Here’s How You Can Get Sand Out of Hair: The Easy Ways

A day at the beach may turn your hair into a disaster due to sand in your hair. When you are on the sandy beach, worrying about your hair becoming sandy can be the last thing on your mind. Sand is so gritty and harsh that it is difficult to remove it from your hair. It becomes embedded in the coils of your hair, and even if you manage to wash it out, you will still be left with a grainy, unpleasant sensation. We have been to several beaches in USA including Ventura Beaches and even nude beaches in Florida. After spending tons of time in removing sand from hair, we finally uncovered the right ways to do it without damaging the hair.

How to Get Sand Out of Hair?

It may take some practice, but you may finally enjoy your vacation without worrying about sand if you stick with this challenge. In this article, we will demonstrate how to remove the sand from your hair without causing any damage.

Shake and Blow Dry

women hair drying her hair
Shake and Blow Dry

Sand in your hair is easy to remove by shaking it out and then using a hair dryer. If you cannot immediately get in the shower and wash the sand away, this is the next best thing. The whole process may be completed in about 10 minutes. Here are the measures that must be taken:

  • Get those braids out or anything else you have done to your hair. To get the sand out of your crevices, you must do this action.
  • Shake your head as hard as you can to get the sand out of your hair. Alternatively, you may use your hands to gently relax your curls. This should be done outside to prevent sand from scattering inside. To remove even more sand from your hair and face, you may flip your head upside down. When there is a lot of wind, the procedure works well.
  • Turn on a cool setting on your blow dryer if you have access to one. Pay special attention to any areas that still seem to have sand on them when using the hair dryer. A strong gust of wind will blow the sand away.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind that your hair will seem a little unruly and untidy following this step; you will need a hair band or elastic to pull it back into shape. Some sand may remain in your hair even after you have washed it. Even if your hair is short or in braids, you may use this technique to get rid of most of the sand.

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Comb and Shake

women combing her black hair
Comb and Shake

According to the earlier piece of advice, you should use a hair dryer to remove the sand from your locks. However, in the real world, a blow dryer is not always within reach. Combing and shaking could be the best choice in such circumstances. Here are the measures to take if you want to give this a shot:

  • Sand sticks tenaciously to damp hair, so give it some time to dry off. So, please be patient while your hair dries.
  • After you have towel-dried your hair, shake it out to get rid of any remaining sand.
  • Now is the time to start combing your hair with a wide-tooth comb. When you use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair, grains of sand will fall out as you work. Use the utmost caution, since damaging your hair follicles’ structural integrity by combing through it vigorously while it is dry is a certain way to permanently lose hair.
  • Take a good, hard look at your hair. Use a fine-tooth comb to get rid of any linngering grit. Care must be taken at this stage since a fine-tooth comb may snag and damage the hair more easily than a wide-tooth one.

Pro Tip: If your hair is straight, then this approach will work best for you. In most cases, you will do more damage than good if you try to comb through your curls while they are dry. It is thus suggested that you not use this approach to remove sand from your hair if you are sporting your hair in its natural form.

Baby Powder

Baby Powder johnsons bottle
Baby Powder. Credits: Flickr

One of the lesser-known ways to get rid of sand in your hair is to use baby powder. It might weaken the sand’s hold on your hair, making it easier to brush out. Hair that has been straightened or stretched out will benefit the most from this technique. For optimal outcomes, please refer to the following steps:

  • Allow enough time for your hair to dry once it has been wet.
  • You may remove the sand from your hair by using baby powder once it has dried.
  • You may now use a blow dryer, a wide-tooth comb, a fine-tooth comb, or any combination of the three to get rid of the sand in your hair.

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Vacuum Your Hair

samsung vaccum cleaner on carpet
Vacuum Your Hair

Sand may be removed from hair by using a vacuum cleaner, which is one of the most unorthodox removal procedures. You may need to do so in situations in which your hair is styled and you would like not to take it down.

To use this technique, all you need to do is switch on your vacuum cleaner, position the hose so that it is near your head, and start vacuuming your hair. It is highly recommended that you test the suction force of your vacuum before you bring it anywhere near your head. In doing so, you will avoid the possibility of inadvertently destroying your hairstyle.

The only people whose hair this method works on are those with very short hair or who wear their hair in a ponytail. If you have long hair and made the mistake of leaving it open at the beach, trying to vacuum it out will just result in additional tangles.

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Wash Your Hair

girl washing her hair
Wash Your Hair

Washing your hair is likely to be the most effective method for removing sand from your hair. On the other hand, if you want to remove sand from your hair, you should not wash it the way you typically would. To remove sand from your hair, you need to perform these procedures in the following order:

  • Before allowing water to come in contact with your hair in any way, make sure that you have removed as much sand as possible from it using one of the procedures that we have discussed above. This step is very crucial because if sand gets into your drain, it will quickly block up your pipes. Therefore, it is vital to do this step.
  • The procedure of washing may be started after a significant amount of sand has been eliminated from the hair. First, ensure that your hair is completely drenched in water, and then proceed to wash it. Regardless of whether or not there is sand in your hair, the best course of action is to wash your hair with a mild shampoo. While massaging the shampoo into your scalp, pay particular attention to that area since that is where sand is most likely to gather. However, you must not neglect to scrape your hair; instead, use the pads of your fingers to ensure that the shampoo is well distributed throughout your hair.
  • After you have scrubbed your scalp and hair as thoroughly as possible, you should then thoroughly rinse it out. The majority of the sand will be eliminated after completing this step.
  • You can repeat the process of shampooing your hair if you find that the sand is still present after the first time.
  • After you have finished washing your hair with shampoo, it is important to follow up with a moisturizing conditioner or a deep conditioner. If you have been subjecting your hair to elements such as wind, sun, and sand, there is a good chance that it could benefit from an infusion of moisture. You can help remove even more sand from your hair by detangling it while the product is still on it while it is sitting there.

Tips to Remember to Get Sand Out of Hair

Even while washing the sand out of your hair, it is crucial to be gentle and careful with your strands. Split ends, damaged strands, and excessive shedding are some of the unintended consequences of improper hair care. Thus, here are some things to consider when you decide how to get rid of the sand:

  • Avoid methods that call for dry combing if your hair is very curly and you want to keep it that way. It is one of the quickest ways to damage curly hair if you brush it when it is dry.
  • It is important to think about the temperature setting on the blow dryer before each usage. If you must use a blow dryer, utilize the cool setting at all times. If your hair dryer does not offer a cool setting, you should probably find an alternative.
  • It is tempting to rewash or comb it until every particle of sand is gone if it does not come out the first time. However, you should not do it. Do not wash your hair more than twice a day and cut down on the number of times you comb it.
  • Whenever your hair starts to feel dry or crunchy, condition it to get back the moisture it lost.
  • You may choose from a variety of options to rid your hair of sand. One of these options is certain to satisfy your needs. Do try them out and see if they help you out.

How to Avoid Getting Sand in Your Hair?

You should make it a priority to prevent the sand from ever coming into contact with your hair in the first place. Even though it is always beneficial to know how to remove sand from hair, it is by far the most effective strategy to take precautions to avoid getting sand in your hair in the first place. After visiting beaches in Key Largo and Santa Barbara, we came upon several useful hints and suggestions to avoid getting sand in your hair.

Your Hairstyle Matters

girl straight hair flying
Your Hairstyle Matters

Take note of the large number of beachgoers who sport plaits (also written as braids). You may use treatments and leave-in conditioners on your hair, and then plait it so that the treatment absorbs into your hair strands. When you go to the beach, be sure to tie your hair back. The quickest method to acquire sand in your hair is to have a long hairstyle that is undone.

This will prevent sand and dangerous chemicals from permeating your hair, in addition to making your hair appear excellent. Therefore, it is time to show off those adorable hairstyles, and do you want to know the greatest part? Additionally, it aids in keeping hair from becoming unruly anytime due to the wind from the ocean.

Put a Hat On

women weaing a hat in sun
Your Hairstyle Matters

The secret is to maintain a healthy level of moisture in your hair, therefore be sure to use a hair mask regularly to prevent your hair from becoming dry and brittle. If the wind is really strong, you might consider wearing a hat or a scarf to cover your hair. A powerful blast of wind is more than capable of depositing sand onto your head, even if your hair is tied back.

Wash your Hair Well

Lady using shampoo wash / clean her hair in a bathroom with splash shower spray water
Wash your Hair Well. Image by jcomp.

Because of the perspiration and oils on your scalp, as well as the salt and sand that are already in your hair, it is essential to use a shampoo that is effective at properly removing all of the muck. Do not forget to use a quality conditioner on your hair, whether it be a leave-in or a wash-off variety, to maintain its moisture.

Keep Separate Towels

multiple green towels on stool
Keep Separate Towels

To avoid getting sand in your hair, you should use two different towels for drying off and laying down. Using the same towel for both tasks is one of the most frequent ways that people get sand in their hair.

Apply Leave-in Conditioner

repair and protect conditioner
Apply Leave-in Conditioner

Even if you are not going to wash your hair at the end of the day at the beach to get the sand out of your hair, you should still apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair so that it can rehydrate and strengthen itself. Avoid skipping this step at all costs, regardless of how exhausted you may be at the end of the day, since exposure to sand and saltwater may cause your hair to become dry.

When you use a leave-in conditioner, you will be able to protect your hair from the harmful effects of sand and salt in your hair.

Swim away from the coast

seashore during daytime
Swim away from the coast

If you plan on going for a swim, you should move away from the coast and let the water completely cover your hair. Near the water’s edge, the sand is not nearly as likely to have settled, which implies that it remains in a state of persistent suspension. Putting your hair into the sea here is a lot like putting out a welcome mat for sand.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to remove the sand out of your hair, a day at the beach and some quiet time by a huge pool of water are much more appealing than the possibility of having some beach glitter on you. Sand can only stick to your hair if it has some kind of moisture or oil on it and it will also cling to the perspiration your scalp produces. That makes it easy for germs and dandruff to flourish. Infections may develop if this is ignored for too long.

It also causes severe itching of the scalp, which, if scratched too often, may weaken the hair follicles. Furthermore, sand is generally secure in your hair when your strands are tangled. Constantly rubbing your hair against the sand at these knots may cause it to become brittle and break easily.

By adhering to the aforementioned procedures, you may sidestep any sand knots and go straight to beautiful, beachy waves for your crowning glory. Here is hoping for many more beach-filled summers!

For further travel advice, visit our section | Travel Explained.

How to Get Sand Out of Hair? - FAQs

What is the best way to protect my natural hair at the beach?

Wearing a hair mask or cap often is the greatest method to prevent sand from damaging your hair.

What is the easiest method to get sand out of your hair?

You may need to use a combination of combing and shaking to remove the sand from your hair.

What is the most unorthodox method of getting sand out of your hair?

Using a Vacuum cleaner is a most unorthodox method to get sand out of the hair because it is highly unusual to use a vacuum cleaner on your hair.

Which setting of blow dryer should be used to remove sand from hair?

Whenever you use a blow dryer to remove sand from your hair, be sure you do it in the cool setting.

Zalah Khan
Zalah is LLB Graduate from the University of Westminster and joined the hopdes team in June 2022. She has been a linguistics expert and interpreter for a few years at Pearl Linguistics in London dealing with people mostly from the middle-east side. She loves the thrills and adventures embedded deeply into her genes owing to her biracial Pashtun and Persian heritage. She speaks Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Pashtu and English. Whilst she is afraid of heights but her adrenaline pushes her to take the 60-foot leap of faith body slide everytime she is at the Aqua Venture Water Park in Dubai. She recently went onto the Jebel Jais Flight at speeds of up to 150km/h (93mph) along a 2.8km (1.7-mile) cable weighing more than six tonnes. She was last seen at the Museum Of Illusions at the Dubai Creek.