My granddaughter was sent home from school with head lice. Her mother is in a panic, all worried that her brothers and sisters and even the family dog are going to end up with head lice. She wants an exterminator to treat their home ASAP but is having trouble finding one who will do that. Why is this so difficult?
Myth About Head Lice
The Real Truth
Nits/lice eggs, also cannot thrive off the head. The human body acts as an incubator to assist in the egg in metamorphoses into a louse. If an egg comes off the head on the piece of hair it is attached to, the bug will no longer have the necessary environment to hatch.
There are only a few reasons a louse may come off the head:
- The louse is dying or near the end of its life
- The person scratched vigorously, and the louse was knocked off the head
- The piece of hair the louse was on came off on a brush or towel
- You felt the louse crawling and picked it out of your hair
What Should I Clean In My Home After The Lice Lifters Treatment?
So, if lice and their eggs do not live in your home, parents ask us what they should clean after their families have been treated by Lice Lifters? It is an excellent question. Lice cannot withstand extreme heat or extreme cold. Lice Lifters recommends cleaning the following items in the “Great Cleanup” handout.
Laundry
These items need to be put into the dryer for 30 minutes on high heat. This list need only be done after the first Lice Lifters® Lice Solution treatment. Anything that cannot withstand the hot dryer cycle or be vacuumed needs to be bagged or put aside for 2 – 3 days.
- Special stuffed animals, blankets, or lovies that can go in the dryer
- Bed linens, comforters, blankets, pillow shams, towels. Lice do not burrow. They are only on the surface
- Any clothes in the laundry and on the floor
- Coats, hats, hoody sweatshirts, sweaters (anything that has been worn in the last 2-3 days)
Things To Vacuum
Only clean areas that have had direct head contact. It is known that a louse cannot survive very long without a human host. Lice have legs with claws on their ends, so they can cling to fabric but cannot get around well on leather, plastic, wood, or other flat surfaces. Lice do not burrow. Items such as pillows or mattress pads covered by a pillowcase or sheet do not need to be cleaned.
- Cloth sofas and chairs
- Cloth car seats and safety seats
- Any large throw pillows or bed rest pillows that can’t go in the dryer
- Carpets that kids have laid on or around the TV, bedroom, and playroom
Helmets And Hats
Any bicycle helmets or batting helmets used within 2-3 days from treatment need to be treated. Just put the helmet in the freezer. Baseball hats or winter hats can go in the dryer for 30 minutes on high heat. If the hat or helmet has not been used in the past few days, it is okay. We recommend children have their baseball and bike helmets with their names marked on the outside of the helmets.
What To Do With Brushes And Hair Accessories
You will need to clean the brushes on the first day of Lice Lifters Lice Solution Treatment. Our recommendation for treating brushes, combs, and hair accessories is to boil water in a stockpot, take the heat off, and then submerge the items until the water cools off. The water needs to be at least 130º. If your brushes cannot withstand the heat, you may place them in a freezer bag overnight.
