How To Get Rid Of Smelly Scalp And Hair

As though personal stench wasn’t sufficient, here’s another issue you want to manage – foul scalp and hair. This issue can make your certainty take a secondary lounge and furthermore make you socially abnormal. You probably saw your hair and scalp radiating an odd smell two or three days post hair wash. Assuming that you are among the individuals who work out or perspire a ton as a general rule, you will see things going haywire even sooner
What makes your scalp and hair smell horrible? How would you dispose of foul hair without washing it day by day? You will track down the solutions to every one of your inquiries and surprisingly more here. Keep perusing!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my hair smell even after washing?

If your hair ends up smelling a few hours right after washing it, you are most probably suffering from smelly hair syndrome. This syndrome manifests itself in one symptom, which is a terrible odor emanating from your scalp.

What shampoo is good for a smelly scalp?

Shampoos that contain a lot of sulfur can help with a smelly scalp and hair. Sulfur can help combat bacteria and fungi that contribute to a stinky scalp.

What Causes Smelly Scalp And Hair?

As you are aware, an oily scalp is one of the primary reasons for the smell.

Factors known to make your scalp extra oily are:

• Not washing your hair for some days or poor hygiene
• Hormonal changes
• Medical conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff, or allergic contact dermatitis
• Excessive sweating
• Pollution

All these factors can contribute to making your hair and scalp smelly.

Now that we have a fair idea about why freshly shampooed hair starts smelling weird after a couple of days, let us look at some natural hacks to battle this issue

Why Does My Scalp Smell?

Your scalp can be stinking or smelling weird for various reasons. One reason is that you have an oily scalp. Individuals with oily skin usually have an oily scalp. While scalps that produce too much oil don’t necessarily always smell bad, they do give off a distinct sour smell.

Bad odor from an oily scalp is usually a result of bacterial activities up there. Bacteria are almost always present on your scalp, whether your scalp is oily or not. Excess oil provides these bacteria with the nutrition they require to thrive on and proliferate. This can give off a distinct foul odor.

Other factors known to contribute to a smelly scalp are listed below

Home Remedies To Remove Smell From Hair And Scalp

1. Essential Oils

a. Tea Tree Oil

You Will Need

• 6 drops of tea tree oil
• 1-2 tablespoons of jojoba or sweet almond oil

What You Have To Do

1. Mix tea tree oil with jojoba or sweet almond oil in the specified quantities.
2. Apply the blend to your scalp and a little to your hair.
3. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing it off.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 1-2 times daily.

Why This Works

The pleasant smell of tea tree oil can leave your hair smelling fresh, and its antimicrobial properties can help battle the microbes causing the smell (1).

b. Neem Oil

You Will Need

• 5-6 drops of neem oil
• 1-2 tablespoons of any carrier oil

What You Have To Do

1. Mix five to six drops of neem oil with one to two tablespoons of any carrier oil.
2. Apply the mixture to your scalp and hair.
3. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes.
4. Rinse it off.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1-2 times in a day.

Why This Works

Neem oil is antimicrobial (2). Hence, it can be used to eliminate the constantly replicating microbes that cause your scalp to smell bad.

2. Lemon Juice

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1-2 cups of warm water

What You Have To Do

1. Mix two teaspoons of lemon juice with one to two cups of warm water.
2. Wash your hair with a mild cleanser.
3. Give your hair and scalp a final rinse with the lemon and water mixture.
4. Leave it on for a few minutes.
5. Rinse your hair thoroughly with plain water.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat the process twice a week.

Why This Works

The bactericidal effects of lemon may help combat the bacteria that are causing your hair to smell bad (3). Lemon can also combat dandruff, one of the many causes of a smelly scalp.

3. Garlic Oil

You Will Need

• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

What You Have To Do

1. Crush the garlic cloves.
2. Heat the crushed cloves with two tablespoons of coconut oil for a few minutes.
3. Strain the mixture to extract all the oil out of it.
4. Apply the mixture to your scalp and a little to your hair.
5. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing it off with a mild cleanser and water.

How Often You Should Do This

You may do this 1-2 times a week for best results.

Why This Works

The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the sulfur compounds in garlic can fight the bacteria that are causing your scalp to smell bad (4).

Note: Applying garlic can cause irritation in some cases. Hence, please do a patch test before you apply it.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

You Will Need

• ½ cup of apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups of water

What You Have To Do

1. Mix half a cup of apple cider vinegar with two cups of water.
2. Wash your hair with a mild cleanser and use the above mixture for a final rinse.
3. Rinse your hair thoroughly with water after this.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 1-2 times a week.

Why This Works

The antibacterial nature of apple cider vinegar can help combat the bacteria thriving on your scalp (5).

5. Tomato Juice

You Will Need

1 medium-sized tomato

What You Have To Do

1. Squeeze out the pulp from a medium-sized tomato.
2. Apply the pulp directly to the scalp.
3. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it off with plain water.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 1 to 2 times a week.

Why This Works

Tomato pulp exhibits antibacterial properties that can help in getting rid of the odor-causing bacteria on your scalp (6).

 

6. Baking Soda

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• ½ cup of water

What You Have To Do

1. Add a tablespoon of baking soda to half a cup of water and mix well.
2. Rinse your hair as usual with a mild cleanser.
3. After washing your hair, give it a final rinse with the baking soda solution.
4. Rinse thoroughly with water.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this once a week.

Why This Works

The antibacterial nature of baking soda can help in getting rid of the odor-causing bacteria on your scalp (7).

7. Avoid Using Conditioner On The Scalp

Conditioners are only meant for your hair and not your scalp. Applying conditioner to the scalp can make it even more oily, giving a chance for the odor-causing bacteria on your scalp to multiply.

In addition to these remedies, you can also follow the tips mentioned below to prevent your scalp and hair from smelling bad.

How To Prevent Smelly Scalp And Hair

• Wash your hair regularly.
• Treat the root cause of the odor, like dandruff (if any).
• If you sweat a lot, wear light clothing.
• Use a mild fragrant shampoo.
• Avoid the temptation to scratch your scalp as it increases the secretion of oil.
• Avoid touching your hair constantly.
• If you spend a lot of time outdoors, wear a scarf or hat to protect your hair from environmental pollution.

A combination of these remedies and tips can help you combat a smelly scalp. However, since this is usually a recurring problem, you should try and stick to the prevention tips discussed above to avoid your scalp from turning smelly again.

Hope this post helps you address your smelly scalp problems. For any further queries, feel free to get in touch with us in the comments section below.