What Kills Head Lice - Vinegar

It is extremely difficult to get rid of head lice. Vinegar can suffocate and kill head lice and nits.

Head lice are quite a difficult problem to deal with. It is very difficult to get rid of head lice. They can survive up to 30 days. They survive on human blood. Lice die in two days if they are not in contact with human body. Children are very likely to pickup lice at school. They can make life difficult. They are creatures which are 2mm in length. Once they infest the head, they lay eggs profusely, which hatch and multiply. Lice eggs are called nits. These eggs get glued to the hair. Lice cannot fly as they are wingless. There are a variety of methods to get rid of them. Quite a few shampoos are available in the market for the purpose. But as they contain toxic chemicals, application of these may cause allergic reaction. A number of home remedies are also available for the purpose

Vinegar Treatment

Apple cider vinegar which is made from organic apples is suited to get rid of the lice. It has a higher concentration of 5% acetic acid in water and ideally suited to for the application. Acetic acid will remove the glue and release the nits. Vinegar has to be heated. Head has to be shampooed first and warm vinegar has to be applied thoroughly to the head and scalp. Then head has to be covered with a cloth or cap to let the vinegar soak.

The acidic properties of vinegar will suffocate the head lice and kill them. Vinegar also has a pungent smell which also helps. Then head should be washed off thoroughly using shampoo. The dead lice can be removed with the help of a lice comb. The process has to be repeated, once in seven days, two or three times.

Spread of Head Lice

Lice generally spread from one person to another through physical contact. They also spread by using comb, hair band or hats of another person. Head lice can also spread from pets like cats and dogs.

Preventing Reinfestation

The reinfestation of the head lice may come from cloth or bed linen. After the shampoo bath all the bed linen and clothes have to be soaked and washed in hot water. Three or four tea spoons of vinegar can be added to this water. To prevent the reinfestation of head lice put in a few drops of lavender oil behind the ear and the neck. As lice hate the smell, it will keep them away.