If you are feeling that your head is itchy or your child is, it is important to check for lice. Itching is a major starting sign of lice.Your first priority should be to focus on the people and heads affected first. Go to a lice clinic to safely and efficiently treat the lice. After a lice infestation, it is good to thoroughly clean your home. Once you’ve ensured you or your family is free of head lice, you’ll want to address any items in the house that may still harbor lice and eggs.
What To Do When Lice Are In Your Home
Lice only spread from head to head contact, so you do not need to wash and vacuum everything in sight. The only concern you may have after a lice infestation are items that have touched the head directly. When checking for lice in your home there is a limited amount of objects that could still be carrying lice with them.
Possible Objects:
- A hairbrush that was used in the past 3 days
- A towel that was last used to dry your hair after a bath or shower
- Pillowcase (not the pillow itself; lice do not burrow)
- Stuffed animal or blanket used near the head
- Cloth seat back, like a car seat
To get rid of the possibility of another infestation you should use hot water when washing clothes, sheets, or stuffed animals. Hair brushes can be soaked in hot water to ensure any leftover lice or eggs are dead. Your seat back or car seat can be vacuumed and lint rolled. Any other objects you have concerns about, you can put them in a trash bag and do not use any items for three days.
The Don’ts of Cleaning
When checking for lice or looking for signs of lice, it is important to remember that you do not need to clean the whole house. Head lice lay their eggs only in the human head. They do not lay their eggs on our stuff, therefore there is no need to feel panicked that your home is going to become infested. When you or a member of your household receives a lice diagnosis, it is important to leave it to professionals and not get rid of everything. Fleas and bedbugs are the only parasites that require you to clean the whole house.
Get More Information and Get Help at Lice Clinics of America
If you start to see signs of lice on yourself or a family member, it is important to go to a lice clinic immediately. At Lice Clinics of America, we will safely and effectively rid the lice from the head. We can also help with any advice in regards to cleaning the home and the aftermath of an infestation. Come to our clinic in the Anderson area of South Carolina. We also have a clinic in Greenville, SC. Book an appointment today at our Anderson, South Carolina location.
FAQs
Vacuum the floor and carpets in the bedrooms and throughout the entire house. Mop all floors with warm water and your favorite natural floor cleaner. Place any clothing such as coats, scarves, mittens, and sweaters in a dryer on high heat. All Purpose Lice Spray, which will destroy any stray lice and nits on contact.
How is the home treated after an infestation of head lice? ›
Wash any lice-infested item in hot water that is at least 130°F (54°C), put it in a hot dryer for 15 minutes or more, or placing the item in an air-tight plastic bag and leaving it for two weeks to kill the lice and any nits. You can also vacuum floors and furniture where lice may have fallen.
What to do with couch after lice? ›
Mattresses, chairs, car seats, carpets, and sofas can be vacuumed. Other items that cannot be vacuumed or put in the dryer can be bagged in an airtight bag and left for 24-48 hours until lice die off.
Do I have to wash everything after lice? ›
First of all, it is not necessary to wash everything in your entire house. Lice cannot survive very long off the head of their human host. Therefore, lice are not trying to migrate around and overrun your house.
How do you disinfect sheets from lice? ›
Blankets, pillows, sheets, and other washable items should be soaked, washed and dried in high heat temperatures reaching at least 130 degrees. Dry cleaning is also an effective approach that will kill head lice and eggs. It is important to act fast, whichever method you choose.
Can lice live on furniture? ›
Lice are parasitic insects that feed on human blood and must live close to the body to maintain their temperature. Without a host, lice will die within a few days. Lice cannot live long on household items such as carpets and furniture, and people are unlikely to get them from these surfaces.
What to do with bed after lice? ›
Tumble dry or vacuum fabrics that have been in close contact with an infested person's head such as pillows, sheets, mattress, stuffed toys, etc. There are some over the counter head lice repellents available that may also help prevent the spread of head lice.
Why can't you use conditioner after lice treatment? ›
Don't wash the hair with shampoo until 2 days after Nix treatment. Avoid hair conditioners before treatment. Do not use them for 2 weeks after treatment. Reason: Coats the hair and interferes with Nix.
How long do you have to stay home after lice treatment? ›
In the past, kids with head lice were kept home from school. But now doctors don't recommend these "no-nit" policies. In most cases, a child who has lice should stay at school until the end of the day, go home and get treatment, and return to school the next day.
Can I sleep in my bed if I have lice? ›
Lice are most often spread by head-to-head contact with another person who has lice, such as sleeping in the same bed. Although they do not survive long away from a human host, lice may also be spread by wearing another person's hat or clothing, or by using another person's comb, brush, or bedding.
Lice can only live for a short time without a host (24-48 hours). The CDC doesn't recommend insecticide sprays and foggers to clear out lice in your home. Temperatures of 128.5°F (54°C) or hotter for 5 minutes will kill lice.
Can lice eggs hatch on couch? ›
And then if it isn't too weak from lack of food, it can climb the hair to the scalp and make a new home. Female lice lay lice eggs on hair shafts, not on furniture. That's because without the egg being close to a food source (e.g. your blood), the hatched louse would have no chance at survival. Learn more lice facts.
Where do lice hide in your house? ›
Couch Cushions With a perfect amount of lighting and the warm and cozy ambience of the couch cushions, the tiny crawlers love to hide in their fabrics. Couch cushions have a very high level of head contact and this allows head lice to transfer from one head to another.
Do lice live on pillows? ›
Head lice do not live on pillows or sheets, as they need to feed on the scalp of a host in order to survive. According to the CDC, lice can only survive for 48 hours after falling from a host scalp.
Is vacuuming enough for lice? ›
Vacuuming: While a vacuum is a good tool for cleaning up the ground after manual lice removal with a comb, it is not a wise idea to attempt to vacuum lice out of someone's hair. This is an uncomfortable and ineffective solution as lice have special claws to hold onto hair.
Can lice survive the washer? ›
Laundry water should be at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the lice. CAUTION: Do not bathe or shampoo in water this hot! This temperature is for laundry only!
How long can lice live on laundry? ›
They feed on human blood and lay their eggs and deposit waste matter on the skin and clothing. Lice die within 3 days at room temperature if they fall off a person into most areas of the environment. However, they can live in the seams of clothing for up to 1 month.
Should you treat everyone in the house for lice? ›
Soak hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes in hot water or throw them away. Tell kids not to share these items. Because lice easily pass from person to person in the same house, check all family members. Treat everyone who has lice so they won't pass it back and forth.
