Normally you will see an outbreak of lice somewhere in the school year. It’s never welcome, and it always wreaks havoc on all the family members throughout the whole house. That’s why I was so glad years ago to find this Head Lice Home Remedy.
Head Lice Home Remedies
My kids had it one time, and I shaved my poor little boys’ heads bald! I wasn’t even going to think about anything else.
I was a hairdresser for many years, and I don’t DO lice!
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Prevention
I decided I never wanted to go down that road again for my child’s hair, and I began to study and find out what works in the prevention as well as how to get rid of a head lice infestation.
I found that lice don’t like the scent of coconut! That was easy enough – I always used Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner for the kids from that time on – we never had them again!
Suave is very frugal and has a coconut shampoo and conditioner, which made it very easy! You can also get coconut oil and use a drop or two in their shampoo. Making this one of my favorite home remedies for lice prevention.
Remedies
Mayonnaise
One remedy to get rid of them is mayonnaise! My daughter was in her teens and mortified that her brothers had brought a horrible thing into her life, such as hair lice. She slept in mayo and a shower cap, and that got rid of them. It suffocated them!
That’s another issue you have to deal with – telling friends and family that they may have lice and they got it from your family. Most people think it’s the lice comes from dirty people. Truth be told, lice like clean hair better.
Heat
I also had a friend that told me heat kills them, and her daughter (my daughter’s best friend) had dead ones in her hair because of the heat from her flat iron she used every day to style her hair. Good to know! A blow dryer could also work.
Petroleum Jelly
Many popular, effective home remedies for lice include petroleum jelly, which is an excellent way to get rid of baby lice or adult lice from your child’s head.
All you need to do is break the hair up into small sections, coat all your kid’s dry hair strands and the child’s scalp with the jelly, place a plastic bag or shower cap over their hair and let the natural remedies sit overnight.
When rinsing, add baby oil to their wet hair to help get the jelly out in the morning. Make sure to comb their hair with a lice comb such as a nit comb to get out all the dead lice as well as the live lice.
Essential Oils
Using essential oils is another effective treatment agent for lice. The top oils to use are:
For the recipe, all you need is 2oz of olive oil with 12 to 20 drops of the essential oil, then apply the mixture to your scalp.
Be sure that before you use this remedy to test if you have any allergic reactions, test the mix on the back of your hand.
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Alcohol
I was also told by a pediatrician that you can use rubbing alcohol. Saturate the hair very well and start wet combing using a fine-tooth comb to remove them. If needed, do a second treatment.
So, stock up on the coconut shampoo, and you should be fine! I would much rather prevent them than have to deal with getting rid of them!
To stop the spread of lice fast in your home, be sure to wash all your pillow cases, bed linens, hair accessories, and hair brushes in soapy hot water.
FAQ Head Lice Remedies:
- Q. Is apple cider vinegar good for lice?: No. They found vinegar was actually the least effective treatment method for getting rid of lice or suppressing the hatching of nits
- Q. What smells repel lice?: As we mentioned above coconut does but so do tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemongrass, and peppermint.
- Q. Does lemon juice work for lice?: No. Using lemon juice to kill lice or nits is totally ineffective.
- Q. How do you get rid of lice fast?: While using one of the methods above wash any items used or worn by the person in hot water, and dry them on high heat. Then vacuum rugs, sofas, upholstery, other furniture, and floors to remove hairs that may have active lice eggs attached, and lastly soak brushes, combs, and other hair accessories in hot, soapy water for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Q. What shampoo do lice hate?: Besides using coconut shampoo as we talked about above lice can be prevented due to the same antiseptic properties through the use of lavender shampoo or by adding lavender oil to other shampoos.
- Q. How long do you leave coconut oil in your hair?: Allow the coconut oil to sit on your hair overnight
- Q. Do braids prevent lice?: Any braid type that keeps your hair pulled back and contained is perfect for helping to prevent your contact with head lice.
- Q. Does your hair smell when you have lice? Yes, even after removal from the hair, the lice leave a scent behind that attracts other lice.
- Q. How do you keep lice eggs from hatching?: Physically remove each one, one at a time. In order to remove nits, use a metal nit comb or, if you do not have access to one, your fingertips.
- Q. Is it better to comb lice out of wet or dry hair?: The most reliable way to check is to wet comb because soaking wet lice stay still.
Do you have any head lice prevention home remedies? Don’t keep them to yourself! Share them with everyone in the comments below!
Amy says
Rinse dry hair with Apple cider vinegar, leave it to dry. Then slather hair/head in coconut oil and leave for a few hours. The apple cider vinegar dissolves the ‘glue’ that holds the eggs in and the coconut oil actually beards down the shell of the eggs and the exoskeletons on the lice. And it makes hair nice and soft!!
Dian says
Amy,
Great! Thanks for sharing!
Dian
DAINA says
We tried the mayo but the smell was horrible… so we use baby oil… and then dawn to rinse it out with … works pretty well
Dian says
Daina,
Thanks for sharing! that’s a great tip – baby oil definitely smells better! 🙂
Thanks,
Dian
Jyotsna Bansal says
Another great tried & tested remedy for lice……
Add some pieces of camphor to lukewarm coconut oil.
Apply on hair, leave it overnight, shampoo next day.
try 3-4 days in a row
surely works.
Dian says
Jyotsna,
Thanks for sharing! That’s one I had never heard of!
Dian
kate says
To prevent lice in the first place, use tea tree (melaleuca) oil. You can add a small amount to your shampoo and/or conditioner, or you can buy Melaleuca’s shampoo online. I love the company and buy many of their products every month.
jeanette taylor says
yep this is what i do the lice hate the smell problem solved
Anita says
I think you got lucky with the coconut I tried every preventative scent I heard of and my kids still got lice. I was already using tea tree oil when one got it the first time. Tried coconut next and then peppermint after that and lots of others, NONE of them worked! However, for nit removal when I can wash the hair after treatment I use a lot of conditioner and leave it in overnight. Then next day I comb it out. The hair is super soft and easy to comb through.
Dian says
Anita,
Well, I am sorry it didn’t work for you.
Dian
Brandy says
We use the suave 2 in 1 coconut as well but always the olive oil conditioner from designline found at Regis salons. Also helps with tangles. Never have gotten head lice in our house since started using it.
Dian says
Brandy,
Thanks for sharing that is great to know!
Dian
marir says
Thank you so much for the information. It’s weird like this post was for me lol. I just went through this for the first time, and i freaked out!!!!! I literally cried lol. Also olive oil suffercats them. My daughter is mixed so ill be using olive oil in her hair every day!!!! They can’t lay eggs with olive oil in your hair cause they won’t stick to it.
Dian says
Marir,
You’re very welcome and I do know how you feel, it can be devastating and it does disrupt your life!
Dian
lori benz says
hair gel and vinegar
lori benz says
hair gel,vinegar, and wrap head with cling wrap
Jenny says
Im not sure how but tea tree oil/shampoo and conditioner works well. It can burn the eyes if you get it in them so be careful. There is more information if you do a search for tea tree and lice to help understand better. Good luck and Good Blessings that you don’t have to deal with them.
Jennifer peters says
My daughter has lice once again . I used an over the counter medicine.
I’ve heard that apple cider vinegar and coconut oil helps. Is this true?
What really works ?
jeanette taylor says
you can also use tea tree oil just a few drops in your shampoo or conditioner and no more lice. putting it in the conditioner is best because it stays on the hair longer than shampoo. the lice dont like the smell.
Dian says
Jeanette,
Thanks! Great tip!
Dian
shirly clump says
Listerine soaks work every time for lice. It NEVER fails. Make sure you saturate hair completely with the Original flavor Listerine (otherwise it will be a sticky mess) and leave it on for and hour. Wash hair after. Scent will stay in hair for a week and repel lice to prevent reinfestation. Soak brushes and combs for at least 1 hour. Repeat listerine soaking hair every 4 days for 2 weeks.
Dian says
Shirly,
Thanks for the tip!
Dian
Katy says
My kids came home with it once. I mixed Extra Virgin Olive Oil and white vinegar, you can use Apple Cider Vinegar too. Then I put them in shower caps over night. I washed the hair twice and ran a flea comb through their hair. I found the metal flea combs worked better than a plastic one.
Dian says
Katy,
Thanks for sharing!
Dian
Beverly says
dawn dish liquid. Works good .
Dian says
Beverly,
What a great tip!
Thanks,
Dian
Jain says
Baby oil and wash it out with dawn. Works like wonders.
Dian says
Jain,
Thanks for the tip!
Dian
crystal says
my daughter has them for the first time I washed her head twice in the shampoo definitely didn’t work im going try this thank you so much for sharing
Dian says
Crystal,
You’re very welcome!
Dian
Karin says
We have had the “bugs” on and off for a school year. I swear he and another little girl at school took turns. Summer has been a blessing. The last breakout I put Avon Skin So.Soft after I washed it and let in stay in and dry. I don’t think the lice like the smell! School is starting in a few weeks and I hope we have found out defence tool!!
Dian says
Karin,
That would be great! Make sure to come back and share if it works – it will be great to know!
Thanks,
Dian
Janelle says
I have used tea tree oil when my kids have had head lice and it works well I use about 10 drop in a spray bottle fill the rest with water and spray it in their hair everyday especially where there is school it dont smell good but if it prevents them from getting head lice again its well worth it
Dian says
Janelle,
Great to know! Thanks for the tip!
Dian
jeanette taylor says
i have also found that tea tree oil works. just a few drops in the shampoo and conditioner and no more lice. they dont like the smell. if you find putting it in both is to drying to your scalp only add it to your conditioner.
patricia says
Where do you get coconut oil at
Dian says
Patricia,
Any grocery store or drug store has it.
I hope that helps,
Dian
Susan says
My 4 year old just started public school. All of these will be very helpful if anything happens.
Dian says
Susan,
I am glad we can help!
Thanks for sharing,
Dian
Erin says
Careful with Tea Tree Oil. Some people can be allergic to it. I used TTO all the time until I met my husband. He breaks out into hives if he comes into contact with it or it is in the air.
My daughter came home with it and it devastated our family. She and I cried the whole time we treated our hair. I did mine to show my support of her and to just err on the side of caution since the night before we had laid down head to head while watching TV. We packed her toys up in the vacuum bags to suffocate the buggers if they were in the toys. I used the store bought treatment and then washed her hair with the Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner from the “ethnic section” (CVS’s words, not mine) since they did not have any coconut shampoo products. I also slathered our hair with coconut oil after the initial treatment. So far, no more outbreaks. She either got it from school or on the bus.
Dian says
Erin,
Great tips, thanks for sharing!
Dian