Neglect Dreads Help

Hey I just started my dread journey a few days ago and I have a few questions that I can't seem to find the answer for yet:

- Can I wear a cap during the beginning stages of my dreading? If so, how often is too often? I'm only 4 days in, but I need to wear a beanie or a bandanna while i'm at work, out of respect for my boss.

- I shower every day, should I put a shower cap on my head to keep it from getting wet? I've just been letting it get wet the past few nights, but I haven't been touching it with my hands at all or anything and I let it air dry after each shower.

- Is it better for me to just use the baking soda method? I'm not sure that I can use the dread lock shampoo correctly, as I'm not sure how to wash JUST my scalp without tampering with the dreads?

updated by @caleb-william-hart: 01/13/15 09:55:07PM

You can wear a cap, but try to wear it as little as possible. Best thing to do is wear a loose-fitting hat or tie them back loosely, and let them be free as often as possible, because it constricts the movement a bit. Might take a little longer to dread, but they'll still dread

At the moment, no, you can just shower without a shower cap. But keep in mind when they start dreading, they'll take longer to dry. Eventually you'll want to wash them not everyday, but two or three times a week, so then you'll probably want to wear a shower cap.

The good thing about the baking soda method is that you use it as a rinse, so obviously you won't undo any knots that might form. But if you use shampoo, you'll still see progress just leave the dreads alone while you wash the scalp lol.

Hey, congrats to your new journey

• if you must wear a cap or beanie, put it on just before work and take it off when you are done your shift. Wearing any tight hat will slow down your journey. A bandanna is better if you can wear that, you can tie it a little looser then.
• Dreads have a faster journey the more they get wet, so don't worry about that, just make sure they are dry before wearing a cap or going to bed. You don't want the smell of mold setting in, or that wet dog smell
• to wash with the dreadlocks shampoo, you just wet your hair, put some shampoo on your fingertips and rub around the scalp with fingertips. When you rinse it out, it will run through the rest of your sections, cleaning them as it goes. The liquid for m is a locking up shampoo, so it helps with the journey
• Sure, you can use the baking soda wash/acv rinse all you want, I used it for my entire first year. Here is the ratio for it: http://www.dreadlockssite.com/forum/topics/ratios-baking-soda-wash-apple-cider-vinegar-rinse-sea-salt-mix

Although I started my journey with T&R, I have many tips on my posting that may help you and answer some questions you may have: http://www.dreadlockssite.com/forum/topics/just-starting-out-what-to-expect

Enjoy your journey....peace

Thanks a lot for the replies guys, it's greatly appreciated. I love having access to others who already know of the journey so that I can ask questions all I want. Nobody in the area I live seems to have real natural dreads, they all have them locked or crocheted, so if I ask them they only know of their own methods.