Scrunchies and Hair Accessories: Storage and Care Tips That Prevent Damage

Quick answer

Store scrunchies loosely in a cool, dry drawer or a soft pouch rather than stretching them over hooks or door handles, and wash them by hand in cool water with a drop of gentle detergent. Let them air dry flat and away from direct sun. If the elastic has already lost its snap or the fabric has pilled and thinned, replacing the scrunchie is usually faster and kinder to your hair than trying to repair it.

Scrunchies are the accessory most likely to be treated badly and then blamed for not lasting. They get stretched over a wrist, a bottle or a bedpost, tossed into a bag with keys and hairpins, and washed only when they look visibly grubby. A few small habits around storage and cleaning will keep the fabric smooth and the elastic working, which matters because a tired scrunchie tugs at hair instead of holding it gently.

The advice below separates what you are seeing from what is usually causing it, so you can fix the right thing. Some problems are storage, some are washing, and some simply mean the accessory has reached the end of its useful life.

Why scrunchies fail before the fabric wears out

The elastic core almost always goes first. Stretching a scrunchie repeatedly over something wider than your ponytail, such as a wrist, a jar or a hook, fatigues the elastic faster than normal wear. Once it stops springing back, the scrunchie slides down your hair and you tighten it more, which strains it further. The fabric may still look fine while the scrunchie no longer does its job.

Fabric damage usually comes from friction and moisture rather than age. Tumbling against zips, brushes and metal clips in a bag causes snags and pilling, while damp storage encourages musty smells and can dull colour. Keeping scrunchies separate from hardware and fully dry before they go away solves most of this.

• Keep scrunchies out of the bottom of a handbag where they rub against keys and clips.
• Never store them stretched around a bottle, hook or door handle.
• Let a scrunchie dry completely before it goes back in the drawer.

How to store scrunchies so they keep their shape

The best storage is loose and low-pressure. A shallow drawer divider, a small fabric pouch or a compartment in a jewellery box lets each scrunchie sit in a relaxed loop without weight on the elastic. If you prefer to see them, a soft drawstring bag hung on the inside of a wardrobe door works well, as long as nothing presses against it.

Group by fabric type if you have a mix. Smooth satin and silk blends are prone to snagging, so keep them away from rougher cotton or towelling scrunchies and from anything with a clasp. A separate small pouch for the delicate ones costs nothing and prevents most pulls.

• Coil each scrunchie loosely rather than folding it tightly.
• Store silk and satin styles apart from textured fabrics.
• Keep the drawer out of direct sunlight to slow colour fading.

Scrunchies washing tips that protect fabric and elastic

Hand washing is the safest default. Fill a bowl with cool water, add a small amount of gentle detergent, and squeeze the scrunchies through the water rather than rubbing them together. Rinse in cool water until it runs clear, then press them between a towel to remove excess moisture. Hot water and vigorous wringing are the two quickest ways to shrink elastic and distort a fabric loop.

If a scrunchie is made from a delicate fabric, treat it the way you would treat the garment it matches. A silk accessory benefits from the same care as silk lingerie: cool water, mild soap, no bleach and no tumble drying. When in doubt, wash less often and spot clean instead.

• Use cool water and a gentle detergent, never bleach.
• Squeeze, do not wring or twist.
• Air dry flat, away from radiators and direct sun.

Organising the rest of your hair accessories

Clips, pins and ties cause most of the damage that scrunchies suffer, so give them their own space. A small lidded box for metal clips and bobby pins keeps sharp edges away from fabric, and a separate pot for elastics prevents them from tangling around softer pieces. If you travel often, a two-compartment pouch is enough to keep the two groups apart.

A simple rule is one in, one out. When you add a new accessory, retire one that no longer holds well. This keeps the collection small enough to store loosely, which is the single biggest factor in how long scrunchies last.

• Keep metal clips and pins in a lidded container.
• Store hair ties separately so they do not tangle with fabric scrunchies.
• Retire stretched or pilled pieces instead of stretching them further.

Diagnose the problem before you change your routine

• Scrunchie slides down and feels loose: The elastic core has stretched, usually from being stored over a hook, bottle or wrist. Move it to loose drawer storage and stop stretching it over wide objects. If it still slips after a week of loose storage, the elastic is spent and replacement is the practical fix.
• Fabric looks fuzzy, pilled or snagged: Friction from sharing a bag or drawer with zips, brushes and metal clips is the usual cause. Separate soft fabrics from hardware and trim loose fibres rather than pulling them. Light pilling can be managed; deep snags that catch on hair mean the piece should be retired.
• Colour looks dull or there is a musty smell: Damp storage and drying in direct sun are the common culprits. Wash in cool water, dry flat and completely, and store in a dark drawer. If the smell persists after one proper wash and full dry, the fabric has held onto moisture too long and is best replaced.
• Scrunchie leaves creases or pulls in hair: A too-tight elastic or a rough fabric surface causes this. Loosen your ponytail and switch to a smooth fabric style for daily wear. If a smooth scrunchie still pulls, the issue is how tightly you are tying it, not the accessory.

Fabric care in practice: how the same rules apply to delicate pieces

• DOROTHY THONG: Crafted from luxurious Italian silk with soft, high-quality mesh detailing in a high-cut silhouette. Silk and mesh need the same cool-water, no-wringing approach you would use on a silk scrunchie, so the two can be hand washed in the same bowl.
• TALLULAH KNICKER: Features smooth silk panels with a sheer mesh back that contours the body with soft transparency. Smooth silk panels snag easily, which is exactly why silk accessories should be stored away from clips, zips and textured fabrics.

Scrunchies last longer when they are stored loosely, washed gently and kept away from metal hardware. Fix the storage first, then the washing routine, and replace anything whose elastic has already given up. Your hair will feel the difference.