This no-shampoo solution replaces bottled shampoo with two homemade mixtures: a baking soda wash and a diluted rinse of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Both are made from kitchen staples, so there is no mystery about what goes on the hair.
The routine has three parts: wash, balance and moisturize. For the wash, each 8 ounces of water gets 1 tablespoon of baking soda; the rinse is diluted the same way, with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per 8 ounces of water. A couple of drops of oil on the damp ends finishes the process.
Because both formulas are simple ratios, they scale to any hair length. Long hair, for example, may call for a 32-ounce batch of water with 4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in it.
No-Shampoo Baking Soda Wash and Vinegar Rinse
A two-part homemade hair wash: baking soda dissolved in warm water for washing, then a diluted rinse of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, with a few drops of oil for the ends.
Yield: 1 wash (1 cup of each solution)
Materials
Baking soda solution (for washing)
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 cup water preferably filtered
Vinegar or lemon juice solution (for balancing)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 cup water
For moisturizing
- a couple of drops of oil of choice almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.
Instructions
Make the baking soda solution
- Warm the water in a large saucepan until it is hot but still comfortable on the scalp. No exact temperature applies, since heat tolerance varies from person to person. If using hot water straight from the faucet, skip the heating.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the baking soda slowly, stirring until it dissolves. Some foaming may occur.
- Set a funnel in a storage container and carefully pour in the solution.
Make the vinegar or lemon juice solution
- Using a funnel, fill a bottle with the water and the lemon juice or vinegar, put the cap on and shake.
Wash, balance, moisturize
- Wash: wet the hair, then pour the baking soda solution slowly over the scalp. Use the fingertips to massage it through, starting at the scalp and working down the full length of the hair, then rinse thoroughly.
- Balance: once the baking soda solution is completely rinsed out, pour a little of the vinegar or lemon juice solution over the ends of the hair, wait a few seconds, then rinse it all out.
- Moisturize: towel out as much water as possible. Put a couple of drops of oil in one palm, rub the hands together and work the oil into the ends of the hair while still damp.
Notes
The wash scales to hair length at 1 tablespoon of baking soda per 8 ounces of water; long hair may need 32 ounces of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda.
The rinse uses the same kind of ratio: each 8 ounces of water takes 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
Equipment: a saucepan, a spoon, a funnel, a storage container for the wash and a bottle for the rinse.
Keep both solutions away from the eyes; if either gets in, rinse with plenty of clean water.
In the shower, plastic squeeze bottles are safer than glass.
The baking soda wash and the vinegar rinse keep well in closed bottles at room temperature. A rinse made with fresh lemon juice spoils much sooner, so mix it in small amounts and use it within a few days.
