How to Wash Your Hair Properly, According to 4 Stylists

Soak your hair all the way through, then massage a little shampoo into your scalp with your fingertips. Rinse well and let the suds clean the rest. Shampoo again only if your roots still feel oily. Condition from the middle of your hair to the ends, detangle and rinse thoroughly.

Most of us learned to wash our hair by copying a parent, and nobody checked our work. The good news is that the way stylists do it is simple. We asked four working stylists, plus RŌZ founder Mara Roszak, how they wash hair and what people get wrong at home.

Mara sees the wash as the step that sets up everything after it:

“I am a big believer that all hair types benefit from a quality shampoo and conditioner, because how you treat your hair in that first step—the shower—sets you up for success. You can over-strip and over-dry, or you can fail to cleanse thoroughly enough. It is a balancing act: cleanse enough without stripping or drying.”

— Mara Roszak Hairstylist and Founder of ROZ

"Over-strip" means washing so harshly that your hair and scalp lose the natural oils that keep them soft and comfortable.

How to wash your hair properly in 5 steps

1. Soak your hair. Stay under the water until it reaches your scalp everywhere, including the back of your head.
2. Shampoo your scalp. Rub a small amount between your palms, then massage it into your scalp with your fingertips, not your nails.
3. Rinse. Let the suds run down the rest of your hair. That's enough to clean your lengths.
4. Condition the middle and ends. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers while the conditioner is in.
5. Rinse thoroughly. Keep going until your hair feels smooth, not slippery or coated.

If your roots still feel oily after step 3, shampoo once more with a smaller amount. Two small extras help too: brush out knots before you get in the shower, and press the water out with a towel afterward instead of rubbing. Our hair towel guide explains why.

How to shampoo your scalp the right way

Shampoo is for your scalp, because that's where oil, sweat and leftover styling product collect. The American Academy of Dermatology gives the same advice: put shampoo on your scalp instead of the full length of your hair, so you get clean without drying out your ends.

Nichole Kreps, a hairdresser at SHED Salon in Oakland and DEEDA Salon in Sacramento, says it starts with the water:

“Application is key! Start with a strong foundation with Shampoo and Conditioner. Shampoo, drench hair so it's equally saturated and focus on the scalp to cleanse roots.”

— Nichole Kreps, Hairdresser, SHED Salon (Oakland) and DEEDA Salon (Sacramento)

"Saturated" means soaked all the way through. "Roots" are the first inch or so of hair at your scalp.

Use just enough shampoo to cover your scalp in a thin layer of suds. Start with the amount on the label and add more only if it won't spread. Make sure you reach the spots people miss: your hairline, behind your ears and the back of your head. Don't judge by the foam, either. Some gentle shampoos don't lather much and still clean well. Our guide to sulfate-free shampoo explains why.

Should you shampoo your hair twice?

Only if one wash doesn't do it. On this question, stylists disagree. Isabella Sementilli, a hairstylist at Mare Salon in Los Angeles, shampoos twice every time:

“Always twice! First round to get all the dirt out, second round to really feel that suds!”

— Isabella Sementilli, Hairstylist, Mare Salon, Los Angeles

Meg Titus, a salon owner and hair artist at Westfolk Salon, says it depends on your routine:

“If someone washes daily or every other day and isn't using much product, one shampoo may be enough.”

— Meg Titus, Salon Owner and Hair Artist, Westfolk Salon

The easy test is to feel your roots after you rinse. If they're clean, you're done. If they still feel oily or coated, go again with less shampoo. A second round helps most after a few days of dry shampoo, a lot of styling product or a sweaty workout, and Mara often suggests it for thick hair. More on that in our guide to double shampooing.

How to tell if you washed your hair properly

Go by how your scalp and hair feel once they're dry. Kaylee Conrad, who owns Conrad & Blue salon in Tucson, always starts with the scalp:

“Shampoo is applied directly to the scalp first, so I think a healthy, balanced scalp is just as important as how the hair itself looks and feels after washing.”

— Kaylee Conrad, Salon Owner & Hairstylist, Conrad & Blue, Tucson, Arizona

A good wash leaves your roots clean, your scalp comfortable and your ends soft. If your roots look greasy again by the end of the day, rinse longer and keep conditioner off your roots. If your scalp feels tight or itchy, try a gentler shampoo and cooler water. If it keeps flaking, burning or breaking out, see a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin, hair and nails).

How to wash your hair for your hair type

The five steps work for everyone. What changes is where the conditioner goes and how often you need a second shampoo.

Fine and straight hair tends to get oily faster, so Mara suggests washing it more often. Every other day works well, in her view. Thick hair holds onto buildup, especially at the back of the head. Conditioner near the roots can make fine hair look flat sooner, and Mara keeps it off the roots on medium hair too. Curly and coily hair usually needs generous conditioner through every section. Short hair, including most men's cuts, needs only a little shampoo, and conditioner is optional when hair is too short to tangle. Wavy and curly hair have their own routines: see our wavy hair routine and curly hair routine.

How often should you wash your hair?

Wash when your scalp tells you to: when your roots look oily, your scalp itches or you can feel product buildup. For some people that's every day. For others it's once or twice a week. Our full guide covers how often to wash your hair.

Sources and expert contributions

1. Nichole Kreps, Hairdresser, SHED Salon (Oakland) and DEEDA Salon (Sacramento). Written RŌZ stylist Q&A, October 2026, on shampoo application.
2. Meg Titus, Salon Owner and Hair Artist, Westfolk Salon. Written RŌZ stylist Q&A, October 2026, on when one shampoo is enough.
3. Isabella Sementilli, Hairstylist, Mare Salon, Los Angeles. Written RŌZ stylist Q&A, October 2026, on shampooing twice.
4. Kaylee Conrad, Salon Owner & Hairstylist, Conrad & Blue, Tucson, Arizona. Written RŌZ stylist Q&A, October 2026, on scalp health and cleansing.
5. Mara Roszak, Hairstylist and Founder of ROZ. Recorded RŌZ product-education interview, August 2026, on why the wash matters. Written RŌZ stylist tips by hair type, October 2026, on wash frequency, thick hair and conditioner placement.
6. American Academy of Dermatology. Tips for healthy hair. Reviewed by board-certified dermatologists, last updated August 2024. Guidance on putting shampoo on the scalp and where conditioner goes by hair type.