How to Treat Your House for Lice: What Parents Actually Need to Do

Do I Really Need to Clean the Whole House?

The Good news is that you probably do not need to clean the whole house. However, it is a best practice to focus on items that have had head contact. Lice live in human hair, and they cannot survive longer than three days without a human host. They need warmth and a food source, which means they don’t survive on bedding, furniture, carpets, or clothing for more than 72 hours. It is essential to maintain a clean environment; however, when it comes to treating head lice, the primary focus should be on treating the hair.

What You Should Do When Cleaning Your House for Lice

1. Wash Bedding, Clothing, Towels, and Jackets Used in the Last 72 Hours

Wash and dry:

• Towels

• Jackets

• Soiled Clothing

• Pillowcases

• Sheets

• Blankets

• Comforters

• Stuffed animals used for sleeping

Dry on high heat for best results. If the item is already clean, you can skip the wash and put it in the dryer on high heat for 20-40 minutes.

2. Clean Hair Accessories

Clean or replace items such as:

• Brushes and combs

• Hair ties and scrunchies

• Headbands

• Barrettes

Soak in hot water for 10 minutes, or seal in a bag and leave in the freezer overnight, or throw them away and replace them. You have several options, and it is best to do what makes you feel comfortable.

3. Vacuum High-Contact Areas

A quick vacuum works for:

• Sofas

• Rugs

• Car seats

• Cushions

• Stuffed Animals

• Mattresses

• Sports Helmets

Lice do not burrow or live inside furniture; if they are on any item, they would be on the surface. A quick vacuum or even a lint roller could lift them off the surface of an item.

4. Bag Items That Can’t Be Washed

Items can be bagged or even put in a basket and placed in the garage for a minimum of 72 hours.
This is enough time for any lice to die naturally, and helps to eliminate unnecessary time and energy spent on cleaning unneeded items:

• Plush Animals

• Throw Pillows

• Clean Throw Blankets

This will save you time and keep the washer and dryer available for the items that need immediate care. If there are favorite items that your child must have for comfort, then vacuum or wash, or dry those particular items. Warning: The dryer can ruin or deform certain items, and we wouldn’t want that to happen, so choose the cleaning option that works best for the whole family.

5. Don’t Forget the Car

Vacuum or Lint Roll Only the headrest area and the seat.

• Carseats

• Boosterseats

• If the material is leather, you can simply wipe the area down with a wet cloth.

What You Can Skip (Most Parents Over-Clean These)

• Entire house disinfecting

• Washing every item your child touched

• Washing already clean clothes in baskets, drawers, and closets.

• Bagging items for weeks

• Spraying mattresses, couches, or carpets

• Shampooing carpets or upholstery

These steps don’t help because lice cannot live long off the head.

Why Lice Cleaning Myths Spread So Easily

The internet tells parents to wash everything, bag toys for weeks, or deep-clean the house, but more recent research shows that lice do not infest homes, and they cannot live longer than 72 hours off the human head. They live on people, not objects, and no, they do not live on your pets. Your time is better spent checking for lice and removing nits correctly.

If Lice Keep Coming Back, It’s Not the House

Reinfestations happen because:

• Missed Nits

• Not all family members were checked and treated if needed.

• Friend groups that are not being treated at the same time, therefore, lice are being passed from one best friend to another.

• A new exposure occurred at school, sports, or sleepovers

The house is rarely the problem unless the original cleaning requirements were not done.

We Make Lice Removal Simple

At Nit Picky®, we help families get lice-free quickly with private, in-home professional lice treatment and removal or our DIY Lice Kits. No stress, no failed treatments, just effective support from experienced experts.

Need help now? Book a Nit Picky® in-home lice removal appointment today. Call or Text (877) 888-2820

Visit our Lice Education page for expert information.

Nit Picky® Trusted by families for over 20 years.