Dawn dishwashing detergent can restore hair in a number of ways because of its intense cleaning properties. For example, Dawn will lighten your hair if you accidentally color too dark, or it will clean out oil and other grimy liquids and dirt that regular shampoo isn’t strong enough to clean.
Wash your hair with Dawn just as you would with any other shampoo. Measure out the amount of Dawn to use on your hair to reflect the amount of restoration that needs to be done in your hair. For example, if you only need to lighten the color of your hair a little bit after dying it, use a quarter-size amount in the palm of your hand. If your hair is saturated with motor oil, apply liberally.
Lather the soap through your hair evenly and make sure to wash each section of your scalp and hair throughly. Do this to make sure the color in your hair fades evenly or to ensure that you don’t miss a section of oil in your hair.
Rinse your hair out completely, leaving no trace of Dawn in your hair. If you see you need to wash your hair again due to oil that did not come out, or if your hair is still too dark, repeat steps one through three as needed.
Condition your hair. Use a deep conditioner and let it sit in your hair for at least five minutes before rinsing it out and combing through your hair. The chemicals in Dawn act harshly on your hair and scalp, so conditioning will help reverse some of the drying and help prevent further hair damage.
Tip
Apply baking soda to your hair if you need more help absorbing oil from your hair and scalp. Backing soda attracts oils and will draw it out of your hair, scalp and hair follicles for a deeper cleaning.
Warning
Because Dawn is such a harsh cleaning agent, do not use it on a regular basis, even if you do condition your hair afterwards. The chemicals in Dawn dry out your hair and will lead to hair damage if you use it often.
References
Writer Bio
Chelsea Baldwin began writing professionally for local newspapers in 2008. She has published articles in “High Country Press” and “Kernersville News.” She also produced newsletters for a local chapter of AIESEC, a global nonprofit organization. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Appalachian State University.