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Although commonly found in Muslim cultures, the following three rules are NOT authentic rules for the ‘iddah.

 

Having stated the requirements of `iddah, it is important to point out that there are a number of misgivings or misunderstandings among ordinary people concerning the dos and don’ts during `iddah, most of them, however, have no basis in the authentic teachings of Islam: Among them are the following:
1. A widow in `iddah must never talk to any men. This is not correct; she is allowed to talk to men, regardless of whether they are her close relatives or not, so long as they observe the proper etiquettes and manners.

2. She must confine herself to the sanctum of her home. This is also absolutely incorrect, as we have already stated that widows observing `iddah during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were in the habit of going out to chat with their neighbors and he approved it.

3. She is not allowed to put any oil in her hair. This is also incorrect, as she is allowed to use ordinary oils. She is only required to avoid scented oils, sprays, perfumes, and fragrances.

From islamQA.info