HOW TO TAKE CARE OF SMELLY HAIR

Have you ever had that moment when you get ready for school or a job interview and your hair just smells so bad? It might not be anything specific — maybe the wind is just blowing from an odd angle, or maybe your lock of hair has been sweating into your shirt throughout the day. And let’s not even talk about the pungent undertones of your dirty sweat socks. But whatever it is, that smell doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in yourself or anyone else around you. Which is why most people end up washing their hair at least once per day to make sure no lingering odors remain. Fortunately, there are other ways to get rid of that funky odor without actually washing your hair again. Here are some tips on how to remove smelly hair without getting rid of it completely.

Keep your hair out of the water

No matter how strong your deodorizing hair products are, they can’t work when you’re wet. Which means your perfectly clean locks will turn into a smelly mess if you’re in the shower with them half-dried. So either wait until you’ve gotten out of the shower and rinsed your hair (or used a hair dryer to finish the job faster), or keep your hair out of the water until it’s completely dry. Of course, this is easier said than done, especially in summer when your locks are usually dripping wet already. But you’ll find yourself rinsing your hair less often, which is great for your wallet and the environment.

Get rid of buildup

If your hair smells just as bad as it did before you began this whole odor-removal journey, there’s a good chance you’ve built up a lot of buildup. And while you probably washed your hair once a day to keep odors at bay, you may have washed it too often to keep buildup at bay as well. Which is why hair starts to smell bad once you’ve built up a layer of gunk on the surface. So get rid of as many products as you can while your hair is still completely clean. Start with a shampoo and conditioner swap every few weeks to get rid of buildups. Once you’ve cleaned up the buildup, you can go back to washing your locks as often as you want without worrying about buildup building up again.

Don’t reach for shampoo the moment you get out of the shower

You’ve probably heard it before: shampooing your hair removes all the oils from your locks, which results in a dry, dull look. So unless you want your hair to feel extremely dry, shampoo it only when you’re out of the shower. This will also remove some of the buildup from before you got out of the shower, which can make your hair feel even more clean.

Run your brush under cold water before using it

Bad smells can also be caused by buildup on your brush. So if your hair smells right after a shower, but not right after brushing it, there’s a chance your brush has a layer of gunk on it as well. So make sure to brush your hair under cold water while your hair is still wet. This will help remove some of the buildup from before you’ve dried it completely. Then wash your brush as normal and dry it thoroughly after using it.

Dry your hair thoroughly after drying it with a towel

Of course, the most important part of odor removal is drying your hair thoroughly after drying it with a towel. If you don’t do this, you’ll be inviting in those bad smells again. Which means you’ll have to wash your hair again. So once you’ve finished drying your hair, use a blow dryer to get rid of as much water from your locks as possible before tossing them into a bun or a plastic bag. Then, dry your hair thoroughly before you go to sleep. This will not only dry your locks quickly, it’ll help keep them from getting caught in the creases of your pillowcase or nightshirt.

Try replacing your pillowcase and nightshirt with a dryer sheet

Another great way to remove odors from your hair without washing it again is to swap out your pillowcase and nightshirt with a dryer sheet. They’re basically the same as your regular pillowcase and nightshirt, but they’ve been infused with a silica-based scent that helps to break down odors right in the laundry detergent. This means you don’t have to scrub your sheets, which can feel a bit like scrubbing your hair, as often.

Hang your wet towel to dry

Another easy odor removal tip is to hang your sopping wet towel to dry. This helps to remove some of the moisture from the towel from before it’s been completely dry, which can help to reduce the smell of mildew and mildew growth. Simply wrap the towel around a branch or pole until it’s completely dry, then hang it up. This will also help to keep your towel from getting too soggy and snotty on rainy days and nights.

Wrap your wet locks in plastic wrap

If you’ve tried all of the other odor removal tips listed above, but your hair still smells, there’s a chance your hair is actually turning into a pungent puddle of stank. And while you probably don’t want to get rid of all that water, you definitely don’t want your hair to smell like it’s been soaking in a pool or the ocean for hours. So try one of the following odor removal tips to get rid of your stank. First, let your hair air out for a few hours. This will help to get rid of some of the smell from your hair from before you’ve actually been soaking it in water. Next, try to remove as much water from your hair as possible by rinsing it under cold water and using a dryer sheet as outlined above. Finally, store your hair in a plastic bag or in your locker until it’s completely dry and free of water before going to work or school.

Conclusion

Knowing how to get rid of smelly hair without washing it is great for saving time and making your hair smell fresh again. So once you’ve gotten rid of the smell from your hair, you can get back to your regular routine of shampooing, styling, and feeling confident in yourself. Now that you know how to get rid of smelly hair without washing it, you can try one of these odor removal tips. We hope they help you get rid of that funky smell from your hair!