# Lather, Rinse, Repeat **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 25, 2013, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316 "2013-01-25T13:03:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/21 "2013-01-25T20:54:59Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > The worst part of it is, there is no halting condition! Not true: an interrupt occurs when the bottle is empty. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/22 "2013-01-25T21:03:11Z")
Cleaning products are **not** identical if you put dish soap in a dishwasher. ---
**Author:** ![drew870mitchell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drew870mitchell/32/3946_2.png) [@drew870mitchell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drew870mitchell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/23 "2013-01-25T21:12:20Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > I remember once, many years ago, sitting beside a rather attractive girl on a train journey to London, who, it transpired in the course of conversation, was a career hairdresser on her way to some kind of hairdressing conference or seminar. > > I made the mistake of putting forward my opinion (which I still hold to this day ) that shampoo is nothing but detergent, like washing up liquid, except with a nice fragrance added. > > She took violent umbrage at this assertion, and the rest of the journey pased in silence . I think if your assertion were true the ingredients list for shampoo would be a _lot_ shorter. Check it out - when you get home, compare your dishwashing soap’s list to your shampoo’s list. All the silly ingredients on shampoo are usually just rolled up into “…, …, fragrances, …” and the list still takes up about a third of the label. Shampoo is goosed up with all kinds of preservatives, humectants, and other chemicals on top of the detergents themselves. You can argue that plain detergent is _almost as good_ and your case would be more sound. But I think your distressed seatmate was in the right, if you phrased it then the way you have here. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/24 "2013-01-25T22:10:35Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > If you use a lot of products like gel or hair spray, I could see where two washings might be necessary. > > I can also see it as a cover-your-ass for the manufacturer. Customer complains that their hair didn’t get clean enough; manufacturer asks “Did you repeat?” Back when the instructions appeared, most people didn’t wash their hair every day. In fact, women would go to the beauty salon once a week and get their hair washed and set and sometimes permed and colored, too. They didn’t wash their hair at home if they were in a certain social class, they just had it done at the salon. They also used a LOT more hair product, and the products were heavier. In fact, a lot of hair products were oil-based. I got my hair cut quite short a little over a year ago, and I’ve found that I don’t need nearly as much shampoo as I used to. And I never need to lather up twice. ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/25 "2013-01-26T02:10:42Z")
Obligatory No-Poo reference: You don’t need to use any shampoo or soap on your hair, and then replace oils with conditioner. Just scrub your scalp with your fingers under warm water. It’s a lot cheaper, too. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/26 "2013-01-26T03:01:55Z")
Or if you’re a typical male, you make that $1.57 bottle of shampoo last for 6 months. ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/27 "2013-01-26T17:09:53Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Or if you’re a typical male, you make that $1.57 bottle of shampoo last for 6 months. Actually here I can often purchase VO-5 and Suave for .99 when there’s a sale on. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/28 "2013-01-26T23:52:40Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > I made the mistake of putting forward my opinion (which I still hold to this day ) that shampoo is nothing but detergent, like washing up liquid, except with a nice fragrance added. I recall several years ago, reading a _Consumer Reports_ testing of various shampoos, and they threw a dish detergent (it might have been Dawn) into the testing as well. And the detergent fared above average. I was not able to find that report on line to prove my memory, but I did find this very question being discussed here in GQ in 2008: [Why don’t people understand that all shampoo is just scented detergent?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=482354) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/29 "2013-01-27T00:50:29Z")
> [@applebetty](#): > > Obligatory No-Poo reference: You don’t need to use any shampoo or soap on your hair, and then replace oils with conditioner. Just scrub your scalp with your fingers under warm water. It’s a lot cheaper, too. Generally, most people should only use shampoo once a week. Going “no-poo” is a bit much, but if it works for you.. Btw, when you brush your teeth, a glob about the size of a pea is all that is needed. And, if you toothpaste has sodium laurel sulfate in it, it is not really good for oral hygene. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/30 "2013-01-27T02:47:55Z")
Whenever I’ve paid attention to a shampoo bottle, it read “…repeat as necessary.”. I imagine they could mean “repeat daily”. If you use shampoo twice per shower, that’s on you. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/31 "2013-01-27T03:16:52Z")
When I was a child, (yes, I’m that old) most of the people in my immediate circle didn’t wash their hair but twice a month. We didn’t have indoor plumbing until I was 7. Washing twice then was necessary. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/32 "2013-01-27T04:17:13Z")
> [@applebetty](#): > > Obligatory No-Poo reference: You don’t need to use any shampoo or soap on your hair, and then replace oils with conditioner. Just scrub your scalp with your fingers under warm water. It’s a lot cheaper, too. Do you not use soap on the rest of your body either? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/33 "2013-01-27T06:18:54Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Do you not use soap on the rest of your body either? Actually, it is best not to- just in the groin, feet and armpits. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/34 "2013-01-28T00:11:03Z")
I just washed my hair and thought to take note of the instructions on the shampoo bottle. It said, “Lather and rinse well with water.” Nothing about repeating the procedure. ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/35 "2013-01-29T00:00:30Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Do you not use soap on the rest of your body either? Mostly, I don’t. Much of my skin is very dry, only my face is a little oily so I just rub it with my hands. I will wash my hands with soap before performing patient care, and of course after working on the car and cleaning the litter box. I wash before cooking, too. Years ago I figured out that my skin doesn’t like soaps or shampoos, any hair care products, or fragrances. You have to find what works for your body and not what the commercials are pushing. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/36 "2013-01-29T04:40:45Z")
Checking both my bottles of shampoo (one lives in each bathroom). I have two different varieties of Pantene, Flat to Volume Fine and Color Preserve Volume. Both were purchased after we moved into this apartment in late June. Neither label mentions “repeat”. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/37 "2013-01-29T05:00:35Z")
> [@applebetty](#): > > Obligatory No-Poo reference: You don’t need to use any shampoo or soap on your hair, and then replace oils with conditioner. Just scrub your scalp with your fingers under warm water. It’s a lot cheaper, too. I tried that for a few weeks once, and my hair was greasy and didn’t smell very good. I could have probably started dread locks if I had wanted. I shampoo daily/every other day and now my hair always looks fabulous. Straight, shiny, and soft. My hair is the kind of hair that shampoo was made for. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/38 "2013-01-29T08:34:11Z")
So, other people actually read instructions. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/39 "2013-01-29T08:52:28Z")
Is it showering? If you’re in a bath, you have all the time you need to work the shampoo into your wet hair. You could even let it sit for a few minutes, then dunk your head under water to rinse. Under a shower, unless you keep your head out of the water jet, the shampoo washes out of your hair almost as fast as you put it in. ---
**Author:** ![manojr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@manojr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manojr)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316/40 "2013-01-29T09:44:34Z")
I use hair oil or hair gel on my not-so-long hair everyday. The first time when I lather, I can still feel stickiness in hair while and after I rinse. When I repeat the procedure, I get clean hair as I want. IMHO, the first lather and rinsing removes most of the oil but not completely no matter how much shampoo is used. Instead of using 6 to 8 ml of shampoo in one go, I use 3 to 4 ml in first and other 2 to 3 ml to repeat. Even though shampoo is less in repeat process, the lather is more and better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lather-rinse-repeat/648316.md?page=3)