Head lice infestations have been a nuisance to human beings for aeons. While they are a real pain to deal with in many cases, you can get your home and family back to a lice-free life without taking extreme measures.

In this blog post, we’ll inform you exactly what head lice are, how they survive and how they multiply. Then we’ll provide 5 best practices you can implement to clear your home of head-lice for the long-run.

Head lice are small parasitic insects the size of a sesame seed. They feed on tiny bits of human blood and lay their eggs on the hair of human heads. They may cause itching and irritation on the scalp, but they can also go unnoticed. They are most prevalent in children aged 3-12.

Head lice cannot jump or fly and are usually transmitted to another person by crawling from head to head. Head lice can spread through personal belongings, however. For this reason, it’s important to follow the following 5 best practices to clear your home of head lice.

But before we get started, let’s cover a few more important facts:

Lice lay their eggs on human hair, about 1 cm away from the scalp

The eggs need heat to incubate, and cannot hatch at room temperature

Adult lice can’t live for more than 48 hours without a source of food (human blood).

1. IDENTIFY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE AT RISK

Remember, head lice are most commonly transmitted through personal contact. It’s vital to carefully inspect and treat each family member that might have been in contact with the person with the head lice. For example, children who share a bed, brush, comb or towel should be examined carefully.

2. WASH INFESTED PERSONAL ITEMS

Head lice can’t live away from the human scalp for more than 48 hours. Once a head lice infestation has been discovered and treated on a family member, it’s important to wash all items that have been in contact with that family member within the last 48 hours. Wash the items in hot water and use the heated dry cycle on the dryer. Make sure to also wash personal items such as combs, brushes and hair bands every day in hot water.

3. SEAL NON-WASHABLE ITEMS

Items that cannot be washed should be bagged and sealed for 2 weeks. Any nits that hatch within the 2 week period won’t survive without a source of feeding.

4. VACUUM HIGH-RISK, HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS

Make sure to vacuum furniture, car seats and all areas that are highly trafficked. Focus on areas where family members rest their heads. Wipe leather furniture and car seats with your usual leather cleaner.

5. DON’T USE FUMIGANT SPRAYS

Fumigant sprays do more harm than good, as they are toxic and are easy to get on the skin and into the lungs. You can clear your home of head lice with natural products in the same amount of time.

It’s possible to clear your home of head lice without taking extreme measures. These 5 best practices will get you on the road to success today!