History Main / IHaveToWashMyHair

[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/{{Concerned}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/concerned025.jpg]]]]

Compare IHaveToGoIronMyDog, where the excuse is to remove oneself from the situation immediately rather than avoiding a future date. Doesn't work on the LiteralMinded, the {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, or anyone particularly [[StalkerWithACrush determined]] (or [[CovertPervert just]] [[TheCasanova plain]] [[KavorkaMan lecherous]]): "That's a lot of hair. [[ShowerScene Need any help?]]"

Compare and contrast IHaveToGoIronMyDog, where the excuse is blatantly just a nonsensical lie. Doesn't work on the LiteralMinded, the {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, or anyone particularly [[StalkerWithACrush determined]] (or [[CovertPervert just]] [[TheCasanova plain]] [[KavorkaMan lecherous]]): "That's a lot of hair. [[ShowerScene Need any help?]]"

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Barney announces to the bar that he has a date "with the crazy lady who's always yelling stuff in front of the drug store," and a dejected Moe sighs and says "she told me she was washing her hair tonight."

* Used against Dexter on the ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}!'' episode "Dance of Doom".

** It remained a legitimate thing right up until the widespread availability of commercial shampoos and conditioners. Washing hair with plain soap leaves a residue, so it was wash, rinse, change the water and add a little lemon juice or vinegar (to remove the residue), then change the water ''again'' for the final rinse. Even when hair styles became generally shorter prior to/after WorldWarTwo, it could still be a long and occasionally arduous process. See [[http://youtu.be/Lao3GaYXLjs here]].

* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick is on the receiving end of this line when she tries to hit on ToddInTheShadows, who runs off claiming that "I gotta go wash my feet or my car or something."

* The ladyfolk of ''Webcomic/{{Loserz}}'' would rather, amongst other things, paint the Cistine Chapel, [[FetishFuel Lick their own asshole]] or [[EatsBabies eat babies]] than date Erik or Ben. Disco Jesus, however... doesn't date boys.

* Women in [[literature/TheTaleOfGenji Heian Japan]] had RapunzelHair as long as they were if not longer making this a ''very good'' excuse for putting off a lover.

-->-- ''AnimalHouse''

* When Richard shows up without his date in DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency, [[AbsentMindedProfessor Reg]] muses about why she hadn't come, and asks if this was the excuse she gave. He adds that it's only for lack of hair that he has to participate in the school as much as he does. (It turns out that Richard [[WhatAnIdiot completely forgot that he had invited her]].)

* Lily Allen's "Knock 'Em Out" is essentially a string of these, ranging from the girl saying she's getting married next week to claiming she has to go because her house is on fire.

* ''Series/{{Mash}}'': Colonel Blake once put the moves on a nurse. He complimented her on her scent, to which she replied, "I just washed my hair." When the colonel goes a little further, she brushes him off with, "I have to wash my hair."

* A Swedish chocolate drink is sold under the trade name "Pucko". In the years since is was introduced, the expression "pucko" has acquired the meaning "stupid" in slang. This would seem unfortunate for advertising, but they actually managed to work with it. Their most memorable commercial had a young dressed-up lad asserting that he didn't blame the girl for breaking off the date, since "if you've promised your parents to stay home and help ordering the [diapositive] slides, you have to keep that promise" while buying a Pucko for himself.

* In the second ''{{Bottom}} Live'' show, Richie tells Eddie to invoke this after he gets an invite to meet with "Mr. Big". Eddie points out that he doesn't have any hair.

[[folder:Film]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'', Odette tries to use the excuse not on the prince himself, but on her father to delay leaving for the prince's kingdom.
--> '''Odette''': I haven't packed or washed my hair, and Father, I get seasick!

* Happens a lot in ''ActionLeagueNow'', mainly with Thundergirl.

* In ''TheSwanPrincess'', Odette tries to use the excuse not on the prince himself, but on her father to delay leaving for the prince's kingdom.

* In ''TheSimpsons'', Barney announces to the bar that he has a date "with the crazy lady who's always yelling stuff in front of the drug store," and a dejected Moe sighs and says "she told me she was washing her hair tonight."
* Parodied in ''{{Doug}}'', where one of Doug's {{Imagine Spot}}s shows Patty Mayonnaise presented with a ''DatingSim''-like choice between Roger, Doug, or washing her hair.

* Not played quite straight in ''SouthPacific'': Emile isn't around when Nellie sings "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta my Hair" and washes her hair on stage. (She does ''not'' "wash that man right out of [her] hair", as her very next number is "(I'm in Love With) A Wonderful Guy".) Lampshaded by her fellow nurses:

* Series/ThePrisoner: Oddly enough, this is Number 24's excuse when Number 6 calls her for help in "The Schizoid Man." She comes anyway.
* In ''HelpImATeenagedOutlaw'', Lady Devereux tells one of the servants in one episode (who is asking her out) that she will not be coming out with him because she is "washing her hair."
* Played with on ''DawsonsCreek'' when Joey tells Dawson that if he can't find a date for a double date, he should call Jen and tell her he can't go out because he needs to "wash his hair"
* In ''KenanAndKel'', after being rejected in the phone with this answer, Kenan suddenly remembers that the girl he was asking is bald.
* Series/{{Mash}}: Colonel Blake once put the moves on a nurse. He complimented her on her scent, to which she replied, "I just washed my hair." When the colonel goes a little further, she brushes him off with, "I have to wash my hair."

* In an episode of ''Series/MrBelvedere'', Kevin delivers take-out to a young woman, and wonders why she's alone on Saturday night; she tells him she was thinking about going out, but figured she'd stay in and wash her hair. Kevin is surprised girls "actually do that", thinking it was just an excuse to turn him down. Then it turns into a complete Inversion of the Trope, as the two wind up in bed, the woman needing it as she was getting over a break-up, leading to some in-family turmoil. ([[FairForItsDay Note that this was unusual]] [[The80s for a sitcom at the time]].)

* RelientK's song "Mood Rings" - "She likes you Wednesday, but now it's Friday and she has to wash her hair."

* {{Rifftrax}} "Skipper Learns A Lesson"

* Patricia does this to Eddie on ''Series/HouseOfAnubis''. It wasn't that she didn't like him, but it was a combination of being nervous about actually having a relationship after their (and her) FirstKiss, and being cursed with muteness. In fact, it was Joy who had to explain what she was doing to Eddie, because all Patricia could do was make washing motions with her hands.