Wigs are delicate and it is important to know how to care for them so they can look great. Protective hairstyles are a no-brainer for a lot of women any time of year, but during the cold winter months, wigs are more important to keep cold air and outside debris away from natural hair so that it can grow stronger and not break. Do not worry! Lordhair has provided a step-by-step guide that will help you wash your wig.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at how to wash a wig!
Washing Your Wig
#1 Brush the wig
Begin at the ends and work your way up. First, use a gentle combing motion to separate the wig's ends. Work your way up towards the roots until you can run your brush or comb through it without tangles. Once they are free of knots, it is ready to be washed. Use a wide-toothed comb or your fingers to detangle curly wigs while a wire wig brush should be used for straight or wavy wigs.
#2 Fill your sink with cold water
Add 1–2 shampoo squeezes to cold water in your sink. Use a high-quality, wig-appropriate shampoo, or a shampoo designed for wigs, or one designed for colored hair. Use curly hair shampoo to wash a curly wig. If the wig is dyed (it is very likely that it will be with one of our wigs), use a color-safe shampoo. The wig fibers won't be shampooed directly. Instead, wash the wig with soapy water. Avoid 2-in-1 conditioner shampoos. You can condition your wig but avoid the roots. Use human hair wig-specific shampoos to avoid harming chemicals.
#3 Turn the wig cap inside out
Turn the wig cap inside out with your fingers, leaving the wig fibers hanging loose. Put the wig in the water and press down to fully immerse the strands. Gently spin the wig to help the shampoo penetrate all of the strands.
Since the wig cap is where most of the dirt, sweat, and oils accumulate, turning the wig inside out will make it simpler for the shampoo to penetrate.
#4 Rinse the wig
Rinse the wig in cold water until all traces of shampoo have been removed. You have the option of rinsing the wig in a bowl of clean, chilly water - you can do it in the sink or the shower instead. It's possible that you'll need to give the wig a second rinse, but that will depend on how thick it is.
#5 Wig conditioner
Pour conditioner over hair and gently finger-comb. Avoid wig caps with a lace front or ventilated wigs. Conditioner will undo the knots and loosen the strands. Wefted wigs have stitched fibers, therefore this shouldn't be a problem. After, use cold water to rinse the conditioner. Like your hair, leaving the conditioner on the wig for a few minutes lets the nutritional oils permeate and hydrate it. After two minutes, rinse the wig with cold water until it's clear.
Drying and Styling the Wig
#1 Gentle squeeze
Flip the wig so that the inside is facing outward and remove the excess water by gently squeezing it. While balancing the wig over the sink, gently squish the fibers together in the palm of your hand. However, you should avoid wringing the strands or twisting them in any way, since this can cause the fibers to become tangled or even broken.
It is important to refrain from brushing the wig while it is wet. This can cause the fibers to become damaged, which can result in frizz.
#2 Use a towel
To absorb the extra moisture, roll the wig in a towel and then shake it out. Put the wig down on the clean end of the towel and set it there. To make a compact bundle out of the towel, start by rolling it up from the end where the wig is attached. Apply some pressure to the towel, and then carefully unroll it and take the wig out.
If the wig is lengthy, you should make sure that the strands are detangled and not clumped together in any way.
#3 Wig products
Applying a conditioning spray to the wig will prevent it from detangling later. You might want to try some styling mousse on the wig instead if it has a curly texture. Concentrate on the ends and not the roots of the wig.
#4 Brush the wig
After the wig has had a chance to thoroughly dry, brush it. Again, if the wig has straight or wavy hair, you should use a wire wig brush, but if it has curly hair, you should use a wide-toothed comb. Begin with the tips and work your way back to the roots. Apply a product that detangles your hair if you find that you need to.
#5 Re-curl the wig
If necessary, you can re-curl the wig. Some wigs are constructed with a natural curl to them – the men’s stock wigs at Lordhair come with a 30mm slight curl and wave. Some wigs are constructed from straight hair that has been curled using a curling iron, while others are produced from curly hair. It is a good thing that you can easily re-curl it by employing the same method that you would use for your natural hair. The fact that hair rollers do not require heat makes them a significantly more secure option. If you need to use a curling iron, make sure the heat setting is turned down.
How to Wash a Wig: Bottom Line
Keeping your wigs clean is a sure way to extend their longevity but it all starts with a quality wig. Choose the finest wigs from Lordhair! Look and feel great with our unmatched non-surgical hair systems!
Our team of experts is on hand to assist you in finding the wig and we can also help you with any of your questions about washing and caring for your wig. So, please just reach out to us via email at support@lordhair.com or leave us a comment below.