How to Wash Dreadlocks

If you have dreadlocks or are thinking about getting dreadlocks, you may want to know how to wash them--because contrary to popular belief, they are washed, and they need to be to stay healthy. So learn how to wash dreadlocks of all sizes and types in this article.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Residue-free shampoo. I recommend the DreadHead shampoo from dreadheadhq.com.
• Dreads. Duh.
• A pair of nylons, of you have new dreads
• Lots of clean water

1. If you have brand-new dreadies, get yourself a women's nylon, tie the legs off, and wear it like a stocking cap. It will keep your new nappy babies tucked in and protected from vigorous scrubbing, which could damage the developing knots.
   If your dreads are already tightened, don't worry about this step.

2. Thoroughly wet your dreads. Make sure water has soaked into the center of them. With fully-developed dreadlocks, this step may take a few minutes. For new dreads, do the best you can with the nylon on. It's better than having them being torn apart by the water.

3. Squirt a generous handful of unscented shampoo that's formulated to leave no residues behind. I recommend Dread Head HQ's dreadlock soap as the absolute best. Shine and scent agents in shampoo will make your hair slippery, and it will not lock up as well.
   Lather your handful over your head, starting at the roots. Gently rub your dreads around to lather 'em up and squeeze the soap down into the body of the dread.

4. If all of your dreads are foamy, great. Rinse them out, squeezing out soapy water and letting them fill with clean water, squeezing it out, etc. Since they're very dense little guys, they need a lot of work to get all traces of soap out. And it's very important that you do get it all out.

5. If your scalp doesn't feel clean, repeat steps 3-4, making sure to rub the soap into your roots and scalp. Rinse well.

6. Squeeze as much water as possible out of your dreads. Most of the water will naturally wick to the end. Once you've got as much water as possible out of your phat locs, wrap them up in a dry towel for at least ten minutes. You amy want to replace your towel at one point if it becomes too soggy. Those beasts really hold the water.

7. let them air-dry thoroughly. You can blow-dry them if you want, I suppose, but it encourages loose hairs. And nobody likes loose hairs.

Tips & Warnings

• Make absolutely sure you have shampoo that leaves no residues.
• The nylon stocking is rather important for new dreads. You can also sleep in it, especially if they're waxy. It prevents bed fuzz from getting in your dreads, keeps them organized, and keeps the wax off your bedding.
• NEVER tuck your dreads up in a scarf or tam when they're not fully dry. They will get moldy if not allowed to dry out naturally.
• NEVER wax your dreads when they have any moisture in them. The wax will lock in the moisture and cause them to mold. Tasty, eh?

Resources

• DreadHeadHQ.com