Mine is seven months old too...number two and I do/did both of my children's heads this way at that age. First I put about 2-3 inches of warm water in the tub and lay him down in it. I wash and rinse his hair quickly, and then sit him up to do the rest of his parts (adding more water at this point). I always do it first thing, because if I were to merely sit him in the tub and then try to do this later, he would protest. Once he's old enough to sit really steady by himself and I'm not worried about him tipping over (age dependent upon the kid), I soap the head and have the child tip their head back and rinse. My dd wasn't thrilled, but she didn't freak out with this stuff either. I always did it gently and slowly..Used my hand cupped over eyes and ears (doing one section of a time). And we played and talked during the whole thing. I'm a firm believer that bathtime should be fun, or every day is misery...

I think the smell is due to soap not adequately rinsed at bathtime and my goal is to get all of that soap out. Towels don't smell just the wet washcloths. Mamapinky I will try sani cycle with no soap. Will the STTP help remove the soap? It appears that is the case based on the suds in the machine, I just wanted to make sure that's what it's doing. Thank you for your replies.

We have a black lab/beagle mix dog and two Siamese cats. This probably goes without saying but the easiest way to remove pet fur from laundry is to limit how much goes in to begin with. No, I'm not advocating pet beds and never cuddling your pets -- I'd never suggest a rule I could never adhere to :) However: 1. Grooming does make a difference. I'm not great about it, but even once every other week or so with our short-hair breeds keeps the fur at bay. 2. Regular vacuuming. Much of the fur that winds up on bedding and clothing comes from the floor and furniture, as its carried on your feet and body. 3. Remove excess fur before laundering. Brush or tape-roll bedding to pick up the top-most layers of fur. Same for clothing or pet bedding. If the first layers are gone, the smaller pieces stuck between textile fibers have a better chance of working their way out, into the water, and down the drain. 4. Diet/hydration. Okay, feline nutrition is sore subject with me and apologies in advance if any of this comes off as abrasive. Dried kibble is one of the worst things you can feed a cat. Some vets will go so far as to say that the cheapest canned food is better than the most expensive kibble. The reason for this is that cats do not naturally feel thirst and seek out water, because their instinct is to get moisture/hydration from fresh kills. House cats have been domesticated for only a fraction of time as dogs (hence their behavior) and have not evolved to seek water from bowls. The result is a chronically dehydrated kitty and, in addition to the obvious kidney problems, what does this cause? You guessed it, excess shedding! We feed an entirely raw diet (rabbit, mice, chicks, etc.) and have almost no shedding. That said, raw is a huge commitment and I understand not everyone will do it. I encourage anyone with cats to read the most excellent research done, entirely pro-bono, by Dr. Lisa Pierson after her struggles keeping her own cats healthy. Her research, include food reviews is here: CatInfo - Dr. Pierson Meow :)

To the OP, if this has been a somewhat sudden/recent change (that washing your hair is exhausting) you might need to pay a visit to your MD. It sounds from many of the posts that this is not so uncommon as we age, but it also would be a classic symptom of silent heart problems and worth getting checked out. Women tend to have much more subtle symptoms than men, sometimes it can be hard to get our MDs to take them seriously. And, a recent check-up with no signs of trouble is not a warranty. Heart disease is notoriously hard to detect without symptoms. Not that I want to scare you, but I felt it should be said to be on the safe side. Heart disease is still the #1 killer of women, and symptoms like fatigue, an little ache in the shoulder or back, or an upset stomach are so easy to think are nothing.