How to Wash A Human Hair Wig

Learning how to properly wash and condition your human hair wig is very important to its longevity. 

Human hair wigs can manufactured using a variety of different grades or types of human hair. The most high quality human hair wigs will be made from human hair that is classified as remy, virgin or unprocessed, which means that the hairs will have been kept aligned in the same direction, leaving the cuticles intact to minimize tangling. This type of hair also ensures that no additional treatments such as coloring or silicone additives (to make the hair feel smooth) have been used.

Type of Products To Use On Your Human Hair Wig

All human hair wigs should be washed gently by hand with a non abrasive sulfate and paraben free shampoo such as: Awesome Wig Shampoo. You can find it on Amazon here: Awesome Wig Shampoo. The same company also has a leave in conditioning spray found on Amazon as well: Awesome Leave In Conditioner. 

Supplies You Will Need

1. Quality wig shampoo and conditioner
2. Wide tooth comb
3. Towel
4. Styrofoam head
   
   

How to Wash Your Human Hair Wig

1. Use a basin or sink, fill with luke warm water (room temperature)
   This method of submerging your human hair wig is only recommended for the highest quality of wig hair, such as remy or virgin hair with the cuticle intact. If you are unsure of your hair quality you many hold your wig and run water over it instead of placing it in a water basin.
2. Pour about a tablespoon of shampoo in the water and swish around with your hand to mix well. Place your wig gently in the water, slowly submerging the entire wig.
3. Let the wig sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then place a dab of shampoo in your hand and place it on your wig in long strokes from the base of the hair to the ends (Never scrub or rub the hair together) Washing a wig is very different than washing your own hair.
4. Using a wide tooth comb, comb the shampoo throughout the hair from the base to the ends.
5. Gently apply a couple handfuls of soapy water to the inside of the wig cap. Do not scrub the cap of the wig.
6. Rinse again with cool to luke warm water from the base down and from the inside of the cap to remove excess shampoo. Rinse several times to make sure all of the shampoo is removed.
7. After all of the shampoo is removed, gently blot hair using a towel.
8. Now apply some conditioner to the damp wig hair. Try and avoid the base cap area as the conditioner can loosen the knots. 
9. If you are using a conditioner you must rinse out, apply the conditioner and let it sit on the hair for about 10 minutes. Once that is complete rinse the hair 4 or 5 times under cold water. (If you are using a leave in conditioner all you need to do is spray the conditioner on the hair and comb through it with your wide tooth comb to make sure all the product it evenly distributed.

Drying Your Human Hair Wig

1. Gently blot the hair to remove the excess water
2. Comb the hair in the style you usually wear your wig
3. Place your wig on a styrofoam head and let air dry overnight naturally
4. To restyle your human hair wig, you may use a blow dryer, curling iron or flat iron on low heat settings only or use electric rollers on a medium setting (Make sure to use a heat protector before using thermal styling tools).

How Often To Wash Your Human Hair Wig

How To Prevent Your Human Hair Wig from Tangling

• Occasionally, human hair wigs may tangle or matte up at the nape (back of the neck) because of the friction that is cause when that area rubs the back and shoulders.This is totally normal.
• The most effective way to prevent tangles is to brush the hair several times a day and apply a daily conditioner. it's very important to add moisture and oils to the wig to prevent it from drying out and becoming brittle, which will cause tangles as it doesn't receive natural oils from the head.