I've been reading about using baking soda and water to clean your hair and scalp followed by a water/vinegar rinse as a conditioner. I'm intrigued and wondered if any of you have a particular method or if you have tried this. I have relatively long think hair. Well, until I get tired of it and cut it way short again. I grew it long cause at 55 I still can...... But I'm interested in alternatives to Suave.
baking soda for clean hair?
- Thread starter morgj
- Start date
I did this for awhile last year, and was very pleased with the results. I stopped because I was lazy, not because I was unhappy with how it worked. In fact, I have just the last day or two been thinking that I should start up again. I too have long hair (not because I can, per se, but because I like it better that way [and I'm 59 
]). I mixed up about 1/4 cup of baking soda in an old shampoo bottle with enough water to fill the bottle, shaking well before use; I would squirt some on my scalp, and massage it in, rinse out, and repeat. I just let whatever dripped down get into the length of my hair, only purposefully using it on my scalp. In another empty shampoo bottle I mixed a hefty glug (that's the mathamatical term 
) of apple cider vinegar with enough water to fill the jar, and squirt that through my hair as a rinse. It smells of salad dressing until it is dry, but then no more. I've been using ACV on and off since I was little, and my mother would use it on my hair; the soda was just last year. I like how both make my hair feel.
(You didn't ask, but I will add that I have been putting coconut oil through my hair the night before I shampoo for the last 9 months or so, and that makes my hair feel lovely; no more dry ends, and it just feels healthy)
]). I mixed up about 1/4 cup of baking soda in an old shampoo bottle with enough water to fill the bottle, shaking well before use; I would squirt some on my scalp, and massage it in, rinse out, and repeat. I just let whatever dripped down get into the length of my hair, only purposefully using it on my scalp. In another empty shampoo bottle I mixed a hefty glug (that's the mathamatical term ) of apple cider vinegar with enough water to fill the jar, and squirt that through my hair as a rinse. It smells of salad dressing until it is dry, but then no more. I've been using ACV on and off since I was little, and my mother would use it on my hair; the soda was just last year. I like how both make my hair feel. (You didn't ask, but I will add that I have been putting coconut oil through my hair the night before I shampoo for the last 9 months or so, and that makes my hair feel lovely; no more dry ends, and it just feels healthy)
calendula
Lovin' The Homestead
I have been using baking soda with a vinegar rinse for the past year now. I have a plastic container with a tight fitting lid in my bathroom cabinet that I keep the baking soda in. I put a tablespoon or so in a little cup and add enough water to make a paste. This I massage into my scalp; I enjoy a good scalp massage, so I do this for a couple minutes. Like ORChick, I don't rub it into the rest of my hair. When I rinse it out, I figure it runs down to the rest. Before you condition, your hair might feel like it has a weird texture after using the baking soda. I think this is because it is alkaline, and it throws your hair's pH off. Once you use the vinegar, it will feel really nice.
For my vinegar rinse, I use apple cider vinegar that I have infused with rosemary. I just put a couple sprigs of rosemary in a jar and cover w/ vinegar. Let sit for a couple weeks, then strain the rosemary out. Put it in a squeeze bottle, diluted 50/50 with water. I squirt this onto my scalp and hair as a "conditioner" after using the baking soda. I let it sit for a few minutes while I wash my body or shave. Then rinse really well (so you don't smell like a pickle). Plain vinegar would probably work just as well if you don't want to make an infused vinegar, but it's fun experimenting with different herbs to see which ones work best for your hair.
For my vinegar rinse, I use apple cider vinegar that I have infused with rosemary. I just put a couple sprigs of rosemary in a jar and cover w/ vinegar. Let sit for a couple weeks, then strain the rosemary out. Put it in a squeeze bottle, diluted 50/50 with water. I squirt this onto my scalp and hair as a "conditioner" after using the baking soda. I let it sit for a few minutes while I wash my body or shave. Then rinse really well (so you don't smell like a pickle). Plain vinegar would probably work just as well if you don't want to make an infused vinegar, but it's fun experimenting with different herbs to see which ones work best for your hair.
noobiechickenlady
Almost Self-Reliant
I love what baking soda & acv have done to my hair. I no longer have to wash my hair every single day, unless a chicken poops on my head 
My hair used to be extremely oily at the scalp and needed washing at the very minimum every other day, and it looked terrible the second day. Now I can go 3-4 days with only a water rinse to get any dust out. I have long hair too.
Just like ORChick said, just mix with water, massage in & rinse. I only repeat if my hair is especially grungy.
The acv I mixed in a spray bottle, about 1/4 of the sprayer acv & the rest water. Then spray on. The smell does indeed fade quickly.
My hair used to be extremely oily at the scalp and needed washing at the very minimum every other day, and it looked terrible the second day. Now I can go 3-4 days with only a water rinse to get any dust out. I have long hair too.Just like ORChick said, just mix with water, massage in & rinse. I only repeat if my hair is especially grungy.
The acv I mixed in a spray bottle, about 1/4 of the sprayer acv & the rest water. Then spray on. The smell does indeed fade quickly.
I may have to try this. I already do the vinegar rinse because we have really hard well water and I figure if I have to vinegar the coffee maker and shower head to get the calcium off, why would my hair be any different? Baking soda sounds like a good idea since I don't like how the shampoo makes my hair feel stripped.
I also use Suave right now, but I use some out of the bottle and add water to it as I use it up. I don't like how thick it is- you have to use a lot to cover your scalp. Thinning it makes it spread better and it certainly lasts longer!
I also use Suave right now, but I use some out of the bottle and add water to it as I use it up. I don't like how thick it is- you have to use a lot to cover your scalp. Thinning it makes it spread better and it certainly lasts longer!
Marianne
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I have hard well water, too. I had better luck with Borax water for shampoo alternative and then the follow up ACV/water. The Borax water made my hair really soft. But my hair was dry and shorter. Now it just feels like normal hair. I use 1 Tblsp of Borax (or less) dissolved in a cup (or more) of hot water, then put in a bottle.
Anymore I don't measure much of anything unless it's critical aka baking powder, etc.
Anymore I don't measure much of anything unless it's critical aka baking powder, etc.
All of you seem to have long hair...what about short hair?!
My hair is extremely fine and short since it grew back from chemo. (picture toddler hair on a 45-year-old) I wash at night, and the next day it's extremely flyaway...I hold a brush an inch above it and the hairs all magnetically drift up to it). The following day it's just about right, but by the day after that, it's a limp, greasy mess. SO frustrating!
I will try the baking soda and vinegar idea this weekend and let you know how it works. There HAS to be a better solution that commercial shampoos and conditioners.
My hair is extremely fine and short since it grew back from chemo. (picture toddler hair on a 45-year-old
) I wash at night, and the next day it's extremely flyaway...I hold a brush an inch above it and the hairs all magnetically drift up to it). The following day it's just about right, but by the day after that, it's a limp, greasy mess. SO frustrating! I will try the baking soda and vinegar idea this weekend and let you know how it works. There HAS to be a better solution that commercial shampoos and conditioners.
dragonlaurel
Improvising a more SS life
Sounds like the shampoo is too strong. Overstripping the hair makes it make new oil fast. If you still want to use the stuff- try diluting some.raro said:All of you seem to have long hair...what about short hair?!
My hair is extremely fine and short since it grew back from chemo. (picture toddler hair on a 45-year-old
I will try the baking soda and vinegar idea this weekend and let you know how it works. There HAS to be a better solution that commercial shampoos and conditioners.
chipmunk
Lovin' The Homestead
Is this method ok to use with colored hair, or will it make the color fade faster?
Never thought of diluting. I tried baking soda wash/vinegar rinse...
Note to self...
When rinsing with vinegar, DON'T FORGET TO KEEP YOUR EYES SHUT!!!!
Sigh...wow, that stung. Baking soda felt horrible in my hair, but once it was rinsed, it felt much smoother. Vinegar rinse left my hair feeling MUCH less flyaway. I like the way it feels.
Note to self...
When rinsing with vinegar, DON'T FORGET TO KEEP YOUR EYES SHUT!!!!
Sigh...wow, that stung. Baking soda felt horrible in my hair, but once it was rinsed, it felt much smoother. Vinegar rinse left my hair feeling MUCH less flyaway. I like the way it feels.
