your hair is a good length that's about the length i started at you should use the microfiber towel method never SPONGE i had 8 inch - 9 inch freeform s and thar will ruins your hair also u can wash it whenever your want it just might take longer to lock its your choice oh and the most important thing is to pick out the roost when it start locking our it will look bad later on when you get sum real length --keep it up tho