# Hair bleach and water shutoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [July 12, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111 "2024-07-12T16:33:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/1 "2024-07-12T16:33:54Z")
Today I was mid-bleach on my hair when the water went out un-announced. Frantic calls to building super. In the middle of all this my dad fell and I thought I’d have to go over there with bleach in my hair to take him to the ER. It would be a great comic movie. Peace is temporarily restored ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/2 "2024-07-12T16:43:52Z")
This isn’t one of the scenarios that occurred to me when I considered keeping an emergency supply of water on hand, but it’s a good one! Did you get the bleach out, and how’s your dad? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/3 "2024-07-12T16:53:07Z")
There’s always a few gallons of water in the toilet tank(s) that could be used to rinse your hair. ---
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/4 "2024-07-12T16:58:43Z")
Yes, the super turned the water back on for 10 minutes just for me. (Later I saw how dirty it was, but NVM, I got the bleach out) My dad is still 93 years old. Originally we thought he had gastrointestinal issues but it may be a-fib. either way peace temporarily restored. The other scene that played out in my mind is me texting this one lady I know who lives across the street and rushing over there barefoot, bleach-covered, nothing but a stained towel, saying “Fukfukfuk” and trying not to look anyone in the eye, as I live in Manhattan Washington Heights and all the apartment buildings re 6-20 stories tall so plenty of people on the street ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/5 "2024-07-12T16:59:06Z")
Emergency water is always a good thing. The last time the well pump crapped out (a while ago) we were dog washing. Luckily I had just filled the play pool up that morning and the dogs got a swim party. It ended when I bought a new well pump. Calling the building super would have been nice. ---
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/6 "2024-07-12T17:04:37Z")
I thought of that… it was my desperation alternative. I would not have posted on this message board about it, though ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/7 "2024-07-12T17:13:59Z")
In case it’s not clear, you get emergency water out of the toilet TANK, not the toilet BOWL. Toilet-tank water is as clean as any other water that sits in a seldom-cleaned ceramic tank. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/8 "2024-07-12T17:16:50Z")
> [@ArtBeforeScience](#): > > …trying not to look anyone in the eye, as I live in Manhattan Washington Heights and all the apartment buildings re 6-20 stories tall so plenty of people on the street It’s New York. No one would have noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/9 "2024-07-12T17:40:16Z")
Oh please please post anything that happens like that. Please, I beg you. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/10 "2024-07-12T17:42:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Toilet-tank water is as clean as any other water that sits in a seldom-cleaned ceramic tank. Indeed, depending on the age of your home’s plumbing, the water in your toilet tank might be less gross than the water in your supply line. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/11 "2024-07-12T19:24:32Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Emergency water is always a good thing. This. If there’s any storage space at all, everybody should have some. Ideally some of it should be potable. You don’t have to buy it; take any spare food-safe container, rinse and refill every couple of weeks, wash better if it starts growing algae. Though for getting bleach out of your hair even the algae-tinged stuff would work. ---
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/12 "2024-07-12T19:34:50Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Oh please please post anything that happens like that. > Please, I beg you. I absolutely will post here if I end up on the street wrapped in a towel begging strangers for water to wash out my hair bleach. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/13 "2024-07-12T19:46:24Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > the water in your toilet tank might be less gross than the water in your supply line. How did it get there? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/14 "2024-07-12T20:05:59Z")
> [@ArtBeforeScience](#): > > Today I was mid-bleach on my hair when the water went out un-announced. My daughter once left beauty supply store bleach in her hair for much longer than the package said. When she went to wash it out, gobs of her beautiful long hair fell out into the tub. Fortunately a hair stylist was able to make a cute short haircut out of what little was left. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/15 "2024-07-12T20:41:11Z")
You don’t wanna know. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/16 "2024-07-12T21:42:36Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > > [@kayaker](#): > > > > the water in your toilet tank might be less gross than the water in your supply line. > > How did it get there? Through your home’s supply line. Yeah, you got me. But open the supply line and feel the slimy inner surface… ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hair-bleach-and-water-shutoffs/1004111/17 "2024-07-12T22:02:43Z")
If this were the 80s, you would walk out with white hair and the laugh track rotfl