When it comes to keeping kids clean, it appears there’s no set rule for how often you should be washing their bodies – it really does come down to personal choice. 

But what about keeping their hair clean? Is there a golden rule parents should swear by when it comes to washing their little (or not-so-little, for the caregivers of tweens and teens among us) one’s locks?

Well, it really depends on your child’s hair type – as well as a few other factors like how grubby they tend to get on a daily basis and their age.

Here’s what you should know...

How often should I wash my baby’s hair?

Typically, very young babies might need their hair washing a couple of times a week – basically, when it gets a bit dirty, either from sick, spit-up, snot or milk. The NHS notes you don’t need to use shampoo, just water. 

After around six weeks, you might want to start using a mild shampoo (again, it’s up to you) – I found Child’s Farm shampoo to be the gentlest for both my babies who had sensitive skin. If you do opt for shampoo, lather it gently onto their scalp, being really careful around the fontanelle area, and rinse well to avoid dryness.

If your baby is blessed with longer locks that tend to get a bit knotty, you might also find a gentle baby conditioner or oil useful.

For Black babies with coily, curly or wavy hair, it’s best to wash once a week with a mild baby shampoo to avoid drying out their hair, according to BabyCenter.

If they’re prone to tangles, a wide-tooth comb and using a “small amount of oil or cream moisturiser” can help. To keep hair healthy, BabyCenter advises using something like jojoba oil, avocado oil or virgin coconut oil after washing.

How often should I wash my toddler’s hair?

Toddlers tend to go through a phase of hating having their hair washed – which might make bath time especially stressful for the both of you. 

But you don’t actually need to wash their hair that often. In fact, experts at Babycentre suggest once a week is probably fine as “their hair is unlikely to get that dirty”.

Of course, if they get mucky or they go to nursery and it’s germ season, you might want to wash their hair a bit more than normal – it won’t hurt.

Experts even suggest that “if you give it a bit longer between each wash, they may even forget whatever was bothering them before” – potentially meaning fewer battles the next time you go to wash their suds away. 

A quick look on Reddit suggests parents are opting for anywhere between every other day, to once a month for a proper shampoo wash. The general consensus is that you can just rinse their hair with water if they go in the bath as that tends to wash most of the dirt or food away.

How often should I wash my child’s hair?

For children of school age, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends considering hair type, age and activity level before you wash. 

For kids aged eight to 11 years old, it recommends shampooing one or two times a week.

For dry and curly hair, or hair with braids or weaves, they recommend washing every seven to 10 days. “After heavy sweating or swimming, rinse and condition the hair,” the association adds.

For those with oily or straight hair, or who are active (for example, playing sports and swimming regularly), the advice is to wash daily or every other day. 

Children can typically start washing their own hair around the age of six, however they might not master it completely until their tween years – and even then, they might still need a bit of help.

How often should teens wash their hair?

For those who are 12 years old and over and have straight, oily hair, the advice is to wash every other day or daily – as hair will be prone to getting greasy. For kids who start puberty earlier than 12, the advice still stands.

Teens themselves tend to agree that if they’re prone to greasy hair, every other day seems to work best.

Hair experts recommend teaching tweens and teens about the importance of rinsing all shampoo off their hair and also applying conditioner to the ends, not the roots, to avoid it becoming too greasy, too quickly. 

Dry, curly and textured hair can again go longer between washes – we’re talking between seven and 14 days depending on activity levels.

Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to hair-washing. Let this serve as a guide, but you do what’s best for your family.