# Cleaning your hair without shampoo



## Nemo

Came across a very good article on keeping your hair clean without the use of shampoos or conditioners, why you would want to, and the benefits of doing so.

http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/

I found it to be very informative and I believe I will begin this regiment when at home & on the road.


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## TheUndeadPhoenix

Nemo said:


> Came across a very good article on keeping your hair clean without the use of shampoos or conditioners, why you would want to, and the benefits of doing so.
> 
> http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/
> 
> I found it to be very informative and I believe I will begin this regiment when at home & on the road.


Sweet info. I just use a comb or brush. It is gets too bad and greasy, I get a shower and rinse it out with just water. I get REALLY hot showers, like 100 degrees


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## Nemo

> Sweet info. I just use a comb or brush. It is gets too bad and greasy, I get a shower and rinse it out with just water. I get REALLY hot showers, like 100 degrees


 
I love, love, love hot showers also.
If TEOTWAWKT occurred I would miss scolding hot showers dearly.

This is definitely good info for those wanting to ween themselves from shampoo as it is similar to a drug and has withdrawal symptoms: over production of oil making the hairy super-greasy. I would go straight to water but I think I'll use this method first so I can have 2 weeks of oily hair instead of a month or two.
But everyone's hair is different. 

Eventually I do want to go to nothing but water.


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## bryanpaul

Nemo said:


> Eventually I do want to go to nothing but water.


hit the road and you wont even need the water.....


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## baconrind

Got the shampoo shakes and need some weenin' off?


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## Rancho

Tea tree oil!


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## TheUndeadPhoenix

Rancho said:


> Tea tree oil!


Corrosive! Gotta mix it with stuff


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## Rancho

Dilute it and I think it works quite nicely


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## Donnie

I use baking soda for EVERYTHING.
I first learned about the -poo- diet a year ago. I've kept up with it ever since.
Just remember, if your going to switch to baking soda, make sure you follow up with the apple cider vinegar, at least once a week.

Baking soda has a pH of about ten, making it an alkali. But our hair is naturally slightly acidic. So if you don't use any apple cider vinegar, your hair will become dry and easily tangled. The acv will help relax the scales on the hair shaft, making your hair smooth and luxuriant.


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## Kim Chee

When I'm not housed up I'll go a couple of weeks without washing my hair, its pretty long and it stays under my cap. I noticed that several days after I have had my last washing that my scalp would begin to itch. After a couple of days of this itching it goes away (oils?) and I'm set for weeks until it starts to itch again (salt and crud?). Then I know I'm ready for a washing (as if the smell wasn't a frickin' clue): If I can't get the entire body done, I at least get the hair/scalp with some really cheap liquid hand soap that you can find in any fast food restaurant restroom. I don't think this qualifies me for crust status, but it works for me.


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## Nelco

someone was just trying to give me "all natural soap" and counsel me on using shampoo..my body bacteria eats unwanted whatevers..fuck soap


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## landpirate

ok i might be laughed off this forum for even suggesting the idea of hair brushing. I personally have waist length hair and after, say a week of doing nothing with it just the thought of getting a brush through it makes me want to cry. but I got one of these things, its called a 'tangle teezer' and although it costs a bit. I swear i will never buy another hairbrush in my life, it gets through seriously tangled crusty hair easily. Anyone else who doesn't want dreads should give it a go. fuck I sound like some kind of sales rep for the company. i'm not, its just rare you find something that is actually good.

http://www.tangleteezer.com/products_site.php?product=black


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## RSTY802510

Nemo said:


> Came across a very good article on keeping your hair clean without the use of shampoos or conditioners, why you would want to, and the benefits of doing so.
> 
> http://simplemom.net/how-to-clean-your-hair-without-shampoo/
> 
> I found it to be very informative and I believe I will begin this regiment when at home & on the road.


 I tried the baking soda and it actually worked really well.


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## Pixie Walden

I have not used shampoo in a really long time, i use bar soap every now and then but i let my hair do its own thing for the most part


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## Ravenhood

I haven't used normal shampoo and conditioner for the longest time. I use homemade natural soap to wash my hair and rinse with apple cider vinegar and it works well. The baking soda thing interests me though - I should give that a try.


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## scatwomb

I haven't shampooed my hair in ages. I alternate between baking soda and apple cider vinegar dilutions. 

I have super thick and dark hair and have ALWAYS had issues with itchy scalp and dandruff. Since I stopped using shampoo, my dandruff has seriously gone away almost 100%. It's fucking ridiculous.


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## Shakou

I've been told by a couple good friends of mine that are into that all natural going-green thing that you don't need shampoo to keep your hair clean, and infact it's healthier for your hair NOT too. All it needs is simply to be washed with regular clean water. I've never tried it, but they swear by it, and they've got pretty healthy looking hair to me.


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## Rancho

I use corn scratch sometimes but it doesn't work too well if your hair is thin


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## Roosterruler

I'll add my voice to the chorus of, "It works!" in favour of cutting out shampoo and soap. I've been doing the baking soda and apple cider vinegar hair-washing-method for almost two years now and can report that it works wonderfully. I only need to wash my hair every 8 days or so.

I used to get the itch on my scalp after just five days, but then I cut the baking soda down way back and now I don't have that problem any more.

My hair actually looks clean (and is clean) - and it has to. I work as a direct service provider for folks living with developmental disabilities and have to maintain a "society level standard" of cleanliness. Even after not bathing for a week, I'm still set to go and no one questions my hygene.

Every few weeks or months, I may do a basic raw honey mask on my hair, but nothing more.


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## East

Thanks for this thread, lots of great information. I'm going to give it a shot. I've gone three months without washing my hair (just rinsing) when it was much longer. I was waiting for the moment when my scalp was supposed to acclimate and return to 'normal'. Needless to say, it didn't happen, so I'll try to give this apple cider vinegar/baking soda approach a try.


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## Donnie

Donnie said:


> I use baking soda for EVERYTHING.
> I first learned about the -poo- diet a year ago. I've kept up with it ever since.
> Just remember, if your going to switch to baking soda, make sure you follow up with the apple cider vinegar, at least once a week.
> 
> Baking soda has a pH of about ten, making it an alkali. But our hair is naturally slightly acidic. So if you don't use any apple cider vinegar, your hair will become dry and easily tangled. The acv will help relax the scales on the hair shaft, making your hair smooth and luxuriant.




* *** EDIT ****

A few months after leaving this comment, I enrolled in hair school. I can now tell you that while Sodium Bicarbonate is wonderful for short term cleansing, it does not serve well as a primary shampoo alternative.

Our scalp constantly secretes an oil called sebum. This oil lubricates our hair and serves to protect us, however, over time this oil can build up mixing with dirt and debris and that's why shampoo is necessary.

Baking soda will cleanse the hairshaft, but it will not exfoliate your scalp (which is more important because a dirty scalp can cause a whole bunch of dangerous diseases and afflictions.).

The soap in shampoo separates oil and dirt allowing water to wash away any nastiness.

So, yes, you can use baking soda as a temporary cleansing agent, but it's absolutely necessary to shampoo at least *once a week*. It doesn't matter how cheap the shampoo is, you can honestly use plain old hand-soap (the leading ingredient in both hand soap and most shampoo's Sodium Laurel Sulfate, so it works pretty much the same)

You can do this with a small cup in a convenience store restroom or outside with a bottle of water (if you have long hair, you'll probably want to fill up a gallon jug or a 2 ltr bottle).. Try to lather, rinse and repeat that process (the first time cleans your hair, the second time your cleanses your scalp).


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## pir8 qu33n

I keep a Mohawk generally and when I shower I leave it dry and no conditioner. Them I'll put coconut oils in it not more than 2X a week and when I get weighed down I'll use straight hot water and it removes the dirt without striping hair completely. I get fewer scalp burns also when I have been doing this and then go get the sides shaved off


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