How often you should clean your wig depends on how often you wear it, but a typical recommendation is every 6-8 wears. If you use a lot of styling products, you live in a hot and humid climate, or you wear your wig every day, you should try to wash it even more often. However, if you wash your wig too frequently, even if it needs it, you could shorten the life of the wig.

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With synthetic wigs, you will be pleased to know that synthetic fibers hold the style of a wig much better than human hair wigs, and synthetic wigs are less prone to oils from the scalp, which makes cleaning them less of a hassle than human hair wigs. Human hair wigs look more natural, but they also tend to draw more buildup from oils, sweat, and/or styling products, so they will need more regular, gentle cleansing. In both cases, balance is best: keep your wig fresh and clean, but don’t expose the fibers or cap to excess cleaning – even gentleness wears out the material.

Tell-tale signs that your wig needs a wash are: greasy or dull appearance, and/or the wig tangles more than usual, and/or there is a different smell, or texture. All that being said, if your wig is holding up well, feels clean, and is not irritating to your scalp, it is okay to extend your time between washes, particularly for a synthetic wig.

For those that wear wigs regularly as part of their identity – out of necessity for style, medical reasons or comfort – developing a gentle washing routine is not only about the up-keep of the wig. It’s about taking care of something that helps you put your best foot forward, day after day.

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