In modern society, wigs have become one of the most fashionable tools for women to get their ideal looks. However, when it comes to how to wash a wig, many wigs wear still have a question: Can I wash a wig with regular shampoo? We have done a lot of research on this, and we will give you a definite answer today.
Can You Use Regular Shampoo To Wash A Wig?
Never wash your wig with regular shampoo. The answer may be a shock as many wigs wear often wash their human hair wigs with regular shampoo.
However, washing a lace front wig with regular shampoo is too harsh for a wig and will strip the hair of the moisture it needs. They even will cause a buildup on your wig, thus shortening the lifespan of your wig. Sometimes, the chemicals and high alcohol content of regular shampoo can permanently dry the hair and leave it brittle, frizzy, and even prone to breakage and tangles. More terribly, the chemicals can also cause the product to oxidize on the hair, thus deteriorating the quality and color of the wig.
What Kind Of Shampoo Should I Use For A Wig?
In fact, what kind of wig shampoo you should choose depends a lot on the type of wig you prepare to clean. As we all know, some wigs are made from 100% virgin human hair, while others are made from synthetic fibers. Therefore, different wigs also need different shampoo.
For example, highlight wigs also need a special shampoo, which completely depends on whether it is made of synthetic or human hair.
We sincerely suggest you always use a sulfate-free and paraben-free shampoo that is specially designed for wigs. And they are available at most drugstores or beauty supply stores.
Or you can try to opt for wig shampoos with naturally moisturizing ingredients to keep the shine to the hair, such as jojoba oil, coconut oil, Shea butter, and so on. Please remember, the more natural your products are, the longer your wig will maintain!
The shampoo should be strong enough to clean the wig thoroughly and remove any odors but gentle enough to retain the quality and softness of the hair.
Besides, you should still wash your wig with wig shampoo every 10-15 wears to keep it clean and get rid of any dirt and product build-up.
Of course, if you can not get your hands on wig-friendly shampoo, you can also even use baby shampoo. After all, it’s gentle enough for wigs, too.
For synthetic wigs, you could consider applying fabric softener instead of conditioner.
What Can I Use Instead Of Wig Shampoo?
There are some alternatives to wig shampoo to keep your wig clean and spotless. Now keep reading for more knowledge!
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a good alternative to wig shampoo, especially when your wigs have absorbed cigarette smoke, odors from cooking, or other odors. Baking soda in cool water can also refresh your wig without causing damage. But you need to pay attention to that although it can remove dust, dirt, and odors, it can not remove any oily substance.
So how to wash a wig with baking soda?
First of all, fill your sink with 3 quarts of warm water. Then add ½ to ¾ cups of baking soda to warm water. After all the baking soda has completely dissolved, submerge your brushed-out wig into the water, which can avoid any chalky residue. In the end, after soaking your wig for 4 hours or overnight, rinse the wig well and continue to dry it.
2. Lavatrastes Detergent
If you want to remove the makeup and oil from your wig cap, lavatrastes detergent is an excellent option for you.
Fill the sink with cold water and add a little mild lavatrastes detergent. Put your brushed-out wig inside and squeeze gently soap the water through the wig. In this process, you had better avoid shaking vigorously to keep the wig from tangling.
When the wig is clean, drain the soapy water and refill the sink with clean cold water to rinse the wig.
Repeat this step until the water soap is no longer. Don’t forget to allow your human hair wig to dry completely before using it.
3. Woolite
As a mild detergent, Woolite will clean your wig safely and thoroughly. After filling your sink with cold water, add 1 cupful of Woolite to the water. Comb your wig out and gently swish it in the sink. Refill the sink with clean, cold water and submerge the wig into the water to rinse it. If necessary, it would be better to rinse the wig repeatedly until all of the detergents are removed.
4. Baby Shampoo
Although wig professionals warn against using anything but synthetic wig shampoo for cleansing your wig or hair bundles, if you do not have wig shampoo available, it is better to use baby shampoo. That is because baby shampoo is designed to be less acidic and a gentler cleanser for emergency wig cleaning. For instance, even though it gets into the eyes carelessly, it won’t cause any damage.
5. Cornstarch
If you do not have wig shampoo, but your wig needs to be freshened up, you might get decent results with cornstarch.
Firstly make sure the wig is completely dry, then sprinkle the wig with cornstarch and let it sit for five minutes. Finally, shake out the cornstarch and use a wide-toothed brush on the wig as you usually do.
This way is mainly recommended for cleaning synthetic wigs, and is harmless, and can remove unpleasant scents.
Conclusion
What do you think of them? No matter what products you use, remember that you need to take time and energy to maintain your human hair wigs. Only do this, you can prolong the life span of your wigs.