Why Is There Lint in My Hair? How To Remove the Lint in Hair?

Have you ever found lint in your hair and wondered how it got there?

Sometimes it can be surprising when you comb, brush, or look at your hair in the mirror and find unwanted lint sitting like they own the place. But then, as much as you might hate it, lint happens, especially in winter and in dry climates. 

There are several reasons why lint is in your hair. It could be because of oil, dust, or fabric particles that get stuck in your hair. But then, there are several other reasons you might not know.

In this post, we’ll find out what causes lint in your hair, how to remove lint from your hair, and how to remove lint from your hair.

What causes lint in your hair?

Why Is There Lint in My Hair?

The sebum in our hair is one that serves as an adhesive to hold lint to our scalp. Although sebum’s job is to moisturize our hair between washes and protect our scalp and follicles. 

But when it’s too much, it begins to pull in dirt, debris, and dirty particles. Excess debris and dust end up forming lint in our hair and keep us uncomfortable until we do something about them.

The most common reasons you have lint in your hair include the settlement of tiny particles of debris, dust, oils, and fabric materials into your hair.

As you go about your daily activities, some things get into your hair from the environment. Some other times, the fabrics you lie on leave particles in your hair.

Because the hair has a static attraction as a quality, it can attract particles and external materials from your surroundings, with cloth debris being a major contributing factor to lint.

Another primary cause of lint in your hair is broken/split ends. Lint can easily get attached to split ends, leaving you with fuzzy hair and sometimes an itchy scalp.

If you have a habit of running your hand through your hair, you make it prone to breakage. You also transfer particles of dust and other materials to your hair from your hands.

Your hair type also makes you susceptible to lint. For instance, curly and wavy hair is more susceptible to lint because they have an abundant amount of sebum and conditioner. 

Dry hair makes is also prone to damage from friction because it lacks moisture, thereby becoming a magnet for lint.

On the other hand, walking about with oiled hair also exposes your hair to lint and collects it easily.

Now that we know what causes lint, let’s find out how to do away with them.

How to remove the lint in hair?

Thankfully, there are many ways to get the lint out of your hair, so you don’t run out of options when ridding your hair of lint. We brought you 4 effective ways below.

1. Wash the lint out

Washing is one good way to get the lint out of your hair, especially when you are trying to remove large amounts of lint quickly.

Use castile soap or clarifying shampoo to wash your hair, and then use a conditioner.

After washing, use a small tooth comb to remove any lint you find on the hair strands, and you’re all set.

2. Comb The Lint Out

Combs can help you get out the lint from your hair, even before you consider washing it out.

You can use a wide-tooth comb to take it out mechanically in a few easy steps.

First, dampen your hair with a small amount of distilled water for lubrication.

Then, comb your hair thoroughly to cover every length and breadth of your hair. Comb your hair from left to right, bottom to top, top to bottom, and right to left. It is crucial to do this to prevent tangles from escaping through the tines of your comb.

Clean your comb often with a damp washcloth while you do this.

Beyond your comb, you can remove random pieces of lint from your hair with your fingers. Pick them out carefully, one at a time until you have them all out.

3. Try an Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Rinse

ACV is great at getting unsavory elements out of your hair, including lint. It removes product buildup and serves as a natural cleanser for your hair.

After shampooing your hair, measure 1/2 cup of ACV and add 2 cups of water.

Pour it into a big bowl or bucket and dip your hair into it, then squeeze once you notice the lint dissolving into the bucket.

Do it again until the water is less gross, and then rinse your hair with water after that.

4. Use a Clarifying Hair Mask 

Bentonite clay has healing abilities and absorbs the toxins it comes across. It works great to make your hair lint-free as it swallows up hair build-up easily.

Bentonite clay has antibacterial properties that not only remove toxic substances but remove build-up caused by hair products and even the most stubborn lint.

Mix this clay with water or apple cider vinegar using a PLASTIC SPOON! Yes, it is in all caps because it matters.

Bentonite clay carries a negative charge, so you shouldn’t use metal when mixing it.

Apply the clay on your hair and let it sit for about 30 minutes under a hair wrap.

So that’s how to remove lint from your hair. But what if you don’t have lint, but you want to make sure you never do? The saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ couldn’t be any more true.

Important Tip and Techniques to Prevent Lint In Hair

Yes, we agree that lint is everywhere, but surely, you can avoid it, can’t you? 

1. Cover your hair when it matters most

Although you can’t go about with covered hair all the time, there are times when you must depend on things like scarves, bonnets, and hats to keep your hair safe.

For instance, when you go outdoors and plan to engage in activities like exercising or sports, ensure to cover your hair.

Other daily activities like sweeping, car cleaning, house cleaning, and the like can also expose your hair to dust and debris, so develop the habit of covering your hair when carrying out such chores.

At night, cover your hair with a silk or satin bonnet or tie a scarf around it. Your hair breaks at night when you toss and turn, and this only gets things in the way of your hair. Using satin bed sheets and pillowcases also helps.

Avoid contact with cotton scarves and fuzzy hats as much as you can.

2. Use oils sparingly

Many of us use heavy oils like olive, and these oils are guilty of attracting lint to our hair. As a result, we should opt for lighter oils or use very little of the heavy oils.

Instead of applying oil on your entire head after a shower or hair wash, apply the oil to your scalp to avoid sticky hair that attracts lint before you know it.

Switch to lighter oils like sweet almondcoconut oil, and grapeseed oil for your hair, and lint shouldn’t be a bother anymore, at least not for you.

3. Clean Hair Tools

Sometimes, lint enters your hair from your combs, brushes, and other tools.

With combs, pick out the lint from between the teeth and wash it. You can also remove lint from brushes by using a tooth comb.

However, combing and scrubbing your hair tools often with soapy water can help to prevent lint presence and take it away if it is there.

4. Reduce hair products 

As we stated earlier in this post, hair product buildup could lead to the presence of lint in your hair. Stick to a minimum number of products you need to maintain your hair and stay away from other products, unless on special occasions.

Even beyond lint, product buildup is bad for your hair and should be avoided. The excessive buildup is like a magnet to lint, dirt, and other toxic substances that have no business being in your hair.

Final Words:

As stressful as it might be, it is important to remove lint from your hair. No matter how it gets there, use the methods we have outlined to get the lint out of your hair and tend to it properly.

While we cannot help the environment that we live in, we can do the little things to ensure that our hair and scalp are clean and safe regardless!