How to Bleach a Weave

Co-authored by Ashley Adams

Last Updated: April 19, 2022 References

A weave is a hair piece that is sewn into your natural hair and that lasts for 7-8 weeks with the right care. There are synthetic weaves, and there are also natural weaves that are made of human hair. Lightening a weave made of human hair, whether just to have a lighter color or as the first step in the process to dye it a different color, is a really common practice. By using the right bleaching products, applying the bleach properly, and toning and conditioning, you can bleach your own weave at home.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Mixing the Bleach

1
Purchase a bleach powder packet and developer from the store. For the best results, visit a salon or beauty store to get high quality bleaching products. Choose a 30- to 40-volume developer, which is what you will mix in with the bleach powder. The higher the volume of the developer, the higher its lifting power.^{[1]
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- If you are looking to just lightly bleach your hair, you could use a 20-volume developer.
- You can also purchase a bleach kit which comes with all the materials you will need: bleach powder, developer, applicator brush, bowl, and gloves.
2
Put on gloves and an old T-shirt before mixing the bleach. Always wear latex or rubber gloves when you work with bleach. Take a few minutes to change into an old shirt and pants that you won’t mind getting bleach on in case you spill or splatter any of the bleaching liquid as you work.^{[2]
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- If you have long hair, you may want to tie it back, too, so it doesn’t accidentally fall into the bleach or onto your weave as your working with it.
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3
Cover your workstation in foil before laying out your weave. Make sure the piece of foil is large enough to contain the entire weave when it’s at its full length. Set up your workstation on a large countertop, a table, or even on the ground if you don’t have a large enough surface at home.^{[3]
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- If you are bleaching multiple hair bundles, use a separate piece of foil per bundle.
4
Mix the powder bleach with the liquid developer. Carefully open the powder packet and pour the contents into a plastic bowl. Then, pour in your developer. The rule for how much developer to use is a ratio of 1:2–1 part bleach powder to 2 parts developer. So if your bleach powder packet is 1 ounce (28 g), then add in 2 ounces (57 g) of developer.^{[4]
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- If your powder comes with a scoop, simply use the scoop to measure out twice the amount of developer. If your powder doesn’t have a scoop, pour it into a measuring cup before putting it into the bowl so you know how much developer to add. Or, if you have a small scale, then you can use that to measure out the amount you need.
5
Add more powder or developer until you have the right consistency. The bleaching liquid shouldn’t be too runny. When you dip the applicator brush into it, it should coat the brush and have the consistency of yogurt. If the bleaching liquid is too runny, add a little more powder. If it’s too clumpy, add more developer.^{[5]
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- Make sure to thoroughly mix your bleaching liquid so there are no clumps of powder left in it.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Applying the Bleach

1
Brush the bleach onto your weave from the top to the bottom. Dip your applicator brush in the bleach so it has a thick coat on it. Start at the top of the weave and brush on the bleach solution in long, even strokes. Continue applying the bleach until it appears that all the hair has been covered from top to bottom.^{[6]
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- For an ombre look, only apply the bleach to the bottom half or quarter of the weave.
2
Flip the weave over and coat the other side with bleach. Be careful when you flip your weave to not let the bleached hair touch your skin. Because the bleaching liquid makes the hair clump together, just do you best to flip it over and spread it back out with your fingers as you apply more bleach to thoroughly coat the weave.^{[7]
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- If you need to, mix together more bleach and developer to ensure you can completely cover the weave.
3
Fold the foil over the weave and leave it alone for 20 minutes. Still wearing your gloves, simply fold the piece of foil in half so that the weave is completely contained inside of it. This will help speed up the bleaching process.^{[8]
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- If you want to speed up the bleaching process even more, take a hot flat iron and run it over the foil 2-3 times. Peel back a corner of the foil to check the color and stop once it’s where you want it to be.
4
Check the color of your weave after 20 minutes. If the color isn’t as light as you want it to be, apply more bleach and let it sit for another 10 minutes. As a rule, you don’t want to let your weave sit in bleach for longer than 50-60 minutes. Bleach can damage a weave the same as natural hair.^{[9]
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- Similarly, if you’re looking to just slightly lighten your weave, try leaving the bleach on for just 10 minutes at a time.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Rinsing and Toning

1
Rinse the bleach product out of your weave. While wearing your gloves, take your bleached weave to the sink and rinse it thoroughly with warm water. Keep rinsing it until all the visible bleaching liquid is gone.^{[10]
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- Make sure your sink is clean before you rinse your weave out. Have an old towel nearby in case you need to set your weave down at any point.
2
Wash your bleached weave with a neutralizing shampoo. Using warm water, apply a neutralizing shampoo to your weave and lather it up. Rinse and repeat as many times as you need to to completely remove all the bleach residue from your weave.^{[11]
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- Neutralizing shampoo stops the chemical reaction of the bleach from continuing.
- Read the instructions on the shampoo carefully—a lot of them change color when there is bleach present so you know you can stop washing once the color is gone.
3
Apply a toner to eliminate brassy shades and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Liberally apply toner to your damp weave and let it sit either in the sink or on an old towel on the counter before rinsing it out with warm water. The toner helps the bleach stay white, rather than turning into a yellow or brassy tone.^{[12]
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- You can buy toner or toner kits from the salon or from a drugstore for as little as $10.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Conditioning and Maintaining Your Weave

1
Use a leave-in conditioner to help heal the damage done by bleaching. After rinsing out the toner, apply a dollop of leave-in conditioner over the entire weave. This will help it absorb the moisture from the conditioner and will repair some of the damage done by the harsh bleach.^{[13]
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- You can also use the leave-in conditioner as part of your regular hair-washing routine to help promote a healthier looking weave.
2
Let the weave air dry thoroughly. Rather than using heating products on it right away, let it air dry to reduce the damage than can be done by applying additional heat to it right after bleaching.^{[14]
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- You can leave your weave on an old towel or sheet, or you could even use a pants hanger to clip the weave and hang it up until it dries. This will take about 1 day.
3
Use a special shampoo and conditioner to maintain the color. Look for shampoos and conditioners that don’t have any ammonia in them and that are specifically for blonde or bleached hair. Purple shampoos can also help make your bleached weave look more vibrant.^{[15]
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- After your weave has been sewn in, avoid taking hot showers and instead opt for warm or cool showers to help keep the color in your weave more even.
- Another option is to wear a shower cap and skip getting your hair wet altogether. This is a good option if you don’t use many hair products because you will not have as much buildup in your weave.