How to Store Your Wigs: Short-Term and Long-Term

How you store a human hair wig matters as much as how you wash it. Stored well, it keeps its shape, its shine and its lace. Stored badly, it tangles, flattens and can start to smell. Here is how to store a wig between wears and how to pack one away for longer.

Before you store any wig

Do these three things first, whether you are putting the wig away for a night or for a season.

1. Detangle it. Use a wide-tooth comb and work from the ends up to the roots.
2. Clean the lace. Remove any glue, makeup or oil from the lace and hairline. A lace adhesive remover lifts leftover glue without pulling on the lace.
3. Make sure it is completely dry. A wig stored damp can develop a musty smell or mildew.

Short-term storage: between wears

This is for a wig you wear regularly and will put back on within a few days or a couple of weeks.

• Use a wig stand or mannequin head. It holds the shape of the cap and lets air move through the hair.
• Keep it out of sunlight and heat. Direct sun fades color, and heat from a radiator or vent dries the hair out.
• Keep it out of the bathroom. Steam and humidity cause frizz and can loosen curls.
• Cover it loosely. A silk or satin scarf or bonnet keeps dust off without flattening the style.
• Keep long hair tidy. Let it hang straight, or put it in one or two loose braids so it does not tangle.

Take your wig off before bed when you can. Sleeping in it causes tangling and friction at the nape.

Long-term storage: a month or more

This is for wigs you rotate by season or keep for special occasions.

1. Wash and condition it. Product and oil left in the hair break it down over time.
2. Let it air dry fully on a stand, then detangle it.
3. Secure the hair. Put long hair in loose braids. Place curly and wavy wigs in a hair net so the pattern holds.
4. Support the cap. Tuck acid-free tissue paper inside the cap and behind the lace so they keep their shape.
5. Put it in a silk or satin bag, or back in its original box. Choose something that breathes. Avoid sealing it in an airtight plastic bag.
6. Store it flat in a cool, dry, dark place, such as a closet shelf or a drawer. Do not stack anything heavy on top.
7. Check it every month or two. Take it out, shake it loose and let it air for a few minutes.

When you bring a wig out of storage, shake it out, mist curls or waves lightly with water, and restyle with a heat protectant.

Short-term and long-term at a glance

Mistakes to avoid

• Storing a wig while it is still damp
• Leaving glue or makeup on the lace
• Sealing it in a plastic bag
• Leaving it on a sunny windowsill or near a heater
• Hanging it from a hook by the lace or the straps
• Tossing it in a drawer without securing the hair

What helps

• A Folding Wig Stand for short wigs and wigs up to 14 inches long
• A Canvas Wig Head with Table Clamp Stand for longer wigs and for styling
• A carrier bag with a hanger, in black or white, for extensions and long wigs
• A silk bonnet to cover a wig on its stand
• Lace Paste Remover to clean adhesive off the lace before you put a wig away

You will find more in Hair Accessories.

Going away? Read How to Travel With Your Wig. New to wigs? Read our beginner's guide to glueless wigs, or browse all of our wigs.