Back to School can some times mean “Back to Head Lice”. The schools always have a peak in head lice at the beginning of every school year. Each treatment can run between $12 to $17 and that’s just for one shampoo (not to mention the fact that the shampoo’s are horrible, make your kids smell like chemicals, and don’t always work). You have to treat your child twice… once when you discover it and again 9 days later. Plus don’t forget the spray for your furniture! The costs can really add up! So, what is a FruGal {or FruGuy} to do?
Try this natural home remedy that works and is frugal…
Here’s how to get rid of those nasty bugs & itchy head:
Supplies:
- Vinegar
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Coconut Oil (see how to get it cheap through VitaCost)
- Tea Tree Oil (optional)
- lice comb
- spray bottle
- plastic bag or shower cap
Directions For Treating Your Child’s Head:
- Douse your childs’ dry hair with vinegar (use apple or regular). If your child has open wounds, avoid getting vinegar on their scalp (it will sting… but the purpose of the vinegar is to kill the eggs).
- Once the vinegar has dried, douse your child’s hair with coconut oil. (You will have to rub some in your hands to loosen the oil before applying, unless you are using a liquid form). Cover every part of the hair and scalp. Cover with a shower cap or plastic bag (tie it off on the front). Leave on hair for 2 hours or as long as they will let you.
- Use a “lice remover comb” to comb through the hair. If you don’t have a comb and don’t have time to order one, then use tweezers. Start at the top of the scalp & work your way down. Keep a towel handy, you’ll need it to wipe off the comb often.
- Shampoo hair as normal, you have to put a little more shampoo in their hair to get the oil out (or wash it a few times).
Treating Linens Exposed to Lice:
Bag all the bedding, dirty laundry, stuffed animals, and washable items that your child has come in contact with in the last 48 hours. Wash everything it hot water. Things that can not be washed (like pillows and stuffed animals) leave in a tightly closed garbage bag for 1 week then put in dryer on hot for 50 minutes.
Treating Furniture Exposed to Lice:
Fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol. Spray couches, mattresses, and even the seats in your car! This kills any live lice. Also spray down bed frames, bathrooms, and vacuum all the carpets.
Tips for Preventing Head Lice:
Here are some ideas to help prevent head lice as well as prevent a recurring episode of head lice.
- Add a little tea tree oil to their shampoo.
- Put tea tree oil on your finger tip and wipe along the bottom of your child’s hairline.
- Put tea tree oil in a spray bottle and lightly mist your child’s hair before they leave for school.
- Tell your child to keep jackets and coats inside of their backpacks rather than hang them on the hooks.
- Make sure jackets, coats, and hats, don’t end up on the classroom floor or outside on the playground.
- Don’t share hats or headbands, bows, hair accessories.
- If your child’s classroom has a bring your pillow (or stuffed animals) to school day, consider having your child not participate. They may be disappointed, but it’s better than going through all the embarrassment if they get head lice.
Getting rid of lice is a LOT of work, but it’s worth doing it right the first time. It’s always recommended to follow up with a second treatment 9 days later. The eggs can hatch during that time & one lice can lay up to 300 eggs in 6 days. So make sure you deal with it fully so you can get on with your life, bug free.
You may also like our homemade cleaning recipes.
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About Ang
It all began on October 8th, 2008. Cathy and Monica started this coupon blog to help friends and family learn about their new money saving hobby couponing! Since then they have taught thousands of women (and men) 
Some of this information is wrong. I used to work at a lice salon where I combed bugs out of people’s hair daily. Your best bet is to get a GOOD lice comb and olive oil and comb comb comb comb comb. Make sure you check ALL family members.
Here’s a link to the comb that most lice salons use. It’s worth the money. Nit Free Terminator Lice Comb, Professional Stainless Steel Louse and Nit Comb for Head Lice Treatment, Removes Nits
Sorry, but I strongly disagree with your reply. One of my daughters had lice for over 4 months; we tired EVERYTHING. We used the vinegar/coconut oil treatment twice and now she is lice free!!
Maybe it just depends; some things work for some and some things work for others it seems.
With 8 kids at home & 8 kids getting head lice right after school started this year, I read everything I could. I didn’t want to put mayo it my kids hair. Yet I combined a few great ideas I found to make this one solution. I only made it after using store bought treatments that did nothing for my kids. The stress of head lice is very difficult! Good luck to all who have to go through this!
If you want the highest quality of tea tree oil or melaleuca Come try it at doTERRA. This company doesn’t compromise quality for price. They guarantee 100% Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils.
I also use melaleuca or tea tree oil for all kinds of skin issues, illness and more.
If you have questions I’d love to answer them for you.
The National Pediculosis association (headlice.org) makes an excellent lice comb, available on the website, and I’ve seen it at CVS and Walgreens. The best way to make sure you get all the lice and eggs after the initial treatment is buy the cheapest, biggest bottle of hair conditioner you can find, and every day work a good amount into the hair-it paralyzes the lice, and comb through with the comb. Its also a lot easier to comb with the conditioner in the hair. Do that every day until you go 2 weeks without seeing any lice, then every 3 or 4 days for a couple of weeks, just to make sure you get them all. Also, soak all combs and brushes in a glass of rubbing alcohol to make sure you kill any hangers on.
I can vouch for tea tree oil being an awesome lice killer. I put it in our shampoo all the time. When we have had them, then we leave the shampoo on for ten minutes and then rinse out and do the comb, comb, comb, comb job daily and then do the shampoo for ten minutes again in a week. We also put some in a spray bottle with water and spray our heads as a preventative.
i have gone thru this so many times that i feel like i should own stock in lice shampoo. natural, prescription and over the counter.BUT i found out that there is an electronic lice comb at walgreens, cost is about $30 AND IT WORKS!!!!! i bought one 4 months ago when my daughter again came home with it and i did her hair, mine, and the other kids she is around daily for 1 week. and i didn’t spend a fortune on shampoos or have to put chemicals on them. the nurse at school even went and bought one for the school to help control the outbreaks. good luck
I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing!
Thanks!
Nope not him, but I feel your pain! With 10 kids we have gone through our share! This is a tried & true cure! Welcome to our site!
Thanks for the tips. We have been dealing with our lice issue with my stepdaughter for 6 years now. We only get her on the weekends and its so frustrating for us and her because we treat it and she walks around with a shower cap to prevent her from passing it onto our other 3 kids. We have done everything we can but its reallt upsetting that her mom has not gotten rid of it. I will have to print this and send it home with her mom.
Good luck! Glad this will help.
I teach Kindergarten, and have had a lice outbreak in my classroom. Unfortunately, one of the children who loves to give me hugs was the source of the lice outbreak, and she gave it to me. After using the store stuff, and the lice still hasn’t left, I am now trying this. I will say that after I used the store stuff the first time, I bought Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Oil shampoo. It didn’t work for me. Hopefully this will!