Key steps
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Treat everyone’s hair to prevent head lice getting back in your bedding.
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Wash everything, even pillows and duvets.
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Use a long, hot wash cycle.
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Dry on high heat.
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Vacuum your mattress.
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Remake your bed in clean, fresh bedding.
Can head lice live on pillows and bedding? The answer is yes! But don't worry – here we’ll provide top tips for getting rid of lice, so you and your children can sleep safe and sound without catching more headlice. Be aware that some bed nasties might not be head lice but instead, bed bugs! If you’re worried about bed bugs then be sure to learn more.
Want to make sure that head lice are dead and gone from your bedding? Use a hot wash and good quality products.
What are lice?
There are two types of lice–sucking lice and chewing lice. However, none of the thousand types of chewing lice feed on humans. On the other hand, out of the 500 types of sucking lice, only three use humans as hosts, namely head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis), body lice (Pediculus humanus corporis) and pubic lice (Pthirus pubis).
Pubic lice are usually transmitted through sexual contact. They can also transfer from one person to another through contact with the infected individual’s clothing or bedding. Similarly, you can get body lice by having close physical contact with another person who already has them.
Head lice are transmitted a bit differently. While still possible, it’s unlikely for humans to be infected through contact with bedding and clothing that contains head lice. Instead, head lice require even more physical contact for transmission. In most cases, you’d get lice through head-to-head contact.
How to kill head lice on bedding: a five step guide
There are just five easy steps for you to make sure that you and your family are free from these little pests.
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Make sure that you have treated everyone’s hair. The first step in learning how to kill head lice on bedding is to remove the pests from the source. Even if you or a member of your family does not appear to have head lice, it is better to be safe than sorry. Making sure that everyone’s hair is fully treated and you have removed all traces of head lice and eggs (nits) will allow you to make sure once your bedding is clean you won’t get them back in your beds!
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Strip the bed fully. This means every single part needs to be stripped and removed. Remove all pillow cases, pillow protectors, duvet covers, sheets and mattress protectors. Take it right down to the mattress.
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Wash anything that can be washed. Pretty much everything that you make your bed up with will be washable. If you have a small washing machine and want to wash duvets and pillows, do not be afraid to bag them up and take them to a laundrette.
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Use a hot wash.
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Use a long cycle, so that the bedding is washed in the heat for as long as possible.
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Use good quality products like Persil and Comfort for extra germ-killing power.
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Heat will kill off any surviving head lice.
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Dry the bedding on a high heat. The best way to make sure that all head lice and nits are killed off is to use more heat, after your hot wash, to dry your bedding.
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Where possible, use a tumble dryer to dry the bedding on a high heat.
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Alternatively, hang in a humid space in your home.
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Finally, direct, warm sunlight will also do the trick.
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Vacuum your mattress. You may think that changing the bedding is enough, but we recommend making sure that you do this final step before making up your bed in freshly washed linen. Take care to pay attention to any creases or little hiding places the head lice may have been able to find.
How to wash laundry infested with lice?
Step 1: Collect all the infested clothing
The first step is to collect all the infested clothes. Make sure to sort the clothes based on colour and type of material. It is best to wash clothes in separate loads to prevent colour bleeding and avoid damage to delicate clothing items.
Step 2: Pre-treat the Clothes
Before washing the clothes, it is essential to pre-treat them for lice. One of the effective ways to do this is by using hot water. Fill a large sink or tub with hot water and add a detergent that contains essential oils like tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil. Let the clothes soak in the hot water for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Wash and Dry The Clothes
After pre-treating the clothes, put them in the washing machine. Add detergent that contains essential oils and wash the clothes in hot water. Make sure to use enough detergent to penetrate and kill any remaining lice.
After washing, put the infested clothes in the dryer, and set it on high heat for at least 30 minutes. The heat from the dryer will kill any remaining lice.
Step 4: Clean the Washer and Dryer
Once you have washed all the lice-infested clothes, it is important to clean the washing machine and dryer. Use hot water and bleach to clean the inside of the washer to kill any lice or nits that may be left behind. Clean the dryer’s lint trap to avoid any lint buildup that lice can attach to.
Pro Tip: You can read our guide on how to clean and disinfect a washing machine for more detailed instructions.
So, there you go; now you not only have FAQs answered, but a super easy five step guide for how to get rid of lice from your bedding. Now you can sleep easy at night in a head lice free home.
References:
1. head lice. (n.d.). http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hblice.htm
2. Nolt, D., Moore, S., Yan, A. C., & Melnick, L. (2022). Head lice. Pediatrics, 150(4). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-059282
3. Roth, E. (2022, October 24). Where do lice come from? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/lice/where-do-lice-come-from
