Vinegar rinse dilution and hard water?

[Springlets]

I have really hard water- I know because it's destroying the marble in my shower. :( I usually do a capful of white vinegar per 1 Liter of water for my post-shower vinegar rinse, but now that I have hard water, I wonder if I should change the dilution (most likely increase the vinegar?). I know a simple thing to do would be to buy a shower filter or buy a bottle of water each time I take a shower, but we don't really have the money for that. Can anyone give me a vinegar dilution for rinses with hard water?

[Cheele]

I don't know that I can give you an exact amount... Mostly because I have no idea what my exact measurements are haha. Plus it's all about your individual water and individual hair.. If your hair seems fine with just a capful.. I would keep with that. If you notice mineral build up, try adding some more vinegar and keep taking it from there.

HTH!

[Macaroni]

We have hard water and I use 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 2 cups of water. I put the acv into a cup and when it's time for the rinse, I just stick it under the warm running shower. Fill 'er up and pour it over my head. Rinse and condition. Rinse. I'm done.

PS I've heard Heinz white vinegar is one of the few NOT petroleum based.

[LornaDoone]

I use about 3 tablespoons of vinegar in about 5-6 cups of water. I generally just eyeball it, so these are very loose approximations. However, I use shampoo bars so this might be too strong for your hair.

I would look into a shower head water filter. There are quite a few models under forty dollars. It would be worth it just to save the marble!

[MaryO]

Reading the other's ratio of water to vinegar I realise that I use A LOT of vinegar. I do about 2 litres of filtered water with about 1/4 cup (I usually just plop it in so I can't be sure of exact measurements but I doubt thatI'm sticking to a couple of tablespoons...) of ACV? I think I have just been too lazy to actually find out exactly how much is needed and to actually measure it out...:blushing:

[Springlets]

Thanks for replies everybody! I tried just doubling the amount of vinegar in my rinse today and my hair feels really good! Smoother like when I first started doing vinegar rinses! I just remember reading in one thread that 1 capful to 1 liter of water is the most you should ever use, so I started using that, but now I see that my hair does better with more vinegar.

I did check out at the store today some nice shower heads for good prices but, would all shower heads be filtered? (I'm living in China, but can't read Chinese, so I have no idea how I would figure it out).

[KittyBird]

Reading the other's ratio of water to vinegar I realise that I use A LOT of vinegar. I do about 2 litres of filtered water with about 1/4 cup (I usually just plop it in so I can't be sure of exact measurements but I doubt thatI'm sticking to a couple of tablespoons...) of ACV? I think I have just been too lazy to actually find out exactly how much is needed and to actually measure it out...:blushing:

Me too! I just a pour a good amount of vinegar into the bottle and fill it up with cold water. I definitely use more than a few tbs, but it works really well for my hair. :cool:

[bo-peep]

I put the acv into a cup and when it's time for the rinse, I just stick it under the warm running shower. Fill 'er up and pour it over my head. Rinse and condition. Rinse. I'm done.

If I understand you correctly, you use the ACV rinse between shampoo and conditioner? I never thought to do it that way.

[dwell_in_safety]

I use a whole decent-sized splash of ACV in a tumbler cup and fill up the rest with water. Haha. I think it ends up being very strong for a rinse, but it is what works best for my hair and the degree of hardness in my water.

[Cowgirl16]

I have super hard water too and I use about 1/4 cup ACV in a litre of water. I pour this over my hair after I condition.

I bought a shower head that has a filter in the handle that you replace every so often; well our water is so hard it clogs the filter in about a week :(. My DH took the filter out and now once a week he takes apart the handle (where the filter was) and shakes the deposits out. :shrug:

[shirohane]

I use a whole decent-sized splash of ACV in a tumbler cup and fill up the rest with water. Haha. I think it ends up being very strong for a rinse, but it is what works best for my hair and the degree of hardness in my water.
I used to do that but the solution was so strong that I got burns near my hairline... so this might not work for everyone. :(

[bo-peep]

I have hard water where I live. When the shower head gets clogged with mineral deposits (making the individual jets spray in unusual directions), I soak it in straight vinegar overnight or while I'm at work. Works perfectly every time.

[meteor]

I use a 10% dilution, but I can't really figure out if it's optimal.
But if I use more vinegar, my hair tends to get frizzy.

[excentricat]

I use a fairly weak solution (unmeasured), but I then dip my length in the cup for a good 10-15 seconds and swish it before dumping it over my head, and I don't always rinse it out. I have hard water, but I don't use the vinegar every wash either. Hopefully you find what your hair likes.

[Macaroni]

If I understand you correctly, you use the ACV rinse between shampoo and conditioner? I never thought to do it that way.

Yes, between shampoo and conditioner. My hair loves it and no vinegar odor.

[alyaziaaah]

i use one bottle cap on one liter water, i never wash it off. this dilution has perfect hair ph.
if you go stronger your hair might desintegrate over time. better get ph stripes then you can test your water.
4.5 to 5 ph is good

[bo-peep]

Yes, between shampoo and conditioner. My hair loves it and no vinegar odor.

I tried it yesterday and LOVE the results (with no Easter egg dye smell)! Thanks!

[jeanniet]

I use citric acid instead of ACV. Vinegar never really did much for me, and CA helps to chelate the minerals better IMO. 1/4 tsp. per gallon of water as a final rinse. I've been doing this for about three years now and it works perfectly. I rarely have to clarify.

Just make sure the filter is meant for hard water (calcium carbonate), because some are meant for chlorine only.

[spirals]

I use a plastic tumbler. I fill it 1/5 full and then fill with water. I guess for 1 liter, you'd need 200 ml vinegar, if my math is right.

[silverthread]

I have really hard water- I know because it's destroying the marble in my shower. :( I usually do a capful of white vinegar per 1 Liter of water for my post-shower vinegar rinse, but now that I have hard water, I wonder if I should change the dilution (most likely increase the vinegar?). I know a simple thing to do would be to buy a shower filter or buy a bottle of water each time I take a shower, but we don't really have the money for that. Can anyone give me a vinegar dilution for rinses with hard water?

Ideally, you will want the pH of your water to land somewhere between 4.5 and 5.5. This dissolves the minerals and smoothes the hair cuticle. If you go below 4.5, you may end up damaging your hair over time. I have very hard water that has a pH of about 8.25. I add 3 T of white vinegar and 1/32 tsp. ascorbic acid to a gallon of my tap water for a final pH of 5.5. The vinegar cuts the minerals and the ascorbic acid removes the chloramine in the water.

[trolleypup]

i use one bottle cap on one liter water, i never wash it off. this dilution has perfect hair ph.
if you go stronger your hair might desintegrate over time. better get ph stripes then you can test your water.
4.5 to 5 ph is good
I rinse it out, so my dilution is more like 1:4 or 1:5...it keeps my scalp happy, doesn't make a great deal of difference to my hair.