When it comes to lice removal remedies, you will find a wide range of products and techniques available. The problem for most parents is figuring out which tools are worth the money and time. Despite the fact that new products are being developed all the time to combat this problem, some of the older home methods are just as, if not more, effective than modern medicine. The white vinegar lice method is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it’s also one of the most helpful.
Did you know …
… How many over-the-counter shampoos and medicinal products contain pesticides?
It’s understandable why so many parents would want to refrain from using these products and instead opt for pesticide-free alternatives, including home remedies. The white vinegar method can be used in conjunction with other home remedies or over-the-counter products.
The head lice removal method with white vinegar
1. If you don’t have a bottle of white vinegar in your cupboard yet, buy a bottle at your grocery store or regular market. You will find that this will be much more cost effective than standard over-the-counter drugs.
2. Place your child’s head over a sink or bathtub, making sure their eyes are well covered at all times.
3. Pour vinegar generously on dry hair. Pause frequently and massage the liquid into your hair well. (If your child has open wounds or bites on the scalp, this process may hurt a bit.)
4. Once the hair is completely soaked, wrap it with a shower cap and leave it on for 30 minutes.
5. After the waiting period, rinse hair with lukewarm water. Then wash your hair with a separate medicated shampoo and conditioner, making sure to rinse thoroughly.
6. Towel dry your child’s hair gently and place the towel directly in the washing machine with hot water.
7. Make a bowl with more white vinegar.
8. Use a special comb designed to remove individual insects and eggs (nits) and proper hair styling technique, dipping the comb into the bowl after each pass through the hair.
This removal method will help in two ways. The medicated shampoo will help kill any adult bugs on the scalp. Although adult insects will struggle to survive against the white vinegar fumes, some will survive. This method should be used in conjunction with another removal product and / or technique to remove all adult insects and insect eggs (nits).
More important – and this is where using white vinegar as a removal method has the advantage over most products – it can be used to soften chitin.
What is chitin?
Chitin is the substance that adult insects create to secure their insect eggs or nits firmly to their host’s hair strands. If the parents just address the bug problem and ignore the nits, another infestation will soon occur as the nits hatch and the nymphs mature into adult insects to lay their own eggs. By using vinegar in this method, you can soften the chitin surrounding the nits and remove them from the hair much more easily using special combs or tweezers.
If you have a problem with an insect infestation on your family’s scalp, be sure to include white vinegar in your arsenal. Not only is it safer than some medicated shampoos, but it is also a proven effective tool to help eradicate your infestation problems.