Baking soda and vinegar wash?

[Scelesta]

I'm just wondering if this okay?

Twice a week I put baking soda on my scalp and pour white vinegar(mixed with equal parts water) onto it so that it bubbles and I can massage out any dirt our hair product, Then I just rinse with cool water. Shampoo makes my hair feel gross, and I cant afford to buy any new kinds untill next week, and conditioner just doesnt get the build up that makes my scalp itch to go away.

[Jolly-Good-Show]

Hmmm... I feel like it might be harsh on your scalp. I really don't know though, I'm a bit skeptical if it really is as amazing and good for hair/scalp as I hear on the internet... I'll be watching this thread! :shrug:

[Foxylocks]

As long as it works for you, it is fine. I always like to tell people that there is no "bad" haircare routine. As long as this works to clean your scalp, then it is a good routine.

[jeanniet]

Mixing baking soda with an acid causes a chemical reaction--one of the more sciencey members can tell you what it does exactly. I wouldn't advise mixing the two on your head. If you must use baking soda--and keep in mind that it is quite harsh and over time may have a very negative effect on your hair--rinse it out well before using a vinegar rinse.

[alishaxmarie]

Well considering you are pouring pure vinegar on your scalp/hair, I'm surprised your hair didn't wind up feeling dry/straw-like! You need to dilute the vinegar in some water, the amount depends on how hard the water in your area is but I believe the standard dilution is about 1 tbsp in 2 cups of water but even that is a heck of a lot stronger than a lot of LHC-ers would use! Test whatever works for you but usually a BS rinse is done the same way but with an even weaker mix than the vinegar although I have heard that some people put the BS on their scalp to get results similar to a dry shampoo. If I were going to hide the greasies in that fashion, I would personally use baby powder since I know that works to absorb some of the oil/sebum for me :) Also, I HIGHLY doubt that the bubbling is a good sign! Kids do shoot "rockets" into the sky with vinegar and BS afterall!

[PastelAngel]

The pH of baking soda might wreak absolute havoc on your scalp. Keep in mind that, even though we might make food with it, baking soda is a chemical and it's not 100% safe for all applications.

[Kelikea]

I sometimes wash with diluted BS and rinse with diluted vinegar. I've never tried it with straight BS on the scalp, rinsed with vinegar. But I do clean my carpets that way if the dog throws up. It works really well!

[Firefox7275]

Neither the alkaline baking soda nor that strong a dilution of vinegar is good for skin and hair on a regular basis, you risk damage to both. If you have pruritis (itching scalp) get that diagnosed and target your treatment. What is the 'build up' from, sebum or hard water?

[angstroms]

I've heard of people using them separately (baking soda first), diluted on the hair. I have no idea what the actual hair effects are. I've been curious about this too.
The reaction yields sodium acetate and carbonic acid, the carbonic acid decomposes into harmless products (CO2, H2O)pretty much immediately.
Sodium acetate has diverse uses. It's a pretty harmless chemical and is used in food. You may know it as the "hot ice" in reusable gel handwarmers.
Since, in theory, when they are used separately, I don't know if this reaction happens...

[farmlass]

Yikes!! I tried the BS/ACV routine, and after a couple months my hair and scalp were dry and damaged. I diluted both the BS and the ACV before use, rinsing the BS out before putting the ACV on. I would guess that allowing the chemical reaction to take place in your hair would cause even more damage? Firefox is great with the scientific side of things and can probably give you the best idea of what it's doing to your hair.

[niky45]

BS is too alkaline for MY hair, it dries it too much. (pH of 8)

but undiluted ACV is GOOD... since it has a pH of 5, a little less than your hair's. So it will close the cuticle, and your hair will be happy (mine is :D )

... not really sure about mixing them. they will react as somebody already said. So, best case, you don't get the full benefits of neither one. but getting down BS's pH could be actually good...

so, I say, undiluted ACV is GREAT for your hair. BS is a bit too harsh for my taste, but if your hair likes it, then go for it!!

but as I said, I'm not really sure about mixing them both... I'd put the BS first, then rinse with water, then pour the ACV. But that's what I tried a couple times, and my hair was not as clean as I like... and quite dry... so now I just CO-wash and finish with undiluted ACV as a leave-in.

Oh. and you also have to account the pH of your water.

[shola-faye]

I tried to use baking soda as a face scrub/exfoliator (with other ingredients) some time ago. After a few uses my face started to feel sore and upon looking closely in the mirror I discovered a few very fine scratches on my face, I'm not sure if scalp skin is thicker but just thought i'd share my story.

[LadyCelestina]

While I am generally going with the YMMV - whatever makes your hair and scalp happy principle ,I think baking soda/vinegar on a regular basis is just way too harsh.I use it to scrub the sinks and the mess in the bathroom,and it really gets the dirt off better than any soap.

[Treble Bolt]

I do not recommend it as a daily or more than once a week. I have used Baking Soda and Vinegar for years (one of my grandmothers taught me). If you do it too often, it'll damage and dry your hair and scalp. Doing it once a week AFTER doing your regular shampoo works best (for those who use conditioner, don't use it after you BS/V your hair).
The purpose for this type of a rinse is 1. get any dead skin off your scalp. I use this technique mostly in the winter because my dandruff gets bad. Massaging the baking soda into the scalp allow the abrasiveness of the baking soda to get rid of any dry skin without damaging the tender/sensitive skin. However, this also gets rid of natural oils on your scalp and along the roots of your hair. Vinegar not only helps rinse the Baking Soda out, but also balances the PH levels of your scalp, allowing for the natural oils to be produced without problems and scalp dryness.
HOWEVER, if you do not rinse the Baking Soda complete out of your hair, you will dry out your scalp worse than it was before, and if you don't rinse out the vinegar completely, you risk weakening your hair because vinegar is very acidic and in some applications, is corrosive. If you don't do it right, you'll hurt your hair and scalp. Don't do it more than once a week, overdoing it is bad....of course, too much of anything can become a bad thing.

[Misao]

I am no poo, now I'm in the 10th month. My hair and scalp is perfect and healthy, the same way it did with shampoo (Head & Shoulders)

My routine is Baking Soda and Apple Cinder Vinegar 2-3 times a week. I use this mixtures:
1º- 1full tablespoon baking soda completelly diluted in 250ml hot water. Massage, rest a minute and then rinse well.
2º- 1almost full tablespoon ACV in 250ml water. Massage, rest less than a minute and then rinse well with cool water.

Once a week I apply a "smoothing rinse" in lenghts and ends: 2full tablespoons ACV in 100ml water + 7drops of olive oil. Or sometimes I use silicones Head and Shouders shampoo in lenghts and ends.

I didn't use heat. I comb my hair and tangles with my fingers. My hair is so healthy, shiny and smooth.

[gossamer]

The pH of baking soda might wreak absolute havoc on your scalp. Keep in mind that, even though we might make food with it, baking soda is a chemical and it's not 100% safe for all applications.

Water's a chemical too... so is air.

[gossamer]

I do not recommend it as a daily or more than once a week. I have used Baking Soda and Vinegar for years (one of my grandmothers taught me). If you do it too often, it'll damage and dry your hair and scalp. Doing it once a week AFTER doing your regular shampoo works best (for those who use conditioner, don't use it after you BS/V your hair).
The purpose for this type of a rinse is 1. get any dead skin off your scalp. I use this technique mostly in the winter because my dandruff gets bad. Massaging the baking soda into the scalp allow the abrasiveness of the baking soda to get rid of any dry skin without damaging the tender/sensitive skin. However, this also gets rid of natural oils on your scalp and along the roots of your hair. Vinegar not only helps rinse the Baking Soda out, but also balances the PH levels of your scalp, allowing for the natural oils to be produced without problems and scalp dryness.
HOWEVER, if you do not rinse the Baking Soda complete out of your hair, you will dry out your scalp worse than it was before, and if you don't rinse out the vinegar completely, you risk weakening your hair because vinegar is very acidic and in some applications, is corrosive. If you don't do it right, you'll hurt your hair and scalp. Don't do it more than once a week, overdoing it is bad....of course, too much of anything can become a bad thing.

I agree with what you've written here. Diluted BS/WV works well for me too on a weekly or less basis. More than that and my hair starts to act up. BS can be pretty drying if overused. Vinegar can make my hair feel kind of sticky if overused too. In moderation, it's great for me!

[PraiseCheeses]

Baking soda worked really well for me for a good couple years, until I got into BSL territory and the manipulation necessary to distribute it became way too much for my fine hair to handle when wet. I tried a paste (utter disaster) and the standard dilution of 1 tsp BS to 8 oz water (pretty good) but what worked best was 1/4 tsp to 8 oz warm water applied with a squirt bottle to my scalp, rinsed out, and followed by a moisturizing conditioner. Acidic rinses never did much for me, and with conditioners generally formulated to be slightly acidic, I didn't worry about it.

Be careful with vinegar dilutions if you try different kinds of vinegar - they are not created equal. While apple cider vinegar commonly has a pH of 4.5-5 and is hair-safe, white vinegar's pH is around 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar