Hair bonnets are a great way to keep your hair protected and beautiful, but it’s imperative to keep your hair bonnet clean. If not, germs, bacteria, and smells will build up inside the hair bonnet and go directly on your hair every time you put it on. But how do you wash a hair bonnet?
You can either hand wash or machine wash your hair bonnet. Hand washing your hair bonnet is the best, but you can machine wash on gentle when you don’t feel like washing it yourself. In either case, allow the hair bonnet to air dry. Do this every week or every other week.
Keep reading to learn more about how to wash your hair bonnet with two different easy methods.
How To Handwash Your Hair Bonnet
Your hair bonnet is a delicate piece of fabric. As such, the best way to wash your hair bonnet is to hand wash it.
The good news is that hand washing a hair bonnet is super easy. It doesn’t take much arm muscle, nor does it take many items.
What You’ll Need
- Sink or basin
- Cool water
- Mild detergent (baby detergent is best)
- Area to air dry
Instructions
- Fill a sink or basin halfway up with cool water.
- Add mild detergent to the basin. We recommend baby detergent specifically.
- Turn the bonnet inside out.
- Soak the bonnet in the basin for five to 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the bonnet to press the sudsy water, hair oil, and dirt out.
- Put the bonnet back into the water and allow it to sit for one minute.
- Repeat steps five and six until all the water you squeeze out is clear.
- Pour out the sudsy water and replace it with clean, cold water.
- Soak the bonnet for one to five minutes in clean water.
- Squeeze out excess water and let air dry.
How To Machine Wash Your Hair Bonnet
If you do not like the idea of washing your hair bonnet in a sink, you can machine wash it instead.
However, it’s imperative that you use gentle detergent and gentle cycles whenever washing your hair bonnet in a machine.
We generally recommend the handwashing method, but you can use the machine wash method if that’s better suited for your lifestyle.
What You’ll Need
- Mild detergent (baby detergent is best)
- Delicates bag
- Area to air dry
Instructions
- Turn the bonnet inside out.
- Tie the strings together.
- Put the bonnet inside a delicates bag if it is being washed with other articles of clothing.
- Add mild detergent to your washer.
- Put the washer on a delicate cycle with cold water and press start.
- Let air dry.
Tips for Caring for Your Bonnet
Here are some other tips to keep in mind so that your bonnet is best cared for:
How Often You Wash Your Bonnet Depends on YOU
As a rule of thumb, you should wash your bonnet every week or every other week.
That being said, how often you wash your bonnet depends on you.
How often you wear your bonnet and how much product in your hair will ultimately determine how often it needs to be washed.
The more frequently you wear your bonnet and the more product you use, the more frequently you should wash your bonnet.
If you only wear your bonnet occasionally and use very little product, it only needs to be washed every other week.
Wash Your Bonnet Separately From Other Clothes
If you decide that you want to wash your bonnet in a washing machine, make sure to wash it in a delicates bag.
This bag will prevent the bonnet from getting snagged on anything.
For even better results, it’s best to wash the bonnet completely separately from other clothes.
Bonnets often are filled with a lot of oil and grease from your head. In some cases, that grease can actually stain your other clothing.
To prevent this from happening, wash your bonnet separately or only wash it in clothes you don’t care about.
Make Sure To Select Detergent That Won’t Break You Out
Because bonnets are made from sensitive materials, you always want to select a mild detergent that won’t stain or damage the fabric in any way.
There’s another reason why you want to select gentle detergents when washing your bonnet.
Your bonnet is going to touch your forehead and parts of your face. The last thing you want is to use detergents on your bonnet that will break your face out.
Selecting mild, fragrance-free detergents is less likely to break you out after wearing your bonnet.
Skip Fabric Softener
For the reason above, skip the fabric softener.
Although fabric softener is enticing on your bodily clothes, it will only cause you to break out and coat your bonnet in harmful materials.
So, skip the fabric softener when washing your bonnet.
If your bonnet is really stiff and needs to be softened, use white vinegar instead. White vinegar will not irritate your skin, but it will naturally soften the material at the same time.
Get Rid Of Your Bonnet If You Have a Bacterial or Fungal Infection
Obviously, throw away your bonnet if it’s falling apart and is no use any longer. Additionally, get rid of your bonnet if you have a bacterial or fungal infection.
The bacteria and fungus can hide in the fabric and make it impossible to get rid of the infection once and for all.
If you suffer from fungal acne specifically, change out your bonnet frequently so that your bonnet doesn’t contribute to the acne.
Final Thoughts
To ensure your hair is as clean and protected as possible, make sure to wash your hair bonnet once a week or every other week.
You need to wash it carefully so that you do not shrink or damage the bonnet in any way.
We recommend hand washing your bonnet. Although it will take a little bit more time, it is super easy, and it ensures your bonnet is protected.
You can opt for washing your hair bonnet in the washer instead on a delicate cycle, though. Never let your bonnet dry in the dryer. Only allow it to air dry.
Because your bonnet will need to air dry, we recommend having more than one. That way, you always have a fresh bonnet while your other one is being washed and dried.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often you should wash your satin hair bonnet depends on how often you use it. Most experts recommend washing your hair bonnet once a week or once every other week for the best results.
Shampoo will not be an effective enough cleaner when washing your bonnet. Instead, opt for a mild fabric detergent, such as baby detergent or sensitive skin detergent.
Yes. Bonnets are machine washable if you wash them on the delicate cycle with cool water. That being said, it’s best to hand wash your bonnets.
No. Do not put your bonnet in the dryer. Instead, allow it to air dry.
Disclaimer: This site is not intended to provide professional or medical advice. All of the content on LovedByCurls.com is for informational purposes only. All advice should be followed at your own discretion. Ingredients may change at any time so always check the product label before using. Check our full disclaimer policy here.
