Removing Head Lice

If you, or a member of your family, is found to have head lice, then you will need to know how to go about getting rid of them. Luckily, the methods used for removing head lice isn't all that difficult. True, they can be a little labor intensive or even time consuming, but they aren't difficult. In order to get started on removing head lice, simply follow these directions.

Clean your home.

1. Wash all clothing. Gather all the clothes in your house, and begin washing them in the hottest possible water. Don't exceed the anti-shrinking recommendations, but be prepared for your clothes to fade a bit. As you get finished with each item place it into some plastic bags to help avoid being re-infested.
2. Vacuum everything. Completely vacuum all other items in your home, this will include all mattresses, bedding, linens, and so on. Get your carpet as thoroughly as possible, and if necessary try to use a carpet cleaner set on the highest temperature setting.
3. Cover everything. Cover all upholstery, mattresses, seats, and so on with weatherproofing plastic. Be as thorough as possible, and over the next month wipe down everything each and every day.
4. Clean everything. Go over all the hard surfaces in your home with a cleaning mixture made from bleach and water (roughly 10 parts water to 1 part bleach). Over the next month wipe down everything with this cleaning mixture.
5. Begin treating everyone. At the same time that you are doing all of this, begin treating all the scalps in your home using the method listed below.

Use some oil.

1. Saturate the hair. The first step in removing head lice is to actually saturate the hair and scalp with an oil based product. Some examples of products that you can use are things like mayo, Vaseline gel, coconut oil, and so on. Simply work the product of your choosing into the hair like it is shampoo.
2. Cover the head. Place either a shower cap or a plastic bag onto your head, making sure that you cover the hair completely. Allow the cap to remain in place for a minimum of twelve hours (i.e., over night) before you proceed to the next step.
3. Heat the head. Heat your covered head for about thirty minutes. You can either use a blow dryer set on low, or sit outside in the sun.
4. Shampoo without water. It may sound a little nasty, but put some shampoo (roughly six ounces) into your hair, without actually getting your hair wet. Work the shampoo in thoroughly to ensure that you get the most out of it.
5. Cover the head again. After you work the shampoo into the hair, you need to place a covering back over the hair. Leave the covering in place for a minimum of 30 minutes, and then proceed to the next step.
6. Completely rinse. Get your head wet, and begin to rinse out the mixture that you have in it as much as possible. Don't worry too much if your hair still feels a tad bit oily, that is only natural and to be expected. The remaining oil should be removed later on during the combing process.
7. Use a wide tooth comb. Use a standard, wide tooth comb, and begin combing out the hair. This will help you to remove any and all tangles that you may have, and allow you to really get ready for the in depth combing.
8. Read the instructions. Take out the head lice removal comb that you purchased to help remove the head lice, and read the instructions. This will allow you to make sure that you know the best way to use the comb, and any other items you need to use.
9. Begin combing the hair. Starting at the bottom of the hair, near the nape of the neck, begin combing away from the scalp. When you do this, make sure that you have the teeth of the comb resting against the scalp, and that you are only working with a small portion of your hair at a time. As you finish each section of hair, separate it as much as possible from the rest of the hair.
10. Rinse the comb regularly. After each pass of the comb, place the comb into some boiling water, and rinse it out. Wipe off the comb with a tissue paper or paper towel after each rising.
11. Continue to comb. Comb the entire scalp, and all of your hair, using steps nine and ten until you have gotten everything.
12. Shampoo without water. When you have finished combing the hair once again apply some shampoo to your scalp and hair without any water. Allow it to remain in for a minimum of thirty minutes, and then rinse out as normal. This should remove the remaining oil from your hair.
13. Cover the head again. Protect your scalp and hair by once again putting on a shower cap as you go to bed that night. This will help ensure that you do not get an infestation in an area that you have already cleaned.
14. Inspect and repeat as necessary. Over the course of the next three weeks, repeat the entire process at least once a week. This will ensure that you have completely removed any and all head lice that you may have.