When dealing with a lice problem, you want to take all actions necessary to overcome it. This includes treatment and cleanup of areas or spots you suspect lice presence.
Vacuuming is quite popular as a measure for dealing with these problems. If you must perform such treatment, it should be properly done.
Although vacuuming by itself may not get rid of pests, it’s part of measures that have proven to be effective in dealing with lice issues. You want to implement any proven solutions to deal with lice issues.
Why Vacuum For Lice?
Wherever a lice-infested person moves to, there’s a likelihood of spreading lice or nits.
This is even more common for carpets, beds, pillows, and couch areas. Basically, anywhere such a person rests or lays their heads are likely to have lice or nits that have fallen off such head.
Vacuuming serves to pick up all such lice and nits, thus limiting the spread of infestations. Now, it’s important to point out that getting rid of lice infestations is quite challenging but possible.
You’ll need to know just what to do for treatment to be effective. Frequent vacuuming is one of those.
How Vacuuming Controls Lice
Vacuuming for lice control is quite popular among lice management professionals.
These pros deploy such methods in situations where chemical treatments aren’t needed. Here, specially designed pest control vacuums are deployed for such jobs.
Lice on carpets, floors, couches, pillows, and beds are easily removed by this piece of equipment. It’s important that vacuuming be done while also treating the head of your kids.
This two-pronged approach helps put the situation under control within a short period of time.
Can I Use The Usual Household Vacuum For Lice?
We’ve stated that professional treatment of lice through the vacuuming method is mostly done using special vacuum tools. So, does that mean a household vacuum won’t fit the bill?
Not exactly! Your usual household vacuum can do a decent job in lice control.
In cases of lice infestation, it’s logical to vacuum more frequently. These frequent vacuuming rounds aren’t only targeted at removing dirt but treating surfaces where lice and nits might have fallen.
These lice and nits can’t be seen with the naked eye.
However, you’ll need to be more observant about areas where your lice-infested kid plays or spends their time. If by chance you’re having multiple pest issues such as mites and allergen presence, vacuuming should be of great help.
Frequency of Treatment
There isn’t a clearly defined frequency for vacuuming treatments for lice.
The emphasis rests more on frequent treatments. So, for instance, if you vacuum your home 3 times a week or daily for basic cleanup needs, lice presence will require adopting a more regular or frequent cleanup procedure.
You might increase your vacuuming frequency to twice a day or three times in a single day. It’s all about discretion. Also, certain areas are paid attention to more than others.
We’ve earlier mentioned these areas to include your couch area, bedding, carpets, and floors.
Wherever your kids (lice-infested ones) spend a significant amount of their time should be your target. You might also want to restrict certain activities until the situation improves.
Why Vacuuming is Important
Consider a situation where lice fall off from the head of someone that’s infested. It’s easy for such a parasite to crawl onto a new host in areas like the couch or bed.
With frequent vacuuming, such lice and nits are removed in time before they spread to new hosts.
Vacuuming Lice Alone Won’t Get the Job Done
While vacuuming has been proven to be an effective method of lice treatment, it isn’t enough by itself to completely resolve lice issues.
Other alternative treatment methods need to be performed ranging from wet combing and smothering (through the application of certain compounds).
Other complementary lice treatment measures include the cleaning of hair tools, and bagging or sealing infested items in plastic bags for a period of two weeks.
Heat treatment is one other way to handle mice presence. Also, consider the use of delousing shampoo while also removing nits with a comb.
Prevention
So far, we’ve been discussing the vacuuming method as a strategy for tackling lice presence.
However, it doesn’t have to come to this. An active infestation needs to be properly handled to ensure it doesn’t spread. While this is a great strategy to put the situation in check, lice prevention is a much better option.
You don’t have to deal with lice presence at all. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lice issues can be avoided by taking any of the following precautionary steps.
-
Avoid Head-to-Head Contact
Whether it’s head-to-head or hair-to-hair contact, kids should avoid such during playtime and other recreational activities. This is especially true when it’s clear that there’s a lice-infested person around.
You’ll have to speak to your kids about that.
-
Avoid Sharing Combs, Towels, and Brushes
Certain items shouldn’t be shared even when lice infestations aren’t present.
Taking this preventive measure ensures that there’s a lesser chance of spreading lice infestation when it occurs. Also, items used by infected persons can be treated by soaking them in hot water.
-
Vacuuming Is Still Necessary for the Absence of Lice
There mustn’t be a lice infestation before you vacuum your floors and furniture. This is a routine cleaning procedure that also helps eliminate allergens and dirt.
The moment you notice lice issues, you only need to increase your vacuuming frequency while also performing other complementary treatments.
-
Avoid Using Beds or Any other Items Used by a Lice-Infested Person
Lice are bound to lie in wait for the next host on beds, pillows, couches, etc.
You’ll have to be more observant by avoiding coming in contact with items used by the infected person until treatment is completed.
Vacuuming is A Cost-Effective Way to Treat Lice Problems
You won’t have to spend a dime treating lice problems when you have a vacuum cleaner at home.
All you have to do is put this piece of equipment to good use. Of course, you’ll need the cooperation of your kids by instructing them to take certain precautionary actions to contain the spread.
Vacuuming for lice is a popular and effective way to treat lice issues. It helps pick up lice and nits which have fallen off the head of an infested person.