How to Remove Smells From Hair

By Liza Blau

You may have started the day with clean, fresh-smelling hair, but by evening it has a foul odor. Hair can retain bad smells from a wide variety of sources, including cigarette smoke, cooking food, the chemicals used in getting your hair processed, playing with animals or simply from spending time at a crowded bar, party or restaurant. If your scalp is oily, bacteria and fungus can grow around the hair follicles and leave odors. Remove unpleasant smells from your hair so it's always smelling fresh.

Hair tends to retain odors.

Things You'll Need

  • Concentrated tomato juice

  • 1 fresh lemon

  • Baking soda

  • Apple cider vinegar

  • Shampoo containing salicylic acid and sulfur

Step 1

Massage 1 cup of concentrated tomato juice into your scalp and hair. Make sure the ends of your hair are completely covered with the tomato juice Leave the tomato juice in your hair for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Step 2

Combine 1 tsp. of baking soda with 3 cups of warm water in a clean bowl. Pour the mixture onto your hair and scalp, making sure it saturates the roots. Leave on your hair for five to 10 minutes, depending on the severity of the hair odor. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Step 3

Slice a fresh lemon in half. Squirt some of the juice onto your scalp and gently massage it into your hair and scalp, making sure it saturates all your hair, including the ends. You can also rinse your hair with fresh lemon juice each time you shampoo.

Step 4

Mix 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar with 4 cups of water in a clean bowl. Apply the mixture to your scalp and hair. Allow it to completely dry on your hair and leave overnight. Shampoo the apple cider vinegar out of your hair in the morning.

Step 5

Wash your hair every day with a shampoo containing salicylic acid and sulfur to help eliminate unpleasant hair odor. The sulfur will kill any fungus and bacteria growing on your scalp, and the salicylic acid removes excess oil.

Tip

Wearing a chef's hat while cooking will help protect your hair from retaining food odors.

Warning

Never tie back wet hair because it can contribute to fungus growth on your scalp. Avoid sharing combs, brushes and other hair tools with other people because they can contribute to the spread of fungus.

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