When I was little, I spent just about every summer day in the pool. A lot of spring and fall days, too. That definitely wreaked havoc on my blond hair. My brother and I had to use UltraSwim shampoo like crazy to get the green out of our hair.

Now that I’m older, I don’t spend quite as much time in the pool, but I am still worried about green hair. And I don’t want to use chlorine-removal shampoos because I think it would take the hair color out with the chlorine.

A while back, a woman at the pool asked how I keep my hair from getting gross in the pool. After all, even if you’re not worried about your hair turning green, the chlorine and goggle straps can still make hair (especially long, thick hair like mine) a dry, tangled mess.

My answer is the same regardless of hair color. First, rinse your hair with fresh water, making sure all your hair is wet. Then, put on a swim cap. I usually use cool water to rinse my hair because otherwise my head gets hot in the swim cap while I’m swimming laps. Also, if you are a pseudo ginger, hot water can make your hair color fade faster.

Then, after you’re done swimming, make sure you rinse your hair again with fresh water. This method won’t keep ALL of the chlorine out, but it will help. If you’d like, you can also try using a leave-in conditioner before putting on the swim cap. I just don’t like the slimy feeling.

I don’t love wearing a swim cap. But I do love not having green hair. I think pink would be a better look for me. Or maybe blue.

Now, if anyone has a good way to make your skin stop smelling like chlorine (after multiple showers), let me know!