How do you wash a new tattoo?
With clean hands, warm water and unscented soap, two or three times a day for the first fortnight. Wash gently with your fingers, rinse, pat dry with a clean towel or kitchen roll, then a thin layer of moisturiser.
The order, every time
It takes about a minute and the order matters more than the products.
Wash your own hands first, with soap. Every single time · this is the step people skip.
Warm water, not hot. Hot water opens the skin and stings on a fresh tattoo.
Unscented liquid soap, worked gently with your fingertips. No cloth, no sponge, no bar of soap that lives in a shared shower.
Rinse until it no longer feels slippery.
Pat dry with a clean towel or kitchen roll. Never rub, and never the towel that has been on the rail all week.
Leave it a minute to air, then a thin layer of moisturiser.
How often
Two or three times a day for the first two weeks, and any time it gets dirty or sweaty. More than that dries it out; less and plasma dries into scabs that take longer to go.
Showers yes, baths no
Shower from the first day and keep it brief. What you cannot do is soak it, so no baths, no swimming and no hot tubs until it has fully closed.
Try to keep the shower off the tattoo directly for the first few days. Let the water run down over it rather than hitting it.
If it is under an adhesive film
Then none of this starts until the film comes off. Wash around it, not through it, and follow what your artist told you about how long it stays on.
Related frequently asked questions
How do I look after a new tattoo?
Keep it clean, moisturise it lightly, and leave it alone. Wash it gently with unscented soap, apply a thin layer of unscented lotion two or three times a day, and never pick at it. Most tattoos heal on the surface in two to four weeks.
Read the full answer › Why is my tattoo peeling?
Because the top layer of skin is replacing itself, which is exactly what should happen. It usually starts around day three to five. The ink sits in the layer underneath, so what comes away is dead skin rather than your tattoo.
Read the full answer › How long do you leave second skin on a tattoo?
Follow what your artist told you on the day, because the two kinds of covering are completely different. A simple wrap comes off after two to five hours. An adhesive film such as second skin stays on for several days.
Read the full answer › Is Bepanthen good for tattoos?
It works, and plenty of artists recommend it. What matters far more than the brand is how much you use · a thin layer that lets the skin breathe, two or three times a day, and never a thick one.
Still want to ask somebody? That is what the first conversation is for.
- Written and checked by
THRONE , a tattoo studio in Northampton.
Last checked 28 August 2026 .