye may not have even pH or hair-safe qualities. It will likely stain your scalp, towel and bathroom. It’s actually quite hard to control precisely.

If you try it, I’d suggest doing a strand test first, limiting your contact time and watching your hair carefully.

Baking soda

Some sources suggest a weak baking soda paste (baking soda + water) to clarify and lift brassiness. It’s not actually that much of a good idea, as baking soda is alkaline and can be abrasive, opening cuticles too much, especially on colour-treated hair. It’s more of a clarifier than a true toning remedy. Use with caution, make sure you dilute it properly, and condition your hair deeply afterwards if you are trying this.

The 10-step At-home Anti-brass System – What Home Remedy Gets Rid Of Brassy Hair?

Here’s the system that the expert stylists swear by. Think of it as the best way to combat brassy hair at home.

Clarify / pre-shampoo mineral removal

Use a clarifying or mineral-removing pre-wash (especially if you live with hard water), as this helps get rid of mineral and metal buildup so toners work better.

Alternate shampoos

You should use your purple or blue toning shampoo 1–2 times per week. On other days, use a sulphate-free, colour-protecting shampoo (a gentle, regular shampoo) so you don’t over-tone or dry out your hair.

Leave-on time matters

When using toning shampoo, I suggest leaving it for 3–5 minutes (or as the product advises) so the pigment deposits effectively. Make sure you don’t rinse it too soon.

Cool water rinse

It’s best to always rinse with cool water (or at least lukewarm), because hot water opens cuticles and speeds fade. You’ll find that cool water helps seal the cuticle, locking pigment and limiting your colour loss.

Weekly toning mask or gloss

You can use a purple or blue toning mask or hair glaze once a week or fortnight. You’ll find that these give deeper pigment deposits and replenish moisture.

Protect from environmental stress

When you are washing your hair, you should use a shower as this will help with mineral buildup. When you are out and about in the sun, pop a hat on to protect your hair from UV rays.

Before swimming, you could wet your hair and apply a protective mask or oil. Or even better, use a swimming cap. You’ll find that chlorine and salt water can strip your hair tone.

Limit heat & styling stress

When styling your hair with heat, try and use a heat protectant. You should heat style as little as possible and don’t overwash your hair.

Toner refresh visits

You’ll find that even with the best home routine, you’ll probably need a salon toning treatment to refresh your hair.

Moisture & hair health

It’s a great idea to deep-condition or mask your hair regularly. I’d suggest once a week. You’ll find that hair with good moisture resists fading and brassiness. Use a hair mask suited to colour-treated hair.

Watch product buildup & box dye overuse

I’d suggest steering clear of heavy styling products that leave a film and frequent use of box dyes (which can be harsh). You’ll see that a build-up of products can dull colours and expose warmth.

If you follow these steps, you should see your brassiness start to tone down.

What About Dark, Brunette or Grey Hair?

You might think this is only for blondes, but it’s not. If you have brown hair or highlights, blue shampoo is your best friend to neutralise orange or red undertones.

If you have grey or white hair, you often battle yellowing. Purple shampoo or toners work beautifully there. Natural grey hair can be neutralised by using purple shampoos for brassy grey hair.

So whether you have blondes, brunettes, or silver strands, toning pigments are relevant; you simply just pick your colour-cancelling pigment wisely.