How to Make Lice Sterile

Head lice (also known as "head louse" or "nits") is the infestation of the scalp by the parasite pediculus humanus capitis. While many treatments that involve the use of pesticides are available, one natural method that does not involve pesticides is to try to sterilize the louse by suffocating them. The Harvard School of Public Health ran an anecdotal test and found that lice submerged in olive oil for a period of at least two hours did not survive. Other non-toxic ingredients can be used for this sterilization method, including neem oil, mayonnaise, petroleum jelly and hair gel.

Things You'll Need

• Sterilization agent (olive oil, neem oil, mayonnaise, petroleum jelly, or hair gel)
• Tweezers
• Shampoo
• Shower cap

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Instructions

• 1

  Inspect your scalp and remove any visible louse with tweezers. It might be helpful to ask someone to assist you with this step.

• 2

  Thoroughly cover your hair and scalp with one of the suggested sterilization agents. Please note that the suffocation method should not be used in conjunction with other treatments that include the use of pesticides, as the oil can enhance the pesticide penetration into the scalp over a period of time.

• 3

  Put the shower cap on your head and wear it for three hours. While you are waiting, this would be a good time to sterilize items in the rest of your home to prevent the lice from spreading to other household members and decrease the chance of the infected person becoming infected again. Some items to wash include clothes, bed sheets, hats and stuffed animals in hot soapy water. Combs and brushes should be soaked in very hot water for 10 minutes. Additionally, sealing items such as clothes, bedding, and any other items that are not washable in a plastic bag for four days should kill any remaining adult lice and any new lice that have just been hatched. Finally, all rugs and carpeting in your home should be vacuumed.

• 4

  Remove the shower cap.

• 5

  Shampoo and thoroughly rinse your hair and scalp.

• 6

  Inspect your scalp again to make sure there are no remaining lice. If there are, repeat the previous steps, but try a sterilization agent different than the one you used previously.