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Prevent lice naturally with these tips and this easy, homemade DIY spray. Costs less than $3 to make and is more effective than chemical sprays!
The hot topic at back-to-school night this year wasn’t Common Core, or school lunch, or the new class schedule—it was LICE.
There’s nothing like that letter that comes home on red paper to strike fear in the hearts of parents everywhere: “Student(s) in your child’s class have been diagnosed with head lice.”
Your head started itching just reading about it, right? None of us want to suffer through washing everything we own, combing through everyone’s hair, and all the other ick that goes with a lice infestation…so prevention is the best plan.
Identifying Lice
There was a girl in my grade school who always got sent home during lice checks because she had dandruff. There is a big difference! And you don’t have to be a scientist to correctly identify lice on someone’s head.
Head lice (pediculus humanus capitis) are tiny parasites that are about the size of a sesame seed. They don’t have wings, so they can’t fly–but they are contagious. They live on the scalp and feed exclusively on human blood. Their bites cause itching, which can lead to infected sores…ick.
You’re more likely to see nits (lice eggs) attached to the hair than you are to see the lice themselves. The eggs hatch about 7-14 days after they’re laid, so treatment needs to be repeated over time.
Lice Prevention Tips
Here are some tips that will help prevent lice from invading your kids’ hair and subsequently your home.
- Lice can’t fly, so keep long hair tied up in braids or a bun.
- Remind your kids not to share brushes, hats, scarves, or headphones (!!) with classmates.
- Use a daily lice-away spray on kids’ hair.
I don’t want to use chemical concoctions on myself or my kids, so we use natural remedies whenever we can. And natural remedies really work!
Natural Lice Prevention Spray
Our natural lice prevention spray uses two essential oils: Melaleuca (Tea Tree) and Lavender. Think essential oils are a bunch of hocus-pocus? My Hubby used to…then I showed him this study from PubMed, where the combination of Melaleuca and Lavender essential oils killed 97.6% of lice—and the chemicals only killed 25%.
NOTE: the quality of the oils you use is important! Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and anything you put on your skin or scalp goes into your body and your bloodstream. Many of the oils sold at health food stores and bath stores say “Not for internal use.” That’s because those oils could be contaminated with pesticides, additives, or synthetic fragrances.
You wouldn’t spray Roundup on your kids’ hair each day, so don’t use contaminated essential oils either. Learn about the pure, premium quality oils I recommend. Because these oils are so concentrated, you only need a few drops to be effective.
Lice-Away Spray
8 oz glass or plastic spray bottle
1 cup distilled water
20 drops Melaleuca essential oil
15 drops Lavender essential oil
Combine liquids in spray bottle and label the bottle.
Each day, spray Lice-Away Spray on hair when brushing. Do not rinse.
For additional lice-prevention power, add these oils to the kids’ shampoo and conditioner.
Natural Lice Prevention Spray
Prevent lice safely with this easy, homemade DIY spray that's all natural and costs less than $3 to make!
Ingredients
- 8 oz glass or plastic spray bottle
- 1 cup distilled water
- 20 drops Melaleuca essential oil
- 15 drops Lavender essential oil
Instructions
- Combine liquids in spray bottle and label the bottle.
- Each day, spray Lice-Away spray on hair while brushing. Do not rinse.
- For additional lice-prevention power, add these essential oils to the kids' shampoo and conditioner.
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