How to Treat Your Home For Lice

When a family member starts having a constant itchy scalp and “crawling sensation” on the head, it is typically a sign of lice. Whether it was a sharing of combs at the recent school picture day, a neighborhood sleepover party, or when you tried on a used hat at the local thrift store, the sooner you treat the lice issue, the better.

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While a lice infestation is never good news, lice are fairly simple to treat at home with nontoxic methods like steam cleaning and vacuuming. And best of all, you won't need strong pesticides or bug bombs to eliminate them for good.

Head lice are tiny insects that nest on the head and feed off blood from the human scalp. Lice infestations are most commonly found in groups of children, as the insects easily spread via direct transfer from one head to another. If your little one trades hats or shares a brush or a comb with an infected child, lice eggs (nits) or live lice can easily transfer to their head. 

Some common signs and symptoms of head lice include:

• Itchy scalp
• Swollen glands in the neck
• Constant head scratching
• Feeling a "crawling sensation" on the head
• Finding lice eggs (nits) on the scalp 
• Scalp bleeding

Where Do Lice Hide in Your Home?

Since lice feed on scalp blood, they tend to jump from head to head via close contact. In addition to using the human head as a hiding spot, adult lice, nits or juvenile lice (nymphs) may occur on furniture, bedding, pillows and clothing. Young children can pass lice onto carpeting and rugs when playing on the floor. Lice eggs may also transfer onto soft toys, books, combs, brushes and anything else that comes in direct contact with an affected head. 

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Step by Step: How to Get Rid of Lice at Home

The first step in eradicating a lice infestation in the home is to treat the lice themselves. Your physician may prescribe lice shampoo, and many pharmacies sell do-it-yourself lice treatment kits complete with combs, shampoo and lice spray. After you treat the head lice, follow these steps to get rid of the lice, nits and lice eggshells in your home:

Tools and Materials Needed

• Vacuum
• Washing machine and dryer
• Laundry detergent
• Sealable plastic bags
• Disinfectant
• Lice killing spray

Steps to Eliminate Lice at Home

1. Machine wash all clothing worn by the infested person for up to two days prior to treatment. Wash clothing on a hot water cycle in water that's at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius). 

2. Machine dry all clothing worn by the infested person for up to two days prior to treatment.

3. Make sure to dry all clothing on high heat. 

4. Machine wash and dry any bedding and pillows used by the infested person on the hot water cycle and high heat dry cycle. 

5. Store any clothing or bedding that can't be machine-washed in sealable plastic bags for at least two weeks.

6. Use a vacuum to clean all carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture in the home.

Spray combs and brushes used by the infested person with disinfectant, then soak the items in hot water that's at least 130 degrees for up to 10 minutes. 

7. Apply lice-killing spray to all furniture in the home, as well as bedding and pillows used by the infested person. 

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Prevent Reinfestation

• Avoid sharing hairbrushes, combs, or towels with anyone in the home receiving lice treatment. 
• Avoid head-to-head contact with recently infested people in your home. 
• Avoid sharing clothing, hats or hair accessories such as barrettes and ribbons with anyone being treated for a recent lice infestation.
• If your child picked up a lice infestation at school, be sure to notify the school right away so they can begin mitigation procedures.