Complex measures
To completely get rid of parasites and prevent re-infection, it is necessary to carry out a whole range of measures that will help destroy body lice. If they managed to multiply, then surely some individuals were not only on clothes, but also on the bed, bedding, and personal belongings. Also, nits and parasites can be found on floors, curtains, carpets, so you cannot do without processing the entire apartment.
Disinfection of personal hygiene items
Parasites can settle, not only on clothes, but also on personal hygiene items such as washcloths, combs, elastic bands, hairpins, and towels. To destroy all parasites and nits, they also need to be processed. To do this, objects can be boiled in vinegar solution, or you can wipe the surface of things with it.
Boiling
This method will also help destroy pests, but you need to boil all the clothes as they are most likely infected. You also need to boil bed linen and towels. Note, however, that some clothing may deteriorate when exposed to high temperatures. It is better to dry clothes in the sun, and then they must be thoroughly ironed.
On a note!
Instead of boiling, you can wash things in the washing machine at 90 degrees.
Cleaning the apartment and processing the place to sleep
After the things have been processed, it is necessary to clean the entire apartment. The sleeping place can be treated with a special powder, and then vacuumed. If you have a steam cleaner, this will be a huge plus, it can also be rented. Upholstered furniture, beds, carpets, curtains are treated with it. After all the activities, you need to ventilate the apartment well. If possible, it is better to live with relatives for 7-10 days, even if some parasites survived, then during this time they will die of hunger.
How to quickly destroy parasites?
If you need to quickly get rid of bed lice, then it is better to seek professional help. All things should be dry-cleaned, indicating the reason, and the destruction of pests in the apartment should be provided to a cleaning company that has the appropriate equipment.
How to handle clothes and bedding?
Along with killing lice on the body, you need to treat clothes, furniture and carpets. How to remove parasites forever? It is enough to follow the following tips:
- Underwear and bedding must be boiled with chlorine. If boiling can ruin the item, then it is necessary to wash it at the maximum temperature. Then dry the linen for 3-4 days in the sun and iron thoroughly;
- All surfaces in the living area can be treated with vinegar. This method effectively eliminates adults, but does not work on nits;
- Items made of delicate fabrics, which cannot be washed at high temperatures, can be subjected to chemical treatment. You must use powder "Pyrethrum" or "Methylacetophost". Things are poured with an insecticidal agent, folded into a bag and tightly closed. After 2-3 hours, they can be taken out and hung out for airing for several days;
- The linen can be frozen for 4-5 days, then washed and ironed;
- A decoction of medicinal herbs (wild rosemary, chamomile and wormwood). This remedy can be used to treat the body and the entire home. For 1 liter of water, 25 g of a mixture of medicinal raw materials is enough. The composition is brought to a boil, then let it brew for 30 minutes. You can also spread dry herbs throughout the room;
- Infected items can be soaked in 20% kerosene and soap emulsion. After 2 hours, the clothes are washed as usual, then dried and ironed.
To kill lice on furniture, you can use insecticides available from pharmacies. Also, indoor surfaces should be treated with 2% dust emulsion. It is enough to leave the insecticidal composition for 3-4 hours, after which it is necessary to carry out a thorough wet cleaning using a soap solution.
What do they look like?
The linen lice, the photos of which you see in our article, like their counterparts in appearance, have a rather nondescript appearance. The need to look as discreet as possible makes these bed and body parasites very dexterous in resolving issues of disguise. Getting rid of body lice at home can be difficult. First you need to figure out where they come from and what they look like. The description of their biological parameters looks laconic. These are insects with a translucent body, not more than 3 mm long, the wingless body is elongated in length, when saturated with blood, it acquires a brown-brown tint.
Larvae and nits are no more than half the body size of an adult. Insects prefer to stay in groups, it is the massiveness of their colonization that usually allows you to find the source of problems. At first glance, it may seem that small whitish grains are scattered on the surface of the fabric. But, taking a closer look and discovering the presence of paws, it is difficult to doubt the species of blood-sucking skin parasites.
Professional treatment of head lice
Most often, lice appear in children, since they are constantly in contact with each other and use other people's personal belongings.
At the same time, it is necessary to carry out the destruction of lice not only from the children themselves, but also in the rooms in which they play, change clothes, sleep.
Treatment should start with proven remedies.
If head lice is found in an adult or a child, then treatment in hospitals and medical centers is carried out as at home, but with a more thorough and professional treatment of the affected area. Treatment usually consists of 3 stages:
- Diagnostics. Before getting rid of nits from a patient, a specialist examines the zones of irritation and assesses the degree of the disease.
- Excretion. As soon as the diagnosis of the affected area is carried out, the specialist begins to treat, the lice gradually become smaller due to the use of a comb with frequent teeth and laser notching or a special hot hair dryer. Larvae are hatched in a similar way.
- Processing and re-diagnostics. On the affected area, the doctor applies special means for disinfecting and treating the skin, then after 1.5 - 2 weeks he examines the head again.
Specialists use various drugs to help cure head lice in a short time. These include the following tools:
- Solution or cream "Nittifor". The remedy affects the nervous system of the parasites, they die. After applying to the affected area, it is enough to comb out all the remaining organisms.
- Aerosol "Spregal" against scabies, but can be effective even with a low degree of lice infestation. You can not apply it to already combed skin areas, use it only with slight irritation. The remedy is not suitable for pregnant women, nursing mothers and patients with bronchial asthma. The aerosol can be used on clothes and bedding.
- Solution "Chemerichnaya water". It infects the digestive system of parasites. It consists of 50% alcoholic tincture of hellebore ordinary, so this drug cannot be used to treat infected skin areas and use it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Ointment or emulsion benzyl benzoate with the active substance of the same name. / Li>
Before you deal with lice and nits with pharmaceutical chemicals, you should consult your doctor.
How to process an apartment?
If you find parasites on at least one item of clothing, all things where insects live or can potentially live must be processed.If insects are found on the sofa or bed, you will have to process the entire wardrobe, bedding and adjacent furniture.
Perform the procedure in this order:
- Boil, wash and use chemicals on your clothes.
- Bed linen can be washed with a special powder or put in a bag and left there for 10 days until the adults die.
- Put children's toys in a bag too, and wash after 10 days.
- Spray sofas, armchairs with a lice spray. If necessary, you can clean the upholstery with powder or remove it and wash it.
- Hair combs, combs available at home, treat with a mixture of vinegar, baking soda and water.
After 7 days, repeat the entire procedure. Since the processing area is vast, nits could remain in secluded places, from which new offspring of insects hatched. Reprocessing will help destroy them before they lay new eggs. After that, the parasites will not be afraid of you.
What to do with clothes and bedding for head lice?
Do lice survive in bed? The answer to this question will be yes, so take a close look at clothes and bedding. Be sure to expose it to chemicals, high or low temperatures (boil or freeze). Wash your laundry after initial treatment.
And so that insects never appear in the house, keep hygiene, regularly wash things, bed, ventilate and clean furniture. Only a love of cleanliness can protect you as much as possible from parasites.
Body lice remedies
Getting rid of body lice is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The most effective way to do this is with the help of chemical anti-lice drugs. They act for several hours, are available in the form of shampoos, washing powders, aerosols, ointments, etc.
What safe products can the insecticide market offer?
In pharmacies and household chemical stores, there are various remedies for body insects. Most are based on permethrin, an insecticidal chemical. We will select the most effective ones based on reviews on the Internet and instructions for them:
- Acromed. Means for soaking things, which is diluted 1:50. For 1 kg of things, 5 liters of solution is enough. Soak clothes for 20 minutes, then wash. The product even kills lice eggs.
- Medifox. A kilogram set of laundry requires 5 liters of a 1:99 chemical solution. Soak clothes for 40 minutes, then wash. Destroys both adults and eggs.
- Avicin. Dilute the product in water 1:99. For 1 kg of laundry, 400 ml of solution is required. When processing, all signs of the presence of insects are destroyed.
- Celandine. A product similar to the previous one and is diluted in the same proportion. Soak clothes for 20 minutes, then wash.
- Foresight antiosh. A strong chemical that is diluted 1:99. Soak clothes in 5 liters of solution for 20 minutes. Repeat the treatment a week later.
Although these chemicals are recognized as safe, do not be lazy after processing to wash things and dry them in the fresh air. So you protect yourself from poisoning and allergies.
What are the quick fixes for linen lice?
If you find insects at home, it is clear that you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. But, even with the most effective products, you will need to spend 1-2 hours cleaning.
To get rid of parasites as quickly as possible, use the A-PAR aerosol. It is made on the basis of esdepalletrin and kills lice within half an hour. To do this, just spray the product on your clothes, wait 30 minutes and wash your clothes. You can process not only clothes, but also furniture.
Another good remedy is Medifox-super. The concentration of the active substance in it is 4 times higher than in simple Medifox. To prepare an emulsion, mix Medifox with water in a ratio of 1:99 and soak things for 15 minutes, then wash.
If the procedures are carried out correctly, you can get rid of insects in 1 day.
Will Dichlorvos help get rid of linen lice, and is it safe?
The first remedy that most users remember when they find body lice is Dichlorvos. It is versatile against different types of insects, strong and effective.
But can it be used when it comes to processing bed linen and clothes? In general, Dichlorvos can deal with parasites. It penetrates the respiratory tract of parasites and through the shells, causing a neuroparalytic effect. True, the tool does not work on nits, and after a couple of weeks, the processing of things will have to be repeated.
If you decide to process things with Dichlorvos, check if you are allergic to the chemical and take precautions. The whole procedure will look like this:
- Wear rubber seals and goggles, and make sure there is no food nearby.
- Take large plastic bags and put your belongings in there.
- Spray the aerosol bags and tie them tightly.
- Leave things on for a few hours.
- Machine wash with powder, dry outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
Dichlorvos processing can be carried out outdoors or by laying out things in the room.
Remember one thing: do not wear clothes until the smell of the chemical has completely disappeared.
Will lice medicines help for bed lice?
Many people who have encountered linen lice try to fight them with head parasites. One of my acquaintances seriously thought that she could remove clothes insects with the help of shampoo.
Of course, she didn't succeed. There is a special category of aerosols and washing powders for processing laundry. They work much more strongly and are not intended for contact with the body. If body lice are bred, do not be too lazy to contact the pharmacy or sanitary and epidemiological station for special drugs.
Good to know
Before you figure out how to get rid of lice and nits, it will be helpful to know more about them. Additional knowledge about these organisms will never be superfluous, even if a person is going to seek professional help from specialists. How to quickly get rid of lice on your own will be discussed below.
Now it is important to pay attention to what these organisms are.
Pubic lice are not found on the head and vice versa
Lice on the human body can be of 3 types, differing mainly in their habitats:
- The head louse is an organism that appears directly in the hairline on the head. This type of parasite cannot exist in animal fur, so it can only be found in humans.
- The body louse is a species that lives on clothing, linen and other fabric products. The louse moves to human skin for nutrition. It is interesting that if 2 types of lice (head and wardrobe) meet, then they can interbreed and form a common offspring, which is already closer to the head species. However, such situations are rare and are only possible in special conditions, for example, in a laboratory.
- The pubic louse or ploshchita is a parasite that predominantly lives on the genitals of people in the pubic zones or in the anus. In addition, this type is found in the axillary region, but only in extreme cases, when a person does not take a shower for a long time, does not process this part of the body in any way, and moves little. Recently, due to improved sanitation and popularity among women, bikini haircuts have become a rarity and may soon be considered an endangered species.
In general, all these parasites belong to a number of chewing lice. Their body and body parts are adapted to pierce the human skin and feed on blood and its derivatives.
For them, the main food is blood and skin particles, it is the reaction to their bites that leads to severe itching.
Before looking for ways to quickly remove lice, it is important to know that these organisms not only irritate the skin, but can also carry a dangerous infection. One of the most serious diseases that lice can transmit to humans is typhus.
Removing lice at home
If, with head lice, a person uses not only folk remedies, but also consults a specialist, then he can easily get rid of lice and nits.
Before using various chemicals from a pharmacy on your own, you must carefully study the instructions for use, existing contraindications and possible side effects.
A frequent comb will help get rid of nits
Lice and their larvae can be removed in various ways. When choosing the simplest method of getting rid of parasites, you need to remember that the risk of missing nits increases, and they may reappear after a while. How to get rid of them at home? Disposal methods:
The easiest and most harmless way is to use a comb with very fine teeth. In this case, you will have to process the head several times, and not only at home, but also at everyone who lives in the house. When an adult louse is caught, it should be killed. To do this, you need to place it between 2 nails and squeeze it as hard as you can. You should hear a small click, the same as when removing fleas.
Another simple method is to use a special shampoo before removing lice from long or medium hair with a comb. There are many remedies in pharmacies that can help you get rid of lice. The active substances in these shampoos are: insecticides Permethrin or Karbaphos (Malathion), Clearol mineral oil, acetic acid. Tar shampoo or soap can be used, but these have little effect on the lice.
If head lice is developed to a strong degree, then the elimination of lice occurs by several means. The juice of lemon, garlic or onion eats away at the skin of adults and the shell of the larvae. Vegetable oils (sunflower, olive, corn or mustard) clog the airways of organisms and they die.
The most harsh folk remedies include table vinegar with a strength of up to 4.5% and kerosene
Attention! If used carelessly, you can get burns, allergies and other skin problems. They also damage the hair a lot.
If large lice have already formed, it is best to check with specialists how to get rid of them. You should consult a doctor even when the larvae do not hatch, and the parasites appear again after a while.
Habitat conditions
Not only unpleasant, but also quite dangerous phenomenon - linen lice. How to get rid of parasites at home depends on their prevalence. Their main habitat is dirty clothes. But in order to receive nutrients for their vital activity, they need to periodically move to the human body.
The problem isn't just that lice suck blood. To reduce clotting and make it easier to get food, insects spray a special enzyme under the victim's skin. Because of it, a person experiences allergic reactions and spots appear on the skin.
Linen lice are known to withstand a fairly wide temperature range. Adult parasites are able to exist at temperatures from 0 to 45 ° C. Larvae require slightly more comfortable conditions, from 5 to 40 ° C. But for active reproduction, a warm and dry environment is needed, where the temperature is within 30 ° C.
It is important to understand that when a person takes off his clothes, then its temperature drops noticeably and the activity of individuals slows down. High humidity has a beneficial effect on their body
Therefore, a sweating person is an ideal victim for them.
General instructions for removing lice
In most cases, it is impossible to eliminate parasites the first time, because even one missed nit will lead to the re-development of the disease.
Stage 1. Preparation
To remove lice from a child or adult, first you need to prepare the necessary tools and means:
- Frequent scallop. You can use a regular wooden one. Also, recently, in pharmacies, combs of the Anviv company are sold, which easily collect all the eggs, which makes the procedure much easier.
- A remedy for head lice.
- Shampoo.
- Conditioning balm.
- Cotton Towel - They need to wrap their head after processing.
- A white cloth, such as a sheet, to cover the shoulders and neck when combing out.
- A basin with a vinegar solution. It is needed to flush the comb from nits.
Stage 2. Choice of means
This stage is one of the most important, because the effectiveness of the procedure depends on the remedy.
Lice are afraid of insecticides, chemicals designed specifically to kill insects. The poison contained in such preparations helps not only to immobilize the parasites, but to immediately kill them. With the advent of such chemistry, it became much easier and faster to remove lice: in 30-40 minutes, the active substance infects insects and eggs, all that remains is to comb them out.
Stage 3. Combing and destruction of nits
If the hair is sparse, shorter than 3 cm, then one shampoo is enough to remove nits. However, it is better to play it safe and additionally comb the eggs with a comb.
You can most effectively remove nits by combing out:
- Comb the hair from roots to ends.
- Divide the head into separate sections, and those into small strands. Thus, the risk of missing the parasite is reduced.
- You need to start the procedure from the back of the head, as well as the area behind the ears.
- From short hair, gradually move to long, last to process the strands at the temples.
- To easily remove nits from long hair, soak the comb in a 1: 1 aqueous vinegar solution. This will make the eggs easier to break.
The procedure will take no more than an hour: 15-20 minutes for short hair, 30-45 minutes for long hair.
Stage 4. Disinfection of clothes and premises
Getting rid of hair lice does not mean the complete destruction of their population. Nits could remain on everything with which the head of a person infected with head lice came into contact. Therefore, in order to withdraw them finally, it is necessary:
- Throw away all combs, elastic bands, hairpins that were used during the period of infection.
- Wash bed linen, hats, and frequently used clothes at the highest possible temperatures.
- Steam pillows, mattresses with an iron or a steam generator.
- Wipe all surfaces, floors with a solution of vinegar in water (1: 1).
Linen (clothes) louse and its features
The linen louse is a small insect, about 4-5 millimeters in length. Females are larger than males. This insect has a transparent light color, sometimes light yellow, sometimes light gray. An eaten louse can be recognized by a translucent drop of blood in the area of its tail. She is not able to stay on human skin or slippery hair, so she chooses bedding and clothes as her habitat.
Upon contact with the human body, the parasite crawls onto human skin, where it sucks blood, and then returns to clothing. During the day, the insect spends only a few minutes directly on the human body, this is enough to ensure its nutritional needs for full-fledged life. The rest of the time, the parasite lives in the folds of a person's clothing, mainly in hard-to-reach places: seams, folds at the collar, belt, stockings, cuffs, etc.
From the bites of parasites on the human skin, irritation, itching, suppuration and many other unpleasant sensations occur. With prolonged combing of the affected areas, a person may develop furunculosis. Needless to say, how much the mood spoils when these "comrades" settle.Due to continuous itching and scratching, sleep is disturbed, appetite disappears. In addition, linen lice can carry dangerous infectious diseases such as typhoid and fever.
It is difficult to find a linen louse on clothes, because it is inconspicuous in appearance and hides deep in clothes.
Body lice. Ways to eliminate parasites with improvised means.
The linen louse has enormous breeding potential. The female insect lays dozens of eggs daily. The eggs are glued to the villi of the clothes due to their natural stickiness, and in a few days they pass their way to the larva and a full-fledged individual, getting the opportunity to also reproduce offspring. Thus, the number of insects in a favorable environment for them will grow by leaps and bounds. It is estimated that over a life cycle of 30-35 days, a female linen louse lays 300-400 larvae.
The linen louse is very hardy, in the absence of contact with a person, its vital activity slows down, thus, the insect does not suffer from hunger. The insect can survive for quite a long time in an open environment. The linen louse can live in water for up to two days, it swims well.
And, nevertheless, in the active phase, linen lice are quite pretentious, for reproduction they need heat from 30 degrees, humidity, for this reason, the main risk group for infection with these parasites is people who neglect the rules of hygiene and changing linen.
The linen louse prefers natural fabrics, cotton, linen things that smell better. But silk, smooth fabrics do not enjoy the favor of this insect, since it is difficult to gain a foothold on them. Carpets and fabric covers on pieces of furniture are also practically not used by him as a habitat; under these conditions, linen lice have no opportunity for constant contact with humans, and therefore for food.
Readers' Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Expert opinion
Alexandra Valerievna
Doctor-Trichologist
Is there and what is the name of an organization for the destruction of body lice?
The state organization for the treatment of premises from parasites is SES. There are also private companies that, if licensed, can also carry out such events.
How fast do linen lice breed?
The fertilized female lays eggs, which transform into larvae after a few days. The full cycle of transformation into a sexually mature individual takes about 2 weeks.
Do lice live in feather pillows?
Lice can live in pillows, including feather pillows.
How long does a body louse live without a person?
Without its owner, a body louse can live 4 days, if the air temperature reaches 30 degrees and above, then it will live only 1 day. But at temperatures below 9 degrees Celsius, the parasite hibernates and can live without food for up to 2 weeks.
Expert opinion
Alexandra Valerievna
Doctor Trichologist
How to get linen lice out of a sofa?
Lice larvae or adult insects often remain on the surface of furniture. Therefore, proper disinfection of upholstered furniture is a guarantee that re-infection will not occur.
There are several methods of pest control:
- take the sofa out into the street (if possible) for several days, then clean it with a vacuum cleaner.
- treat the surface of the furniture with a steam generator, a steamer.
- treat the sofa with Medifox, A-steam, permethrin, karbofos and others.
How long does it take for linen lice bites? And how are they treated?
If all the lice are destroyed, then the bite wounds, not complicated by the inflammatory process, heal on their own in 3 to 4 days. With severe infection, the healing process can take about a week. Hydrogen peroxide can be used for disinfection. Antiallergic medications can be used to relieve itching. The very site of the bite can be lubricated with the Rescuer balm or other ointments that reduce itching.
IMPORTANT! With numerous bites on the body, as well as with a pronounced inflammatory process, you should seek medical help and do not self-medicate. How long do lice live on things?
How long do lice live on things?
Under favorable conditions, the life cycle of lice is about 8 weeks, then they die.
What are nits?
Nits are lice eggs. Getting rid of nits is much more difficult than getting rid of adults because nits are more viable.
How can you get rid of linen lice?
If body lice bites are found on the body, extraneous "signs of life" of their colony are found on the clothes, measures will have to be taken immediately. Pediculosis tends to spread rapidly, and if other people are infected, the reputation of being a carrier of the parasites can also suffer. There are two simple solutions to this problem:
- Take action on your own. Requires full control over the condition of clothes, bedding. The activities will take a long time. You will need to thoroughly steam or dry clean your home textiles. Completely change underwear, thoroughly treat the body with disinfectant solutions and specialized shampoos.
- Total professional treatment. Gives a pronounced result, allows you to achieve complete cleaning of a house or apartment from insects at all stages of development. In addition, experts always give recommendations on the care of clothes, treatment of the body of personal hygiene items.
Reliable ways to fight
If linen lice have already attacked a house or apartment, settled in bed, on underwear, measures must be taken urgently. Banal airing will help to secure the contents of the cabinets - you need to hang the wardrobe items for airing for a period of 4 days or more. Wearable things, personal items (towels, bed linen) should be sent to the wash, adding a special anti-lice preparation to the usual set of chemicals. For reliability, items processed in this way can be boiled or sent to dry cleaning.
During processing, an anti-pediculosis agent is applied to the body, kept for at least half an hour. Bite marks should be treated with special creams and ointments to combat itching and irritation. Antihistamines, decongestants, or pain relievers are also used if a person experiences severe discomfort.
What does the SES service offer?
The Sanitary Service "Sanitary and Epidemiological Station" offers modern and effective measures of anti-lice control in the event of the appearance of clothes and linen lice. We have a full range of modern tools and methods to ensure the complete elimination of harmful insects. Specialists use fast acting chemical insecticides with a prolonged effect that lasts for several weeks. In this case, you can quickly and safely perform all the necessary manipulations, and most importantly, prevent re-infection when new adults hatch from the remaining eggs.
In their work, our employees use modern technologies - the method of cold and hot fog, which allows not only to spray chemicals, but to apply them on the surfaces of furniture, household items, in the form of fine water dust. In case of total contamination of the premises, it is recommended to use complex processing methods. They give high performance regardless of how many pests are in the facility.