'My hairdresser nearly ruined my blonde hair. But the solution was already in my bathroom.'

It’s happened more times than I can count.

I sit in the hairdresser for what feels like hours (because… it genuinely is hours), only to see the result in the mirror, and feel wildly disappointed.

A few weeks ago, the culprit was toner.

Every couple of months, I go to the hairdresser for a full head of blonde foils and an ash blonde toner. But it’s almost always a struggle.

I’ve walked out of the hairdresser with everything from yellow to completely grey hair, and when you’ve paid a few hundred dollars for it, getting the wrong colour is a nightmare.

When I saw my reflection after my recent visit, I realised my hair was over toned, leaving it an almost purple-grey.

To make matters worse, I had a friend's 30th that night, so I didn't have the luxury of waiting a few days for it to fade. I needed to fix it. Now.

After a session of intense googling, I came across one solution I could try: anti-dandruff shampoo. I had some in my bathroom, and with limited time, I got in the shower and washed my hair three times with it, hoping that by the time I got out, the toner would've faded.

And it had. Significantly.

I went from having strands that were a disturbing mixture of purple, green, grey and white, to an ashy blonde. Immediately.

Interestingly, the reason anti-dandruff shampoos works is because they're designed to strip your hair and scalp. Melanie Smith, Creative Master Colourist at Josh Wood Atelier told Byrdie that an effective way to remove any colour from your hair - whether it's a semi permanent dye or a badly coloured toner - is to wash your hair with anti-dandruff shampoo about three times, followed by a deep conditioning treatment.

Holly Wainwright and Andrew Daddo discuss the parenting advice: Your hair should never be more interesting than you are. Post continues after audio.

Similarly, writer Ivy St Eve, who's worked as a hair model and has had her hair coloured in almost every shade possible, told Mic anti-dandruff shampoo has helped her to strip colour from her hair, especially when mixed with baking soda.

It's a hack I'd always assumed was an old wives tale - until I tried it myself.

So next time you dye your hair the wrong colour, anti-dandruff shampoo (and possibly some baking soda) is your solution.