There’s an idea floating around that dreadlocks are virtually maintenance-free. This couldn’t be further from the truth — at least in the beginning of your dread journey. Mature dreads are much easier to care for, but baby and teenage dreads require some extra lovin’.

When I first got dreads, I was given certain recommendations for weekly maintenance, but several times I got lazy and left my hair alone. 

I wish I hadn’t done that, but you live and you learn, right? After ten months of virtually no continuous maintenance, my hair was crying for some help. 

The only thing I did to my hair during the first 10 months was to wash it. I tried washing it weekly but sometimes I let it go to two weeks. Washing your hair is kind of a hassle when you’re not used to it being wet all day, so scheduling washes also took some adjustment.

Up until that point, my dreads were locking up and shrinking (as expected), but I had loops and loose hair everywhere. My scalp was very itchy for a good portion of the time, but the first three months were the absolute worst. 

In moments of desperate need, I searched the web for hair advice and got many helpful tips that helped me develop my own maintenance routine. 

Fast forward to the present day, I’ve had my locs for more than 7 years, and I have my maintenance routine nailed to a T. In this post, I’m sharing my exact process for maintaining healthy locs without the need for a loctician.

My daily loc maintenance routine

These are the steps I take to take care of my locs. 

1. Drink a large glass of water upon waking up

Water plays a huge role in keeping your scalp hydrated (and the rest of your body). Your skin will be the first to tell you if you’re dehydrated, and an itchy scalp is no exception.

I notice the effects on my head within hours if I am or am not drinking enough water. If you find it difficult to drink 16 oz of plain water, add a little bit of lemon juice and drink it with a straw (for some reason, it makes it easier to chug).

Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day, too!

2. Unwrap and give locs a shake

The next thing I do each morning is to remove my silk bonnet (we’ll get to the bonnet later) and shake my head upside down. I run my fingers through my locs as if I’m brushing them with my hands.

This helps to keep them separated at the root, especially the ones around the back of the head that tend to mingle and want to buddy up.

3. Moisturize locs

The third thing I’ll do is spritz my hair with a moisturizing spray. I prefer to make my own, versus buying one.

If you want to try some of my favorite DIY sprays, you can find 8 amazing recipes here.

I spritz my water-based moisturizer all over my locs — I dampen my hair lightly. You don’t want to overdo it!

After spraying, I run my fingers through my hair again in a brush-like motion.

During the winter season, I hydrate my locs twice daily, or as needed. During the rest of the year, I typically only spritz them in the morning.

4. Let them be free

Ideally, you want to let your dreads hang loose most of the time. If you style your dreads too often (or too tightly), it can cause thinning at the roots.

If you’re able to let them be free, you’re better off that way. If you have to pull them away from your face, you can wear a large elastic headband around your face, or alternatively, use the headband as a loose tie and lightly tie your hair in a ponytail or bun.

The less you mess with them, the better.

Click here for a few other styling ideas that don’t cause too much tension on your scalp.

5. Protect locs throughout the day

I’m very conscious of my daily activities and mindful of all the particles flying around in the air/ environment.

If you’re going to be cooking, cleaning the house, or in a dusty environment, use a head wrap to prevent nasty things from getting stuck in your hair.

6. Palm roll

This is one of my least favorite things to do, but it might help the appearance of messy dreads during the early stages.

Whenever you have free time (whether you’re sitting in traffic or watching TV), palm roll the loops in your locs and the locs at the root.

I don’t make it a religious habit or priority, but it does help to keep them neater over time and encourages the roots to continue locking properly.

7. Cover locs at night

Every night, I cover my locs with a silk bonnet.

This cap is important for keeping your hair from attracting lint from your bedsheets, as well as preventing breakage that may occur from friction with the pillow. These are the type of silk bonnets that are great for locs.

If you’re looking for a sexier alternative, your next best option is a satin pillowcase like this one. I highly recommend either of those choices!

My weekly dread maintenance routine

Along with my everyday hair routine, I wash my hair once a week. It’s important to wash your hair in the morning to give it enough time to dry throughout the day.

Leaving your hair wet for too long can cause mold to grow, and no one wants that!

1. Shampoo scalp

When I first started washing my dreads, I would wash everything: the scalp, the locs, the ends…all of it! It took me a long time to realize that this was unnecessary.

What needs to be washed every week is the roots of your hair because that’s where the oils (sebum) are being produced.

Your hair needs to be clean to lock properly, so make sure you’re washing it once every 5 to 10 days. Use residue-free or clarifying shampoo only so that residues or buildup don’t accumulate inside your locs.

Tip: Wash your locs as early in the morning as possible to ensure they’re thoroughly dry by evening.

2. Wrap hair in a microfiber towel

Microfiber towels are amazing for absorbing large amounts of water and not leaving any lint or cotton pieces in your hair (like a regular towel would). Any travel microfiber towel will do, but this one has worked great for me.

I usually leave my hair wrapped in the towel for an hour or so.

3. Palm roll locs

I find that it’s easier to shape my locs when they’re wet. I usually use this opportunity to palm roll all of my locs, which also helps squeeze some of the remaining water that’s being held hostage in there.

4. Let your hair dry

At this point, your locs will still be damp, so you can either let them air dry or you can speed up the process with a hairdryer.

Either way, make sure you’re not styling them because that will cause your hair to dry unevenly and might cause problems later on (e.g., mold) if portions of your hair don’t dry completely.

The thicker your dreads are, the longer they’ll take to dry, of course. My locs take a minimum of 8 hours to dry.

5. Blow dry your hair before going to sleep

Last but not least, if your hair is still slightly damp before going to bed, make sure you blow dry it (in the lowest heat setting for better hair protection) until you feel it has dried out completely.

If your hair is wet for too long, the dreads can grow mold inside of them. This means you might have to go through the painful process of getting the mold out, or take the easier solution and cut them off.

Make sure that never happens by drying them properly in the first place. 🙂

6. Wash headbands and silk bonnets

I like to change my headbands and sleeping caps the same day I wash my hair.

I typically use the same one for the entire week and change it after my next wash (a week later). This helps to keep the dirt from old headbands/bonnets from getting into the clean dreads.

My monthly dread maintenance routine

Apple cider vinegar rinse

On top of my daily and weekly routine, about once a month I follow my hair washing routine with an apple cider vinegar rinse. I mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 8 ounces of water in an old shampoo container.

After shampooing and rinsing my scalp, I pour the ACV mixture all over my scalp and let it absorb for five minutes.

Apple cider vinegar neutralizes the pH balance of the scalp and will help to minimize the itchiness.

Once the five minutes are up, rinse the ACV completely off. It won’t hurt you to leave it on, but if your scalp gets wet, you will immediately regret it. There’s nothing like the tangy smell of vinegar during a workout! (I hope you got the sarcasm in that one.)

My bi-annual dread maintenance routine

Dreadlock deep cleanse

Every six months I do a deep cleanse for my hair. Some people will do it every 3 months (four times a year) but unless your hair is super dirty, I wouldn’t do it more than twice a year. Overdoing it can loosen up your locs. 

A deep cleanse helps to remove anything that has gotten stuck in your dreads over time, such as dirt and debris from the environment.

You’ll start with a clean bucket of water and essential oils and end up with a bucket of very dirty water, but don’t be surprised by that; it’s normal!

Read my complete guide on how to deep clean your dreadlocks here!

A couple of dreadlock maintenance tips

1. Don’t excessively re-twist your hair

I made this mistake at the beginning of my loc journey because I was obsessed with taming the frizz at the roots. Rolling your hair (gently) at the roots will help to maintain it.

You should be re-twisting them every several months, not every other night.

2. Don’t style your locs too often or too tightly

Even though your hair can look funky in the first year (or first three years even), don’t tie it every day. When you have to tame it, for work reasons or whatever, don’t style it too tight.

Tight styling can cause your dreads to thin out. Your hair will look amazing in due time, it’s just a matter of waiting the process out. 

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These steps might feel tedious at first, but you will love the results of sticking to this routine. Don’t be misinformed by the idea that dreadlocks are maintenance-free.

Even freeform locs deserved some love and attention!

I hope these tips are helpful to you! 

If you have questions or if there are any maintenance tips that I didn’t mention, let me know in the comments!

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This post was originally published on February 20, 2019. It has been updated and improved since then.