Wigs Wig Maintenance: Care, Washing, Cleaning and Storage of Wigs

Hey guys!!!
(MODS PLEASE DELETE IF THERE ALREADY IS A THREAD LIKE THIS i checked and didnt find a thread like this but i didnt look very long)

Anyway, i am getting a shushu second hand and she is including a few wigs, she said one of them may stain her head and i may need to wash it.
???
How do I wash a wig?
>.>;;;
I dont want to ruin the wig?
But i dont want it to stain my second dolls head?
Im confused?!?

I guess my question is,
How do you wash a wig???

Thanks guys!
I 'peciate it

 

Personally, I wouldn't wash a wig.
If it's cheaply made, the color may wash out.

I'd just use a Mr. Clean magic eraser to clean off the head if it stains.

Or else you could take a wet paper towel and wipe off the inside of the wig??
I've never tried it, but theoretically, it should work.

*Also, from experience, never flat iron a wig heh heh

 

Lol
gotcha
*mental note : Dont use flat iron on a wig ;D *

I will try using your methods thanks~

 

haha, no problem. ^^;

 

Just getting the wig cap wet may cause more dye to come out on your doll.

You can get a gentle wig shampoo from either a doll company like Volks, or from a local wig or beauty supply shop. Just remember to test a small spot near the end of the hair to make sure that it will not strip too much of the color out of the wig. Usually a shampoo made for wigs won't cause issues, but its always best to be safe rather than sorry.

I did have one wig that a simple washing was not enough, so I used the same thing I use for clothing that stains. One part water, one part white vinegar. I left it soak for a few hours and now it does not leave marks on my doll anymore. Again, make sure you test a small part you would not mind trimming off.

 

Oh yes, I almost forgot:

I know for a fact Luts wigs do stain, I've seen the damage and it looks pretty bad/ unattractive.

However, these stains are a piece of cake to remove (soap and sponge, mr. clean, etc)

So what I would do, if I were you, would be to follow Tonboko's advice (wig soap) and keep a gentle but effective cleaner at hand

 

Huh???
Wait im confused?
Soak it in vinegar like you do w/ bjd clothes or wash it w/ wig shampoo?
I would rather to a method thats quick and easy and works lol

 

The only major thing I have heard is not to use conditioner near the "roots". Since fiber wig hairs are tied on, using conditioner can loosen them and make the hairs fall out.

I find that the wigs are the last thing that tend to dirty my doll, I think I've only had a problem once, and it wasn't a the wig itself, it was the rubber band I had holding it. My dolls are a magnet for every other kind of dirt out there.

 

I'm surprised to see people going 'Don't wash wigs! The colour will come out!' Unless the wig was like sharpie dyed that won't happen at all. o.0; Specially with fiber wigs, the colour isn't gunna run out and turn the fibers clear or something.

I've washed fur wigs, and ones I've made myself to practice [and those were 'cheaply made']

I've washed my fiber wigs, several times. Specifically those from Luts or Dream of doll. A bit of dish soap, or baby shampoo. I've even used my shampoo, it smells like apples.

It's alright to wash them. Just don't lather the wigs the same you would your hair. Work the shampoo in but work it down and not against the way the wig sits, if that makes sense. Then just rinse until the water runs clear so you know the soap is gone. After just put them somewhere to dry, I tend to dry mine ontop of a bottle of sorts so they're not laying flat.

 

It's totally safe to wash them.

Since most wigs are synthetic, using a little bit of dish soap will be fine. What I do is put enough soap in a basin (or sink) full of warm water so that it's super soapy water, and put the wig in and swish it around the basin gently. When it's clean, rinse it under the tap, and leave to air dry.

That won't get out excess dye though, so it's best to soak it in diluted white vinegar as well.

Shuggbugg, you can find more help by using the search button at the top of the page. Putting in 'Wig' 'wash' 'stain' will bring up the topics you want.

 

I have not tried to wash wigs made of fur. Synthetic wig wash herself. I used a shampoo with a balm. The wig turned out with a little greasy hair. The wig is easy to comb and the color is not faded. If you want a bushy wig - suitable means for washing dishes. Sushil wig stretched on the ball. Dry combing the wig, or hair may fall out.

 

Well, I definitely appreciate the tip. I hadn't planned on attempting sharpies, but now I definitely won't. Now, off to find that wig dyeing thread so I have a backup plan in case I can't find the right color!

(I really hate having to go afk for so darned long. Ah well, it was worth it at least.)

 

I have a Leekeworld Kaaron wig I bought at Denver Doll (LR-003) for my soulkid and though I love this wig, looks perfect on her, there are frizzies coming away from this wig- it is long and straight with bangs and ends in a couple of large curls at the ends. It is frustating a bit considering how much I have paid for the wig- and she wears it all the time- the wig she came with is ok, but not the look. Maybe rinse it with softener or detangler, and gently get the frizz out of the strands coming away from it? I'm sort of new at this, have thought of cutting out the part that bothers me, but don't want to mess up the wig....so glad I found this thread here!

By the way, does anyone have the Leekeworld msd sized Laura braided wig? Does it stay braided tightly? I have been thinking of getting that as an alternative wig for her traveling, so the straight one won't get any frizzier....

 

i have 3 of the leeke braided wigs and i handle them by the braids and nothing has happened.

 

What about fur wigs? Do you wash them the same way?

 

Um . . . you're kidding, right? Fifteen seconds of searching turned up two huge threads:
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179570

And winfur, here is the main thread about cleaning fur wigs, also easy to find with a search:
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256261

 

Cynthia in FlintHills I have seen those threads those i know you can but im wondering how!!!
So you looked up the wrong information i need to know how to wash wig not what temp to store it on or if you can wash it
Thanks though~
I appreciate all you guys answers to thanks~

 

You can wash it without damaging the wig. I rinse the hair, then lather up very little conditioner(no fancy ones that treat oil, dryness,etc). After conditioning I once again rinse the hair until all the conditioner is out(no bubbling) and gently dry it with a towel. It will take a while to dry so you'll need to hang it up and leave it to dry over night.

 

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showpost.php?p=28654&postcount=10

 

Although a lot of people have answered, I thought I'd put my 2 cents in. I've washed many synthetic wigs , and I've washed and conditioned them to bring them back into shape. However, I never used human hair products. Especially no cream rinse which has oils in it, I used fabric soap and fabric softener (Downy) to condition the wig. It's made for synthetic fibers. I just did this recently to relax curls in a wig I got. It required me to use super hot water out of the tap (not boiling or just pre-boiling - that could take all the curl out) and I swished it in there with lots of Downy. Then rinsed lightly, shook out outside, and hung to dry. Now the curls are softer.

My point is that you can wash synthetic fiber wigs, avoid human hair products, use Dish soap or laundry detergent and, believe me, always finish off with fabric softener, it will also keep the flyaways at bay. If this will help with Leeke wigs that stain (I've never had a staining wig) I don't know??

Oh, the reason no human products is because they do have oils in them and oils attract dirt, and you wig will get dull looking after a while, I don't think it would damage the wig, though what Ice Mutt said above could very well be true?

Also, this is a great way to get "frizzy" "dry ends" wigs to settle down again

 

Thankyou IngieBee very informational
I appreciate!!!
I am glad you put your two cents in (:

Oh and Cyntia in FlintHills, thankyou for the thread but that was over 7 years ago when the thread was started....... Its been a while since then people have done knew things.... So this is a thread for new ways to wash wigs
So this thread was kind of a refreshment
Thankyou anyway~
Thanks guys for the answers!!!

 

This is a new thread with merged content from many threads

 

I either store my wigs buy packing the inside with gift tissue paper, and then wrapping a net around it and storing it in an individual box. If I have it out drying or whatnot, I actually have head stands that are used for "Liv Doll" wigs. they fit a size 4/5, but I wrap tissue paper around the top then put a balloon over the "head section" then put the wig on top. <complicated sounding, but less complicated in real life.

 

I use a gentle shampoo on the unruly ones and do a conditioner soak that has softened three wigs that were OMG coarse... Maintenance this mohair/synthetic wig is a bit harder, since I need to constantly refluff it, so the fibers start showing when they've been handled a ton.

I realize a lot of people are against this, and I just want to say, I can't use fabric softener, due to allergies that I have, with super sensitive skin, and using the detergent, which I've done, has only succeeded in myking the wig almost unmanageable. I think it depends on the fibers mostly--I've had no problems on the FMD wig that I have, and it's helped to save the extensions...

 

Again, quite true. I have a couple of synthetic hair wigs for cosplay that I used Oil Soap with. The goal is to not strip the hair of the oils built up and then have it frizz and loose color. The smell honestly does go away really quick...especially when shoved outside for a couple hours on a cheap foam head.

 

I'm curious about how you wash a tibetan wool/fluffy mohair wig? I plan on getting a pale pink one, and a blond and purple in the future, and I'm curious about how you'd go about washing one without pulling any of the curl out.

Thanks!
~ Nana

 

For synthetic fiber wigs, try wig shampoo and conditioner first since they are made to keep synthetic fibers looking their very best. If that doesn't work or you can't find it, dishwashing liquid (the dawn hand renewal is best) or even Burt's Bees Shampoo and Conditioner (no chemicals and all natural!!! I used this for Uzi's wigs!!!) and then liquid fabric softener. Gently squeeze enough of the dishwashing liquid to "finger-comb" out tangles and dirt. Let it soak for 10 minutes then rinse. For the fabric softener, then the wig soak in a basin of the fabric softener and cold water. The cold water will add shine and help with the texture. After the wig is cleaned, hang it up somewhere with a hook and DO NOT COMB OR BRUSH IT UNTIL IT IS FULLY DRY! trust me, synthetic fiber when wet is not like human hair.

 

nvm I actually found what I needed haha!

 

Thanks to those who share! THis is a highly informative thread for us newbie BJD mamas ^__^b

 

Yay, found a wig maint thread. I haven't read through this WHOLE thread, just some.

What I'm wanting to know about is how to keep wigs from being frizzy. I want them smooth. Does the wig spray on Dollmore work?

Would soaking a wig in extra virgin olive oil then washing it help it stay soft and frizz free?

 

Soaking in Olive Oil sounds horrible to me - fabric conditioner would be better surely?

 

Storage:

for me i do a lot in the maintenance area of my wigs.

To store them i have a flat board that i glued some dowels (wooden dowels so wood glue!) on, and i get these foam "eggs" from craft stores that have the same measurements roughly as my MSD's head and glue fabric to them (leave a hole in the bottom). i make a rim on the dowel, and press the egg on until it hits that rim.
(the rim keeps it from sliding all the way down and having the dowel punch a hole through it, the fabric helps too as well as avoiding getting tiny foam pieces in the hair after time)
after thats set up i can apply the wig the the foam egg, and it keeps it up so the hair doesn't get bent or any thing, and since the board is pretty narrow, it's easy to store on a shelf or something until it's needed.

To keep dust off the wigs, i usually just drape a thin piece of plastic over each one.


Care and cleaning

When i'm getting ready to wash the wigs, the first thing i do is start brushing out the tangles or curls that are in it, starting from the bottom i work my way up slowly until i can brush through the wig easily, then i hold it under running water for a second to dampen the hair.

The next step is washing it. I apply shampoo to my hands (i usually use an anti frizz one, as it helps A LOT with fly away hairs) just like you would before washing your own hair, after i build up a lather i start running my hands down the wig length wise to apply the shampoo, make sure to separate the hair pieces to get it very clean. After i feel it's been sufficiently washed i hold it back under the water and THOROUGHLY make sure all of the shampoo is removed.
I don't use conditioners as they feel much too oily and i don't want to hurt my doll.

after it's washed (if the wig is straight) i just set it on a dowel to dry (usually with a foam ball with no fabric) then after it's dried i pull off the foam ball and hang it on the dowel to make sure the wig cap it's self is dry too.

To reset curls i use small sized curlers in the wig and then set it in a pan of hot water for about 6 minutes (JUST the curls) and let it air dry before removing the curlers.

To reset waves it's the same perming method but i braid the hair instead of adding curlers.

NOTE: PLEASE TEST A TINY BIT OF HAIR BEFORE BOIL PERMING! Not all hair can be boil treated, if it isn't the right kind of hair it CAN melt!

 

This is what I have done with the wig Dollmore sent me for free:


And, yes, both wigs have shared that beloved spot on the cap of my iced tea bottle...

 

Question, How soapy is soapy? I'm washing my wigs right now using fabric softener. My cold water with soap is only slightly colored/murky with soap, not bubbly. Is this the right concentration or do I do more soap/less soap?

 

candy_coated- actually, the concentration you have right now is perfect!!!

 

I have to agree with cherryredx, olive oil will damage synthetic fibers because it's plastic technically and oil eats away at synthetic fibers. I speak from experience with high-quality synthetic wigs from my ballet years. (<.<) Olive oil treatment would be better with a human hair BJD wig and your own hair!!!

 

I usually just use baby shampoo or another mild shampoo and brush and rewash as needed. However, I am curious about the volks items specifically made for wigs. I look forward to your review on the products.^^

OOPs... I thought I was on the last page rather than the first. >_> that was a really old post...

Does anyone know how the volks wig products work? :

I shall look through the thread for answers as well

 

kay, am I supposed to feel the difference in softness/smoothness while it's wet or only when it's completely dry? Right now the wigs I let sit for ten minutes and rinsed feel the same as when they started. :G

 

really? sorry, I couldn't find again!! I felt the softness and smoothness immediately, candy-coated. I think you either did something wrong or something wrong with the wig. PM me for help. Sorry about the delay.

 

Naw that's alright. I do feel some difference now that they're dry. I think I just have to keep washing them or soak longer to make them feel softer.

 

What company and type of fiber is the wig you washed, candy-coated? Just out of curiosity.

 

2 wigs I have no idea, 1 heat resistant super long luts, 1 white normal Leeke. I could tell the two mystery wigs got super soft, the luts got more manageable and I could feel the Leeke's gotten slightly softer.

 

candy-coated: that's great that they're all softer. I'm happy to be of assistance. GDH

 

Wigs are great! ^^
I want to know what you do to maintain wigs clean and to avoid them from getting frizzy~
Do you use brushes?
Thank you!

 

There are several threads abut wig maintenance, did you try using the Search function?

 

for many people on here photography goes hand in hand with the dolls, and film canisters are great ways to store little wigs, put them in netting and in them and you also wont have them fade from the sun either, nor will any smell get to them in there, great little tip for little ones of film users (yes i know we are getting rarer )as to washing them watered down baby shampoo can be good or even wig shampoo which all hairdressers should have for sale (they do here in the UK as long as you ask).

 

I need some wig help. I have a synthetic wig that fell in some butter and just plain water won't get it out. I don't have wig or baby shampoo, and I keep reading in here that normal shampoo isn't good because it leaves residue? My mom suggested using Dawn dish detergent, but I wasn't sure if that was safe to use? Please help!

 

Thanks for this useful info!

 

'for many people on here photography goes hand in hand with the dolls, and film canisters are great ways to store little wigs, put them in netting and in them and you also wont have them fade from the sun either, nor will any smell get to them in there, great little tip for little ones of film users (yes i know we are getting rarer )as to washing them watered down baby shampoo can be good or even wig shampoo which all hairdressers should have for sale (they do here in the UK as long as you ask).'

Thanks so much for sharing this.

 

This is a really helpful thread. I searched "wig washing" and this came up easily.
I have ordered a Fairyland pukipuki wig and I've heard much about FL wigs being rough and basically not soft, but rigid looking, things like that. I also heard that washing a wig will soften it. I thought baby shampoo or dish soap would be good to use, thanks to everyone for confirming that they are safe indeed.

 

Try brushes specifically made for wigs (beauty stores carry them like a football stadium carries its fans for a game lol) or soft-bristled toothbrushes with the gummy thing to massage your gums. To store, put them back into the bags and nets they came in to keep them clean and frizz free. I also recommend a monthly wash using either baby shampoo (burt's bees version is my fave personally), dish soap like Dawn, or a wig shampoo (beauty stores) to keep wigs at their cleanest.

 

Dawn dish soap will get out the butter and it's safe to use (but watch out for the blue version of the soap and blonde/white hair-could stain it I think)

 

For my long wigs, I'll spritz them with water and style them with a brush, then carefully put them into the wig nets they came in and store them in a dry cardboard box. I do have a really bad habit with my wigs... I happen to hate frizzies and flyaways with a passion so I tend to just yank them out of the wig. ^^; It hasn't backfired on me yet! xD

 

I had to clean a wig today (thanks to the Great Milk Incident, which I do not want to discuss...) and I think I have a pretty good way to do it!

I filled a small basin of water and mixed in a little organic shampoo (I use Renpure daily for myself, so when I read that regular people shampoo has too many chemicals for wigs, and I didn't have baby shampoo, I instantly thought to use my organic stuff.)

I only used a little shampoo mixed into the water (so it was a bit bubbly), then I watered down a drop in my hand a bit and washed the wig by hand.

To dry it, I used a blow drier on high (used the cool button!) and held it far away from the wig that it didn't get the heat, just the air (I wasn't sure if Monique wigs were heat resistant or not, so I wanted to be careful).

Once the wig was mostly dry, I set in on a bottle to air dry. It came out soooo soft! It's even better than it felt before!

I wanted to share this in case anyone else ends up in the same situation I did... ^^;

 

Unless my wigs got really dirty I think I would be too timid to wash my wigs.

I'm hoping to build a closet for all my doll stuff. It would also be a backdrop for pics, but I currently don't have room.

 

It really depends on the wig. My long wigs I keep standing on a wig stand in a rectangle plastic container/box. I make both. And short wigs i keep stored in jewelry zip lock bags. I alway keep a hair net on them to. I have a shelf in my sewing room dedicated to CosPlay accessories that i keep alol these on. ANd then i keep a picture record of my wigs! Just a small note book with a picture of my dolls wearing each wig, also this is how i remember wig models and where i got them from. Both the book and the box/bag the wigs in is clearly labeled with the wig model number.


luckily i have yet to have to wash any of them

 

I hear that! I received my first doll 7 months ago and well..... i have soo much stuff now. I was running out of places to store it all. So i ended up starting to build a table/storage area. My poor bedroom was re-arranged so many times! Luckily i live alone with no boyfriend/girlfriend that may want to know why i have a virtual doll house in my bedroom.

Its not finished yet. i decided to make it in 3 sections. 2 cabinets with adjustable selves and an open cubby with 1 or 2 drawers. I still need to make the second cabinet. The table will measure 6ft by 3ft and the greatest part is that i did this sizing so that i can use the wall behind it to set up all kinds of backdrops! I made furniture to! Soo now my dolls, i have 3, can all interact and set out without being all cluttered together! Eventually i want to start making stop motion videos to!

 

I wash when my doll's wig when the strands are frizzy..or whenever I feel it's dirty..

 

*saves for later* thanks for the info!

 

Hey guys. I'm wondering what is the proper way to wash fur wigs? Do I simply wash them with normal shampoo or is there a special product I need to get? And is it best to air dry them? Thanks in advance.