How to Get the Smell of Patchouli Out of My Daughter Hair.

Updated on October 29, 2008
L.R. asks from Oak Park, MI
16 answers

Hi Moms
My daughter came home on friday from day care with hair grease in her hair and the stench of Patchouli. I was able to get the grease out but not the stench of the Patchouli. I have now washed it three times and can still smell it. It is not as over powering today as it was on friday. Friday I could barely breathe from the strong odor. I have used Huggies body/hair wash and the Aveno body/hair wash on it. One friend suggested I use a drop or so of dish soap to get it out but don't want to put such a harsh soap on her hair. Do you moms have any other suggestions. I already addressed it with the day care person in charge of her room. I am not sure which caregiver actually did this. I just hope they don't do it again. Needless to say I want the smell to go away because it's just bothersome to me. Thanks for any suggestions.

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So What Happened?

Thanks moms.
Well I asked at day care what was in her hair. Apparantly they were for what ever reason playing with shaving cream and it got in her hair. So what I was smelling was not in fact Patchouli oil but just shaving cream. I will try your suggestions and just let time work the smell out. I am sure it smells strong to me only because I know it's there.

Featured Answers

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S.B.

answers from Detroit on

Dishsoap, especially Dawn, is great for degreasing. For smell, you might want to add some baking soda to the mix. When animals are skunked, this is what I suggest, and I think it will work for you daughter as well:
1 liter (or quart) white vinegar OR 3% hydrogen peroxide (peroxide may cause bleaching)

1/4 c. baking soda

1 tsp. dish detergent

She may object to the vinegar smell, but it won't last in her hair.

1 mom found this helpful

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J.L.

answers from Detroit on

Patchouli oil is absorbed into the skin, so all the washing will only distrupt her skin and not solve the problem. It just needs to run its course. I love patchouli- and wear it because the scent stays. It will wear off- don't worry.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.F.

answers from Saginaw on

Lisa, Vinegar, just don't get it in her eyes. Good luck and have used it before! K.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.J.

answers from Detroit on

Hi, rince hair, add your shampo, or a good clairfying shampo, lather, then put 1/4 of bakeing soda on top of the lather, leave on for 5 min. rince well condition, this can be repeated with no damage.Best of luck to you. Mother of 4, 3 grandchildren, lic cos pro. 20yr.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.H.

answers from Detroit on

Why in the world did they do this? That concerns me. Oils should be used in dilution for children... You should not even know that they were used if they are diluted correctly (I am referring to pure quality therapeutic oils... Fragrance oils are not of this caliber.)

When I am 'cutting' my oils, I add other oils. Have you tried just plain 'olive oil' and then wash the hair throughly? Typically, it is my experience that using oil helps to remove an oil or to 'extinguish' the effects of an essential. If it was a "fragrance" oil, you may have to do this a few times as "essentials" do not carry the smell for so long.

I hope this helps you!

1 mom found this helpful
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E.A.

answers from Detroit on

Try cider vinegar as a rinse after shampooing. GOOD LUCK!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.

answers from Detroit on

When my daughter got Vaseline in her hair, I tried EVERYTHING!! In the end Dawn dish soap did the trick after 3 washings. (Like the ad says, it cuts the grease). It didn't harm her hair at all.

Good Luck,
J. in Macomb

1 mom found this helpful
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L.G.

answers from Detroit on

Try rinsing her hair with white vinager, when her hair dries it should smell as fresh as the outside air. And it will be very soft. I used to rinse my hair all the time with vinager when i was a teenager. TRY NOT TO GET IT IN HER EYES, IT MIGHT HURT A LITTLE.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.R.

answers from Detroit on

I've never had such a thing happen, however, the first thing that I thought of was what I was told to do whenever encountering a skunk. I know that you said you were already able to remove the grease, have you maybe tried tomato juice to break up the scent? Vinegar seems a bit harsh for a child and seems to me that it would just create a "different" strong odor.

Again, I could be wrong, but tomato juice always worked to get the smell of skunk out of my brother's hair and the dogs' coats as well... And even if your child had to smell like tomato juice for a couple of days, it's probably better than the vinegar smell....

1 mom found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Detroit on

Am ignorant on this. Don't even know what this stuff is, but have found that white vinegar can cut thru grease and odors pretty well. Careful of her eyes - it would burn though not do any real damage, I don't think. Good luck!

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R.G.

answers from Detroit on

Yuck! I hate that smell! I didn't even know they made such hair grease. WOW! Apple cider vinegar mixed with water will take it out. After rinsing her hair with the vinegar mixture, wash well once or twice and be sure to condition well. Good luck!! :)

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N.B.

answers from Saginaw on

patchouli is more of a resin than an oil, so I would suggest using alcohol to cut it. I have years of experience using essential oils and this is the easiest method. being a resin it is more intense, but it can be removed. just put a nice conditioner on her hair afterwards to replenish the moisture. dish soap is a heavy-duty cleaner, and works pretty well too. just follow with the conditioner. eventually, it WILL become more and more faint as her hair is washed, it depends on how patiently you want to wait for it to happen though. good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.D.

answers from Detroit on

I would us a "creme rinse" of lemon juice and water. I usually use white vinegar to remove any unwanted odors, but not sure I would do that on hair unless really diluted.

1 mom found this helpful
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G.Y.

answers from Lansing on

Nutri Clean works, it even removes skunk odor, anything natural. Glad to share with you! Call ###-###-####. Gladys

a Grandma Health Nut who stays as close to nature as possible.

God Bless

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.C.

answers from Detroit on

Wash her hair in white vinegar then was with regular shampoo. it does wonders.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Saginaw on

i was told once to use regular "adult" shampoo. Our shampoo's are a little- shall we say- more potenant, and its better at breaking up the chemicals that are in your daughters hair, making it easier to wash out. Then eas again with your childs hair product for the baby fresh scent :)

1 mom found this helpful
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