Having clean dreads is very important, so the longest you can go without washing your dreadlocks are- two weeks.
I had a friend who went for five months without washing his dreads as part of a neglecting lifestyle. He claims that it helped with the locking process. However, he used nothing in his hair except for coconut oil.
He experienced a lot of sebum and gunk, so I introduce him to an AVC rinse, and after two washes, his dreads were almost clean. Even if your dreads appear clean on the outside, inside there is dirt, gunk, and buildup.
This was a bit of a case study for me.
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What Happens If You Don’t Wash Your Dreads For Months?
Even if you put nothing in your dreadlocks, you will still have a build-up of sebum.
Sebum is a natural oil your scalp produces that makes your hair look greasy. So if you don’t wash your dreadlocks for months, you will feel and look dirty. The good news is clarifying shampoo can get rid of this and clean your scalp.
Now, if you are adding oils and other products to your hair, it will combine with your scalp sebum. This increases build-up and slow down your hair locking process.
How To Clean Your Dreads After Months?
If you haven’t wash your dreads for months, you will need to separate them first. The build-up will have the new growth matted together, so it is easier to pull them apart before washing.
Have someone help you wash your hair to soften the gunk, then soak your dreads in an ACV rinse. After, you’ll need to finish with a peppermint and tea tree treatment.
Shampoo and (conditioner- optional) your dreads and apply a homemade natural oil mixture to your scalp.
Increase Washing Days
There is a test you can try to understand how your hair works and when it’s time to wash. If you used to wash your dreadlocks twice a week then extend it to a week.
Inspect your hair and note any sebum build-up. Is your scalp itchy? Can you wait for another three days? When you find a washing schedule, that works for you. Stick with it.
To help with an itchy scalp while extending your washing time, mix two tbsp of apple cider vinegar into a cup of water. In an applicator bottle, apply to your scalp.
Essential oils like peppermint and tea tree can help increase the gap between washing. Because they contain anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, they can soothe an itchy scalp.
Personally, I can wait two weeks without washing my hair but with help from the apple cider vinegar mix.
How Long Should I Wait To Wash My Dreads After A Retwist?
With dreads, the longest you can wait to wash your hair after a retwist is again two weeks. To keep your hair neat, you can use a stocking cap.
How often should i wash my freeform dreads?
The amazing thing about freeform is there is no parting so destroying those isn’t a problem. That’s why you can wash your free-form locs 1-2 times a week. However, some people even try washing them 2 times a month.
It all depends on your tolerance level and your hair type. For instance, if you have very greasy hair then washing your hair 1-2 twice a week makes sense, but for people who had dry hair and can stretch their washing day, they many washes it twice a month in the beginning.
How to wash dreads without shampoo?
Shampoos are such a popular product to wash your hair with. However, with dreadlocks, you don’t always have to follow the rules. There is baking soda and apple cider vinegar, but follow up with natural oils and only wash your hair with this mixture twice for the year.
Then, the Dollylocks soap bars are an excellent alternative to shampoo, especially if you miss the larder they produce. Plus, they comprise all-natural ingredients and have all the components you’ll find in a dreadlocks shampoo. Finally, make a homemade shampoo if you are against store brought.
Below is a YouTube video to help make your homemade shampoo.
Can you wash dreads before they lock?
Yes, PLEASE DO. It takes 9-16 months for your hair to lock. Thus, washing is essential to maintain good hygiene and for your hair to have a build-up-free environment to lock. Did you know maintaining an excellent washing schedule can make your hair lock faster? Because you are not weighing down your starter locks with buildup, and they can have enough room to bud and expand.
Should I Wash My Hair Before Dreading?
I love this newbie question; YES, you MUST wash your hair before dreading. The instructions are as follows:
- Spend a few days or weeks thinking of the journey ahead.
- Do your research; the starter method, are you going to interlock? Are you installing them at home? Etc.
- On the day of installation, wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner. (residue-free
- Then in install your starter locs.
- Wash with residue-free- shampoo.
- Add natural oil, and don’t forget to apply rosewater along the lenght of your hair.
I was happy to help a friend get rid of five months of build-up, it was challenging, but I love his results. There is still some gunk along his locs however, after a couple of ACV rinses his hair was build-up free.
