Over the 2 years I’ve been doing this I’ve had plenty of bad hair days, especially at the beginning, and every now and then even now. Just a few weeks ago I was seriously considering whether or not I wanted to continue…but persevering and tweaking the routine a little has been just the ticket, and things are going well again.

I don’t use vinegar because I have oily hair (and dry ends), and the vinegar makes it lank and greasy looking. Lemon juice works well for me.

Something I do when my hair isn’t responding well (by the way, I had this problem even when I was using shampoo – had to rotate brands constantly), is to stop washing it for a while, or stop lemon juice, or use soap. Something different, whatever it is. After a few days of that, I find that going back to the bicarb gives fantastic results! My hair is long enough to tie back, so bad hair days don’t even show.

To answer your question, I keep the bicarb as powder in a plastic container on my shower shelf, along with a Coles brand lemon juice bottle, a small container of honey, and a metal cup with a teaspoon in it. A few teaspoons of bicarb (actually I just shake the bicarb into my hand, no measuring, you get to know what you need over time) in the metal cup, mix with water to no more than 250ml, mix around, pour over head, massage scalp, massage hair only when needed such as after an oil conditioning treatment. Rinse. Follow with a teaspoon of lemon juice in the metal cup, dilute with water as before, pour over head, rinse.

Once a week I mix a teaspoon of honey with the bicarb before adding water, use a small amount as a mild scrub on my dampened face, mix the rest with water and wash hair as described above. Rinse with diluted lemon juice.

Having the bicarb in the shower is great – I clean the shower with it while I’m in there.

People do give you funny looks when they hear you don’t use shampoo, don’t they! Redefining normal in our own way, as it feels right, for our own reasons, no matter what anyone else thinks, is so much fun.

Thank you for your continuing inspiration for my frugal journey!

I tried bicarb and vinegar on my hair for about a month and it didn’t really work for me. I’ve been using natural soap instead, which is a little better, but still not great. My friend was a little aghast I think at the thought of soap as shampoo – she bought me some organic shampoo for my birthday!

How do you wash your hair with bicarb and vinegar? Do you keep it in a bottle in the shower? Just wondering about the practicalities. I think I might try it again. I hear a lot how good bicarb and vinegar is for hair. Maybe I was doing it wrong.