Should You Be Washing Your Hair Scrunchies?

Scrunchies are not only a stylish accessory, but they also keep your hair protected while pulled up. By contrast, regular hair ties cause damage every time you use them. When you pull them out, they stretch your hair strands until they weaken and break. This is one of the reasons you'll notice a frayed and thin mane. XXL Scrunchie & Co explains that scrunchies are gentler on your hair strands because the fabric covers the elastic. Having this extra layer creates a barrier to prevent friction when pulling the scrunchie out.

Another reason to switch from elastic ties to scrunchies is that they are harder to lose. Hair ties are small, so they fall between couch cushions or behind dressers without anyone realizing it. Meanwhile, scrunchies are large enough for you to see where they fall. Plus, you're also more likely to keep them on your wrist when they're not in your hair because they don't leave the same dents as tight elastics. But do hair scrunchies require more maintenance than hair ties? Here's how often you should be washing them. 

Just like your clothes, scrunchies pick up dirt and oil while you're wearing them and need to be washed. How often you need to clean them depends on how frequently you wear them and what you do while they're in your hair. Makeup.com explains that if they're in while you exercise, you'll need to wash them about once a week. Although, if you don't wear them that much or wear a different scrunchie daily, you can wear them around five to 10 times before cleaning your collection.

Dermatologist Dr. Daniel Lanzer told Vegamour that scrunchies need to be cleaned because they "can foster nasty germs (bacteria and fungus), that when coming in close contact with your skin can cause a number of unwanted skin infections." By maintaining the cleanliness of your hair accessories, you're keeping your mane and scalp healthy. So how should you go about washing your scrunchies, exactly?

Washing your scrunchies doesn't have to be complicated. Depending on the fabric they're made of, you can throw them in your washing machine. Cotton, acetate, spandex, polyester, acrylic, and nylon are safe in your machine. However, you must put them in a lingerie bag first, so they don't get stuck in the washer. If you don't have a lingerie bag, Loved By Curls recommends using a sock or net bag. Once your scrunchies are in the bag, you can set your machine to your usual settings for a load of laundry. Drying these fabrics is just as easy. Leave them in the bag and throw them in your dryer.

The other method is hand washing your scrunchies. This is best for silk, rayon, linen, and wool fabrics. Place your scrunchies in a sink or small container and submerge them in water. You can add either laundry detergent or regular shampoo and then scrub with your hands to give them a good clean. Rinse them with cold water and then lay them on a towel to air dry.