How to Curl Hair with Rags

Co-authored by Ashley Adams

Last Updated: July 28, 2022

Before curlers and heated curling irons came onto the market, people used to curl their hair using a few simple items: strips of rags, a comb, and water. You’ll need to prepare some rags and your hair, then roll your hair up and sleep in the rags overnight for this classic vintage-curl look.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Rags and Hair

1
Cut 10-20 strips of fabric in 2 in × 8 in (5.1 cm × 20.3 cm) pieces. Start with a large piece of fabric, such as an old pillowcase or a towel. Use cloth scissors to cut strips about 2 in (5.1 cm) wide and 8 in (20 cm) long.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have an old pillowcase or towel, any large piece of fabric will do. People usually use cotton or terrycloth for the material, but you can use any fabric that you have. Old t-shirts work well for this purpose.
2
Sew seams into the fabric if you’d like to reuse them. If you think you’d like to reuse your curling rags one day, sew seams into them on the sides and ends with your sewing machine. This will prevent the rags from fraying and allow you to wash them.

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3
Comb or brush your hair free of tangles. To make sure your hair curls evenly, you want to remove any tangles from it. Use your regular comb or brush to remove all the tangles.^{[2]
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- If your hair is very knotted, spray it lightly with a leave-in conditioner or detangling solution to get the knots out.
4
Dampen your hair with a sea salt spray. Sea salt will help your hair have some extra texture and make it easier for the curls to stay in. Just coat your hair with enough spray until it’s damp. Don’t start rolling your hair up when it’s dripping wet.^{[3]
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- If you don’t have sea salt spray, you can use plain water instead. Sea salt helps the curls set better, but your hair needs to be damp before you start rolling regardless of what you use.
- Alternatively, you can use a little mousse or setting lotion to help your curls set.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Rolling Your Hair

1
Part your hair in 4 even sections. Take the end of your comb and create a part down the middle from your forehead to the nape of your neck. Comb the sections out again. Then create 2 more parts from the crown of your head to behind your ears.^{[4]
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- If you like, you can clip the sections of hair you’re not using right away to keep them out of your way while you curl 1 of the sections at a time.
2
Take a 1 in (2.5 cm) thick section of hair between your fingers. Starting with 1 of the front sections, take a section of hair in your fingers. It can be about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick, which will create a pretty tight curl, or you can make it thicker for a larger, looser curl.^{[5]
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- For very large, loose curls, don’t separate a new section. Just take the whole front section of 1 side to roll up.
- Be sure that the section is still damp before you start to roll it. If it has dried out, apply more sea salt spray or water.
3
Roll the section of hair around 1 rag strip starting at the bottom. Start at the very end of the section of hair you chose. Place a rag there horizontally, spread out to its full 2 in (5.1 cm) width. Roll your section of hair around the rag as far up as you would like the curl to go.^{[6]
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- To curl just the bottoms of your hair, stop rolling about halfway up the length of your hair.
- For curls that go all the way to the top, roll your hair around the rag until you reach your scalp.
4
Tie the rag around your rolled-up hair in a secure knot. When you get to the point where you want the curl to stop, tie the ends of the rag around your hair to secure it in place. You can use a simple square knot to make it stay.^{[7]
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- Don’t make the knot so tight that it will be difficult for you to untie in the morning. However, your knot should be tight enough that it doesn’t come out and cause the rag to unwind.
- If you do happen to tie the knot too tightly, you may need to cut the rag to release your hair. This means you won’t be able to reuse the rag in the future.
5
Roll up and tie all of your hair by sections. Repeat the rolling steps until you’ve rolled up all of your hair in your rag strips. For even curls, make each section about the same thickness as your first one.^{[8]
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- If you don’t mind a mixture of tight and loose curls, you can make some sections of hair thinner and others thicker as you roll them up.
- Check that each section of hair is still damp before you roll it up. If the section has dried, apply more sea salt spray or water before you roll it.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Setting Your Curls Overnight

1
Cover your hair with a silk scarf. When all of your hair is tied up in the rags, cover it up with a silk scarf. This will help you to be more comfortable while you’re sleeping and prevent the rags from untying and coming out.^{[9]
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- Silk scarves can be purchased at beauty supply stores, department stores, and online.
- This step is optional for the most comfort and best results; if you don’t have a silk scarf, you can still go to sleep with your rag rolls in without wearing one.
- A silk pillowcase also works as a way to reduce friction between your curls and the pillow. If you already sleep on a silk pillowcase, you don’t need to cover your hair with a scarf.
- Regardless of what kind of pillowcase you use, a scarf can help minimize frizz and tangles if you tend to toss and turn a lot at night.
2
Sleep in the rags overnight and untie them in the morning. Go to sleep with your rag rolls tied in place. The rags may feel unusual or uncomfortable if you’re not used to sleeping with anything in your hair, but you will get used to it. In the morning, untie each of them and watch your curls unfold.^{[10]
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- If a specific curl is extremely uncomfortable or hurts when you lay down, the rag may be tied a bit too tight. You can loosen the rag by untying the knot then re-tying it looser.
- Make sure your hair is completely dry before you remove the rags, or your curls will not set properly. If your hair is still a little damp when you get up, you can either leave the rags in a little longer or speed up the drying process with a hair dryer.
3
Tousle your hair with your fingers and spray them with hairspray. Avoid brushing or combing your curls, especially if your hair doesn’t hold curl easily. Simply run your fingers through your hair gently to spread the curls out. Spray a light layer of hairspray all over your curls to hold them.
- Set your curls with a volumizing hairspray for best results.
- If your hair is very fine, avoid using too much hairspray so you don’t weigh the curls down and make them fall out. A light layer of spray on all of your curls will be sufficient to hold them.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Will it stay without setting spray? And for how long?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Yes, because your curls were set overnight, they should last at least a day if you don’t use any setting spray. However, this is widely dependent upon your hair texture. If your hair is fine and doesn’t hold curls well, your curls may not last for a full day.
Question

Can I curl my hair right up to my scalp?

Community Answer

You can, if you want a tighter curl.
Question

How long do I need to leave the curls in?

Community Answer

Usually quite a few hours. For best results, leave them curled overnight.