Rice water has centuries of hair care history, which gives it a longer resume than most bathroom bottles. That history does not make a homemade batch immune to poor storage.12
Why does leaving rice water out matter?
Rice water is the starchy liquid created by soaking or cooking rice. A short soak takes 30 minutes to two hours; a fermentation soak lasts a day or more. The longer soak can introduce bacteria, and the shorter method is the preferred option for a homemade hair rinse. Fermentation is not a reason to ignore an unpleasant smell.2
Rice itself is not sterile. Uncooked rice frequently contains Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. Its spores can survive cooking, and the bacteria can multiply when cooked rice is held at room temperature. This is a food safety concern, not a diagnosis of what is making your particular hair rinse smell.3
Can you tell whether rice water is safe by smelling it?
No. A suspicious smell is a reason to throw a batch away, but a normal smell is not proof of safety. Spoilage bacteria and bacteria that cause foodborne illness are different: food can be unsafe without looking, smelling or tasting spoiled. As general food handling guidance applied to a homemade rice mixture, discard anything that smells suspicious or shows mold rather than trying to rescue it.1
How to make and use a fresh hair rinse
- 1Rinse the rice before soaking it in water.
- 2Choose a short soak of 30 minutes to two hours rather than leaving the mixture for a day or more.
- 3Strain the rice out of the water.
- 4After washing your hair, apply the rice water and leave it for about 20 minutes.
- 5Rinse your hair and scalp thoroughly. Residue left behind can cause irritation.
Does refrigeration solve the problem?
Refrigeration slows bacterial growth; it does not make a suspicious batch usable again. For storage, apply general food handling precautions: use a covered container and keep the refrigerator at or below 40 F, or 4 C. Mold can still grow under refrigeration, so check the mixture before use and discard it if it looks or smells suspicious.1
Is fermentation worth putting up with the smell?
Rice water's hair benefits are not scientifically proven, so there is no established benefit that makes a smelly batch worth keeping. TikTok has helped popularise rice water for glossy hair, but a viral video is not a quality control department. Avoid rice water if your scalp is inflamed, and stop using it if it causes irritation.24
Where this answer comes from
- 1Are You Storing Food Safely?fda.gov
- 2Rice Water for Hair: Benefits and How To Makehealth.clevelandclinic.org
- 3Epidemiologic Notes and Reports Bacillus cereus Food Poisoning Associated with Fried Rice at Two Child Day Care Centers -- Virginia, 1993cdc.gov
- 4How Safe Is That TikTok Health Trend?health.clevelandclinic.org
