How to Wash a Human Hair Weave

Co-authored by Tiffany Pate

Last Updated: March 23, 2022 References

Wearing good quality human hair weaves can give you a silky smooth hairstyle and provide you with a new, fun look. However, the weave won’t stay silky smooth without a little maintenance. Whether you have a leave-in or leave-out weave, you’ll need to detangle, shampoo, and condition your weave, and then let it dry completely. Also, keep your weave looking great by establishing a good hair care routine.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Washing a Leave-In Weave

1
Saturate your weave with warm water. Run warm water over your entire weave in a downward motion near where your tracks are until the weave is completely wet. You can do this by holding your head underneath the sink faucet but it’s probably easier just to get in the shower.
2
Apply shampoo and rinse it out. Squirt a small amount of a hydrating, clarifying, sulfate-free shampoo into your hand and massage it gently into the length of the weave.^{[1]
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Research source} Then, thoroughly rinse all of the shampoo out.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Tiffany Pate
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.}
- Rub hair gently between your palm for stubborn dirt, if needed, but be careful not to scrub or bunch up the hair.
- Alternatively, you can first use a clarifying shampoo to remove all the dirt and then wash with a moisturizing shampoo.^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Tiffany Pate
  Licensed Cosmetologist
  Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.}
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3
Apply conditioner and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing. Turn off the water. Squirt a small amount of conditioner made for human hair into your hand and apply it in a downward motion from the tracks to the tips of the hair. Let the conditioner sit on your weave for 15 minutes, and then turn the water back on and rinse it out thoroughly to avoid product buildup.^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Tiffany Pate
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.}
4
Detangle your weave with a wide-tooth comb. Separate your weave into 2 equal-sized sections and bring one over your right shoulder and the other over your left shoulder. Turn the water back on and use a paddle brush to gently brush out any tangles in the weave.
- Avoid using a paddle brush under running water on your weave. Paddle brushes can collect water, which makes them more prone to mold and mildew.
5
Sit under a hair dryer for 45 minutes. When you wash a leave-in weave, it’s very important to dry it completely before you leave your home or go to bed. Turn off the water, brush any remaining tangles out of your weave, and sit underneath a hair dryer. Set a timer for 45 minutes and let your weave dry before you move onto doing anything else.^{[5]
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- If you don’t have access to a hair dryer, use a blow dryer or air dry your weave.
- It’s extremely important that your weave and your natural hair underneath dry completely. Otherwise, mold and mildew may start to develop, which will create a bad smell. These microbes can also cause scalp problems and damage your hair.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Washing a Leave-Out Weave

1
Brush the weave from tips to roots to detangle. Hold your leave-out weave by the track and use a soft paddle brush to gently brush any tangles out. To avoid ripping the hair out, make sure to start at the ends of the hair and work your way up towards the track.
2
Drench the weave in warm water. Run some warm water from a sink faucet and hold your weave underneath the water. Saturate the weave entirely if it’s a sew-in weave, but avoid saturating the track if your weave is glue-in.^{[6]
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3
Soak the weave in diluted shampoo for 5-10 minutes. Squirt a small amount of a mild, sulfate-free shampoo made for human hair into a basin and fill it up with warm water. Swish the shampoo around in the water. Then, submerge your weave in the basin and let it soak for 5-10 minutes.
4
Rinse the shampoo out. Take your weave out of the basin and hold it underneath a sink faucet. Run some warm water and rinse out all of the shampoo in the weave. Keep it under the running water until you no longer see suds.^{[7]
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5
Soak the weave in diluted conditioner for 30-60 minutes. Squirt some conditioner for human hair into a basin and fill it the rest of the way with warm water. Swish the conditioner around in the water and place your weave in the water. Let it soak for 30-60 minutes so that the hair gets soft and smooth.
6
Rinse the conditioner out. Remove the weave from the basin and hold it under running water for a couple of minutes. Rinse the weave completely out so that no conditioner remains.^{[8]
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7
Pat the weave with a towel and lay it out to dry. Turn the water off and lay a towel out on a flat surface. Lay the weave out on part of the towel and pat it dry with the part it isn’t laying on. Then, leave the weave on the towel until it’s completely dry to the touch.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Care of Your Weave

1
Wash your weave at least once every 10 days. When you don’t wash your weave, it can start to look messy and smell bad. To avoid this, shampoo and condition it about every week and a half, or more frequently.
- If your weave is curly, it’s better to wash it at least once a week in order to maintain the curl pattern.
2
Do weekly deep conditioning treatments before shampooing. While it’s dry, divide your leave-in weave into 4-6 sections. Squirt an argan oil deep conditioner into your hand and apply it thoroughly to each section. Put a plastic shower cap on, stuff your weave inside, and sit under a hair dryer for about 15 minutes. Then, rinse out the deep conditioner with cold water and shampoo. Go back under the hair dryer until your weave is completely dry.^{[9]
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- If you have a leave-out weave, apply the deep conditioner to the entire weave and put it in a plastic shower cap. Add a little bit of water and put it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Then, take it out, rinse out the conditioner in a sink with cold water, shampoo as normal, and lay it out to dry completely.
- If you don’t have a hair dryer, put a shower cap on and then wrap a towel around your head to trap in the heat. Then, let it sit for 15 minutes before you rinse it out and let it air dry.
3
Apply tea tree and grapefruit seed oils to your scalp. When you have a weave in, your hair and scalp don’t get very good circulation. Because of this, the growth of bacteria, such as mold, is likely. To avoid this issue, Put a small amount of hair-conditioning oil on your fingertips and gently apply it to your scalp from time to time.
4
Minimize your use of hair styling products. Oils, creams, and sprays can weigh your weave down, dry out your weave, and even create unpleasant odors. Try to use hair products as infrequently as possible, if at all. Use a small dollop of leave-in conditioner on curly weaves to help control frizz.^{[10]
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5
Stay away from heat styling tools. Manipulate your weave as little as possible to keep it looking great. Try not to use curling irons and flat irons to style your weave. Instead, consider wearing your weave in bantu knots or jumbo braids at night while you sleep to create pretty curls.^{[11]
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Expert Q&A

Question

Do hair weaves damage your hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

They can, especially if the braids the weaves are attached to are too tight or the weaves are left in too long, but if cared for correctly, weaves can actually protect the hair.
Question

How long are you supposed to leave your weave in?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You should take your weave out every two months to prevent the hair from tangling and matting.
Question

Can you wash a human hair wig?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Absolutely. Just use diluted sulfate-free shampoo and don't scrub as it can cause tangles.