Getting Rid of Lice in Your Home

Without a doubt, there isn't a single parent in the United States that wouldn't be upset to have their children come home from school or camp, and be told that they have lice. While getting rid of lice in your home may be time consuming, it is entire possible. All you need to do is follow these directions, and your home will soon be lice free.

1. Visit a doctor. While it is not strictly necessary to visit a doctor if you find out that you have lice in your home, it is a very good idea. The reason is that a doctor can tell you exactly which medication, or medication kit, you should use. If you do not wish to go to a doctor, then you will want to purchase a kit that contains the ingredients of either permethrin or pyrethrin, which will kill the lice.
2. Take the medications home. If the doctor does not hand the correct medication kit to you in the office, never fear, you can purchase it at your local pharmacy or pharmacy department in the grocery store. Once again, you will want to make sure that you purchase something that has the proper ingredients (pyrethrin or permethrin) when you are making your choice. Take that medication home.
3. Read the directions. When you have the correct medication (and the nit comb that comes with most kits) at home, take the time to read the instructions. You will want to make sure that you know the correct procedure as laid out by the manufacturer to ensure that it is used properly and effectively. Additionally, this will tell you any additional information that you should be aware of so that you can avoid accidents.
4. Apply medication. Read through the directions at least twice before you begin applying the medication. Gather all the ingredients, tools, and items that you will need to apply the medication, and then begin applying it. Do not hurry or rush the job, since if you do you can easily make a mistake and end up with lice still in the hair after you are done.
5. Check the hair. Over the next few days, check and recheck your hair. The easiest way to do this is to have a friend or family member do the checking for you so that you can make sure that you haven't missed any lice or eggs.
6. Wash bedding and clothes. Additionally lice can transfer from hair to bedding, clothes, stuffed animals, hats, and so on. This means that you will need to wash anything that the person who has lice has been in contact with. Make sure that you use the highest possible temperature settings when you do this. Keep in mind that there are some specialized soaps and detergents you can use, but they can sometimes be a bit cost prohibitive.

Hopefully you will be lice free after a few days, but until you have been lice free for at least a week you will need to repeat the process as necessary until you are. That being said, one of the easiest solutions to ensure that your family is lice free is to shave the hair off of everyone. While this is an extremely dramatic method, it will ensure that you are lice free. If you are unwilling to go that route, then use the process listed above.