stinky {mildew?} dreadlocks

YEa. I have been dreadlocked for 13 months now. TnR start and nothing since. I will admitt that I do not wash very frequently since I live in FL and my hair taked 1 day + to dry. I used to wash 1x a week with BS/ACV rinse, but was finding that I had dandruff and sores {with BS}. So I stopped using BS and just used ACV rinse with good results. Then my family moved out to the woods to a yurt community for 2.5 months and I will say that during that time I only wet my head and never 'washed' with anything. We have moved back to our FL home {kinda--we are on the way back} and I have noticed that my hair is REALLY starting to smell mildew-y. I am freaking out. YUCK--i don't like this smell. My locks are very short {shrunk inot my head} so I cannot smell them directly, but I can smell them even without putting my nose to them and they smell funky. I have VERY thick hair and it is VERY locked up at this point. I did have like 150 skinny locks, but many have congoed or are in process and getting thicker {still no thicker than size of my pinky really}. I have these huge dread 'clumps' at the tail end of my locks and then the shaft and roots are relatively tight and skinny with about an inch of loose undreaded hair at roots. My scalp doesn't seem irritated--no dandruff or anything--just this smell. I cannot use bronners in FL--too hard water=doesn't wash out, i cannot us BS {see above}, do I need to go back to the ACV rince + pepermint EO {essential oil}? Will this get rid of it? DO I need to do anything else? I don't want this to become a problem {is it already?} Also, I do NOT want to have to blow dry my hair EVER--I live in FL, I have a kiddos=no tiem for such things, it would take 12 hours, seriously!.

SOrry so long winded, but HELP!

updated by @mama-harrison: 02/14/15 03:30:56AM

hiya mate i'm sure here recommends Lavender oil as a mildew/mold "cure" so id search that idea here and maybe do lavender oil rinse and maybe get one of the super absorbent towels like "shamwow" to help wick the water away and dry them quicker.Hope that's some help

3/4 cup white vinager 1/4 cup water 30-50 drops lavendar oil

pour on and...leave on

go sit in the hot florida sun

u can also make a strong thyme teaa spray on and leave on

do this a couple times a week abnd it will be gone

sun dry will help every time

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Okay, but no one has mentioned that ACV is not a soap or detergent. Using that solely...your hair is dirty. You need some soap to wash your hair and scalp. When the scalp gets an accumulation of oils and dead skin on it from sweating and what not...IT STINKS!!! Have you ever used Maylees Dread bars? They are amazing. You need to wash your head thoroughly and then use the suggestions Soaring Eagle made. I still don't understand why people aren't washing their hair...????? Not to pick on you, because this seems to be a wide spread problem...but, I don't get why anyone would be surprised when their hair stinks when it is obviously dirty. Dreaded or not, hair MUST be washed. If you keep on the unwashed path, plan to begin losing hair, a dirty, unhealthy scalp will not keep growing hair. I really hope after you wash and treat your head that everything works out and you are feeling fine. Good luck

my hair isn't dirty. It is mildew. People existed for centuries without bar soaps. Thanks for the suggestion, but I am capable of telling if my hair is simply 'dirty' vs. mildewing/molding. People do not need detergents for cleanliness. My scalp is clean as can be and I scrub it whenever I wet it. This isn't a dirty head/hair issue--it is a moldy/mildewy issue.

SE--I cannot use white vinegar--hense ACV--I also use lavendar and GSE {grapeseed exctract} in my rinses, but as I mentioned I wasn't able to do this for about 2.5 months and this is what led to the issue at hand. Will returning to this regimen UNDO the mold/mildew damage already there? I guess trhat is my real question.

Panterra Caraway said:

Okay, but no one has mentioned that ACV is not a soap or detergent. Using that solely...your hair is dirty. You need some soap to wash your hair and scalp. When the scalp gets an accumulation of oils and dead skin on it from sweating and what not...IT STINKS!!! Have you ever used Maylees Dread bars? They are amazing. You need to wash your head thoroughly and then use the suggestions Soaring Eagle made. I still don't understand why people aren't washing their hair...????? Not to pick on you, because this seems to be a wide spread problem...but, I don't get why anyone would be surprised when their hair stinks when it is obviously dirty. Dreaded or not, hair MUST be washed. If you keep on the unwashed path, plan to begin losing hair, a dirty, unhealthy scalp will not keep growing hair. I really hope after you wash and treat your head that everything works out and you are feeling fine. Good luck

thanks. I do use lavendar EO--perhaps a shamwow towel would be benficial for drying. I will look into that for sure

Dave said:

hiya mate i'm sure here recommends Lavender oil as a mildew/mold "cure" so id search that idea here and maybe do lavender oil rinse and maybe get one of the super absorbent towels like "shamwow" to help wick the water away and dry them quicker.Hope that's some help

why cant u use white vinager and it will undo it but u need a strong vinager soak and leave it in 24 hours orr so and sunlight sun dry this kills mold too

if this dont do it after a few weeks try adding neeem seed oil which kills everything

Mama Harrison said:

my hair isn't dirty. It is mildew. People existed for centuries without bar soaps. Thanks for the suggestion, but I am capable of telling if my hair is simply 'dirty' vs. mildewing/molding. People do not need detergents for cleanliness. My scalp is clean as can be and I scrub it whenever I wet it. This isn't a dirty head/hair issue--it is a moldy/mildewy issue.

SE--I cannot use white vinegar--hense ACV--I also use lavendar and GSE {grapeseed exctract} in my rinses, but as I mentioned I wasn't able to do this for about 2.5 months and this is what led to the issue at hand. Will returning to this regimen UNDO the mold/mildew damage already there? I guess trhat is my real question.

Panterra Caraway said:

Okay, but no one has mentioned that ACV is not a soap or detergent. Using that solely...your hair is dirty. You need some soap to wash your hair and scalp. When the scalp gets an accumulation of oils and dead skin on it from sweating and what not...IT STINKS!!! Have you ever used Maylees Dread bars? They are amazing. You need to wash your head thoroughly and then use the suggestions Soaring Eagle made. I still don't understand why people aren't washing their hair...????? Not to pick on you, because this seems to be a wide spread problem...but, I don't get why anyone would be surprised when their hair stinks when it is obviously dirty. Dreaded or not, hair MUST be washed. If you keep on the unwashed path, plan to begin losing hair, a dirty, unhealthy scalp will not keep growing hair. I really hope after you wash and treat your head that everything works out and you are feeling fine. Good luck

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Excuse me, but apparently you can't tell when your hair is dirty because you think that wetting it is getting it clean. And I never said you didn't have a mildew problem, I suggested you use the advice SE gave you as well. When you have been a licensed professional for hair 31 years maybe we can have a debate. Obviously, your way isn't working. So, I guesss until you decide to listen and quit just dismissing things people are trying to help you with you can smell bad. You asked for help...that doesn't mean just telling you what you want to hear. Whether hair is dreaded or undreaded, it needs to be cleaned...just like your body. But,you seem to think you have all the answers. Believe it or not, there are people in this world who know facts, not just opinions about certain subjects.

wow. you are rude. please do not waste your time replying to any of my threads in the future. get off your horse and go wash your hair.

Panterra Caraway said:

Excuse me, but apparently you can't tell when your hair is dirty because you think that wetting it is getting it clean. And I never said you didn't have a mildew problem, I suggested you use the advice SE gave you as well. When you have been a licensed professional for hair 31 years maybe we can have a debate. Obviously, your way isn't working. So, I guesss until you decide to listen and quit just dismissing things people are trying to help you with you can smell bad. You asked for help...that doesn't mean just telling you what you want to hear. Whether hair is dreaded or undreaded, it needs to be cleaned...just like your body. But,you seem to think you have all the answers. Believe it or not, there are people in this world who know facts, not just opinions about certain subjects.

cmon ladies love eachother, its hair.....itll be ok