ACV and baking soda

My alternative to shampoo

About two years ago I made the transition from commercial shampoo to baking soda and apple cider vinegar (ACV) for my hair. It’s a transition that I really love. Not only is it much more economical but it also means I have to wash my hair less often.

The transition to baking soda and ACV is something I had to plan and see through. It basically means to switch the shampoo once and for all. I and my hair were surprisingly okay with the transition. However, switching from commercial shampoo to baking soda and ACV can also mean up to two weeks of oily scalp and hair.

The reason behind that seems to be that commercial shampoo dries the scalp’s and hair’s natural oils. Regular shampooing keeps that oil production at an artificial minimum. For the transition period, it can happen that the oil production will increase, most likely resulting in temporary overproduction. However, it depends on how often and with what shampoo the hair and scalp were treated before.

 

How to use baking soda and ACV as ‘shampoo’

The actual use of baking soda and ACV as a replacement shampoo is simple: I put one tablespoon of baking soda into a cup of water and ensure that the baking soda is fully dissolved (keep the spoon handy). I then pour this over my head, making sure I keep my eyes and mouth closed and try not to get it up my nose.

The purpose of the baking soda is to cleanse the scalp, therefore, getting the tips wet is not essential. The next step is to massage my scalp with the

The next step is to massage my scalp with the baking-soda-water on it. Depending on my mood that can be extensive but it’s also fine to massage a little and leave for a bit. Once I’m ready to rinse I put my head under running water for a good minute and continue the massaging. It’s important to get all of the baking soda off otherwise there’s an interesting chemical reaction happening in the next step.

Once I’ve rinsed I fill up my cup again with water and add about one tablespoon of ACV to the water (if there is any baking soda left in the cup, it will fizz!!!). I pour this mixture over my hair again, focusing more on my hair than my scalp.

The ACV doesn’t need as much massaging or soaking, about one minute is just fine. And then comes the final rinse. My hair already feels very soft under the water when I get to this step. It’s really awesome! Once I rinsed my hair I’m finished and get ready for the day.

 

Benefits of baking soda and ACV

I’ve noticed that my hair keeps moisture for much longer with this method of washing my hair than with commercial shampoo. Air drying takes longer now. I need to use my towel more vigorously before I can leave my hair to dry. My hair though looks shinier and healthier with the extra moisture. The wet shoulders in the morning tend not to bug me.

I quickly got used to using baking soda and ACV for my hair care. Now, two years later, I continue to enjoy the fact that I can walk in my pantry and find my hair care products there.

An added bonus is that I reduce my waste and the money I save on shampoo.

One thought on “My alternative to shampoo

  1. This is really interesting! ACV had been suggested to me because I already have scalp issues. But I did not know about using baking soda and that the combination could replace my shampoo entirely! Thanks again!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel.

Back To Top