Tips for washing hair in a tub / basin?

[meteor]

I am getting increasingly sore scalp from washing hair in the shower due to the weight of wet hair. I know "mermaid soaks" provide an effective solution to this problem, but I am not sure about the right technique.
Should I swish hair around or not?
And how does one minimize tangles?
Should I add some shampoo or vinegar or conditioner to the water in the tub?
What's your technique?

Any tips for washing hair in a tub or basin would be really appreciated! :)

Thank you very much! :)

[Madora]

I only tried washing my hair in the sink (using a basin) once because the water pressure was poor (compared to the shower). (This was years ago, when my hair was much shorter).

If I were you, to minimize on tangles, I'd part the hair down the center, braid each side, then shampoo each side separately instead of trying to wash all the hair together. When you're through shampooing one side, bind it with a scrunchie while you work on the other side.

Good luck!

[11eleven]

Just mermaid soak, shampoo and then use a beach pail to rinse. The large volume of water will detangle for you.

[spidermom]

I don't think soaking hair in the bath is good for it. I have sat in a bathtub and used a pitcher for washing my hair. I've also bent over the tub and washed it using a pitcher. But if there's a shower around - that's what I go for, either standing upright or bending forward with my hair falling in front of me. I've seen pictures of extra long-haired people who have had some sort of stand with a sieve thingie for their hair to rest in rather than hanging straight down. But hanging down doesn't bother me.

[Carolyn]

I sit in the tub with my hair hanging down my back. I use a hand held shower head to get it wet and to rinse. When I do a mermaid soak I just scoot down and lay back in the tub, then I sit up and rinse with my hand held shower head. I've done that since 1988 when we moved to this house. The only time I have a shower is when I am staying in a motel or with friends. My hair has been as long as BCL but it isn't that long now. I've never had tangles. I can wrap my wet hair up in towel for a few minutes and then comb with a wide tooth comb with very few and very slight tangles.

[Jenn_Ivan]

I only tried washing my hair in the sink (using a basin) once because the water pressure was poor (compared to the shower). (This was years ago, when my hair was much shorter).

If I were you, to minimize on tangles, I'd part the hair down the center, braid each side, then shampoo each side separately instead of trying to wash all the hair together. When you're through shampooing one side, bind it with a scrunchie while you work on the other side.

Good luck!

Does that work? Braiding your hair and washing it? Does it get it clean? I wash my hair every 3rd day and it is a hassle and takes forever. I wash it in the bathtub and I am looking for an easier way to wash it. I will definitely have to try braiding it and washing it that way.

[Larki]

Does that work? Braiding your hair and washing it? Does it get it clean? I wash my hair every 3rd day and it is a hassle and takes forever. I wash it in the bathtub and I am looking for an easier way to wash it. I will definitely have to try braiding it and washing it that way.

I've thought about doing that, but I was afraid that either the shampoo wouldn't be able to reach all the hair or it wouldn't wash out properly.

[Jenn_Ivan]

Does that work? Braiding your hair and washing it? Does it get it clean? I wash my hair every 3rd day and it is a hassle and takes forever. I wash it in the bathtub and I am looking for an easier way to wash it. I will definitely have to try braiding it and washing it that way.
I've just tried this. It was so much easier to wash it this way. Keep in mind though that I did it in the bathtub where I could submerge my whole head under water to rinse it out. I can't wash my hair in the shower anymore because it is too long and too heavy. Having it in braids made it feel lighter also. By the time I was done the braids were really loose but it worked great and took me about ten minutes less to wash it. Give it a try, you've got nothing to lose and it may work out well for you too.

[Larki]

I've just tried this. It was so much easier to wash it this way. Keep in mind though that I did it in the bathtub where I could submerge my whole head under water to rinse it out. I can't wash my hair in the shower anymore because it is too long and too heavy. Having it in braids made it feel lighter also. By the time I was done the braids were really loose but it worked great and took me about ten minutes less to wash it. Give it a try, you've got nothing to lose and it may work out well for you too.

Did you secure the braids or just leave them loose?

[Jenn_Ivan]

Did you secure the braids or just leave them loose?
Secured the braids with hair bands. And afterwards there wasn't too many tangles either; the brush went through my hair easily.

[meteor]

Great ideas, guys! :D Thank you so much!
I'm going to try washing in braids. Does this work if your hair has some pre-poo treatment on?

Also, I found some archived thread on "mermaid soaks" and some people claimed that it was drying to hair (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=72666). Has anybody experienced this? And do you know why this could be?

[Madora]

Ladies, my sincere apologies for not being more concise.

When I braid my hair one side remains braided (dry) while I work on the other side, which is unbraided, thoroughly wetted, then shampooed, rinsed, then loosely rebraided.

The other braid is then unloosened and shampooed, etc.

I used a small bit of conditioner on each side (to help detangling later), then rinsed it out well.

The hair was then patted down well (between a towel) then braided in two braids again, for detangling a little later.

While I suppose you could shampoo braids w/o undoing them, I don't think it would be a very effective cleansing method as the shampoo wouldn't reach all the strands effectively, not to mention being able to rinse off the shampoo (dirty water, etc.).

[PrincessPhoebe]

Great ideas, guys! :D Thank you so much!
Also, I found some archived thread on "mermaid soaks" and some people claimed that it was drying to hair (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=72666). Has anybody experienced this? And do you know why this could be?

When I tried conditioning twice, it made my hair very dry. I can only think it was all the extra rinsing, and this would put me off soaking my hair. I really don't understand it though :shrug:, so would be interested to hear theories!

[chen bao jun]

Braiding hair and washing it works very well. I 've done for over a year now. I do three to four loose braids and yes, everything washes out fine and there is the added benefit of not having the tangles I used to get when I washed loose. My mom has done it this way for years.

[Beborani]

My hair is not that heavy normally but when i wash off henna I let the length float in a small pail as I rinse the head directly under the faucet (lower pressure but more volume).

[meteor]

:( I tried it but it felt like I couldn't get all my scalp clean at all, so I switched to shower almost immediately. Wow, I didn't realize I need strong water pressure so badly. I guess I'll keep using the shower for now and maybe learn some way of washing hair in a tub over time.
Spidermom, I really wish I knew what that sieve-like thingy looks like and where to find it. It sounds awesome. :)

[Anje]

Bet you could figure out a way to mount a pasta strainer in the shower to hold your hair!

[Feathered]

When my shower pressure screwed up a while back I had to switch to taking baths until it's fixed. I dunk my whole head underwater and rinse with running water from the faucet poured over my hair with a large cup. It works fine for me, but my air isn't quite long enough to touch the bath water while sitting in the tub, yet. I don't know what I'll start doing when that happens-maybe fix the shower?