Shikakai or Acacia Concinna is an ayurvedic herb that has been used as a hair cleanser in several parts of India for centuries. This nourishing hair ingredient is abundant in antioxidants and several vitamins like A, C, K and D.

Today, people don’t really find time to use Shikakai in its traditional form. So, many folks use Shikakai based shampoo to avail its myriad hair care benefits.

Why fungus grow on shikakai shampoo after boiling when kept out outside
Why fungus grow on Shikakai Shampoo after boiling when kept out outside?


But many have faced the issue with shikakai shampoo is - fungus grow on the shampoo if it kept outside after boiling with water.

To understand why fungus forms in Shikakai shampoo, we first need to know how fungus grow in anything.

How does fungus grow on things?

The type of fungus grows on Shikakai shampoo or any food are called mould (or 'mold' in the USA).

Mould needs a suitable environment to grow, which consists of these four things - water food, suitable air quality and temperature. Mould will grow where food and water is abundantly available.
Mould will grow best in damp, dark and cool conditions, but can also grow in warmer temperatures as well. Mould grows best between 55 to 70 degrees Celsius.

Tiny mould spores are everywhere in the environment, which are not harmful to our health. But when the land on the surface and receives a suitable environment, it starts growing and replicating fast.

Why fungus form in Shikakai shampoo after boiling kept outside?

  1. Fungus (mould) form is Shikakai shampoo after boiling kept outside because this provides the perfect environment for fungus to grow, which is a damp environment with food, water supply, suitable air quality and the temperature.
  2. Another reason why fungus form in Shikakai shampoo is, it is generally sold as a completely natural product, which is not processed with chemicals for preservation, which all the products we generally see are exposed to.

How to prevent fungus formation in shikakai shampoo?

As I have mentioned above that many shikakai shampoos do not come with preservations, so they do long. On the other hand, it does not make sense to use preservation as it is sold as a natural hair cleanser. So, you should not store it for longer, especially once the container is opened. Also, make sure to not keep it exposed to water and air.