Is Mayonnaise a Home Remedy for Lice?

A lice infestation can hit your child or yourself without warning. Head, body and pubic lice grow and live for about 30 days on the roots of your hair. New lice are born before adult lice die. Head lice are often found on children. Body and pubic lice are common to adults, but can also be found on children. There are home remedies for treating a lice infestation including applying mayonnaise to the affected areas.

Using Mayonnaise

• To treat a lice infestation with mayonnaise, spread about a cup of mayonnaise on to the affected area of your body and let it set for two hours. Wear latex gloves and don't touch the jar of mayonnaise with a uncovered hand---make sure you have on gloves. You will then want to comb the area with a small comb to remove the lice, eggs and any lice feces. The mayonnaise will kill the lice. Repeat the mayonnaise treatment if needed, but usually only one treatment is needed.

  If removing lice from the body or pubic area, you may want to shave the hair from the area after treatment and clean the skin with warm water and soap. Look for any lice and repeat mayonnaise treatment if needed.

  Note, throw away the comb you used to apply the mayonnaise treatment.

Vinegar and Head Lice

• If treating head lice, you may also want to wash your hair with vinegar as a follow up to the mayonnaise treatment. Vinegar kills the lice in two days and is ideal if you or your child has a head lice problem that keeps occurring.

Tips

• Check yourself and children regularly for lice. Make sure you wash all linens and clothes in hot water, 130 degrees F, and dry the items on the hot cycle for at least 20 minutes to kill any eggs or lice that maybe present on the linen or clothing. Also, vacuum the mattresses, the bed and any other areas that may have been in contact with the lice and their eggs. Clean any hard surfaces with a household cleaner and a clean rag or towel. Dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag and any rags or towels used after you are done cleaning.