How to Remove Lice from Hair Permanently at Home: 5 Natural Remedies

If you’re wondering how to remove lice from hair permanently at home, there are several natural remedies you can try using everyday ingredients. These methods are gentle, safe for both children and adults, and do not involve harsh chemicals. Dealing with lice can be frustrating and uncomfortable, especially when they keep coming back after treatment.

One of the most effective ways to tackle lice at home is by using vinegar and water to wash your hair. Vinegar helps loosen the glue that keeps lice eggs (nits) attached to hair strands.

When combined with a fine-tooth lice comb, this method makes it easier to remove both live lice and their eggs.

Another helpful natural approach is to apply a mixture of essential oils—such as tea tree oil, neem oil, lavender oil, or eucalyptus oil—directly to the scalp. These oils have natural insect-repelling properties that may kill lice on contact or drive them away. Many people prefer this method because it uses plant-based ingredients that are known to be less irritating to the skin.

In addition to applying oils and vinegar, it’s important to use a fine-tooth or electric lice comb. These special combs are designed to catch and remove lice and nits from the hair.

You can find them online or at local pharmacies. When used daily over a week or two, these combs can significantly reduce lice infestations and help you remove lice from hair permanently at home.

The great thing about these methods is that they are generally easy to perform and safe to use on children. They rely on simple, natural ingredients that are often already available in your home, and they don’t usually cause harsh side effects like chemical treatments do.

If you’re serious about how to remove lice from hair permanently at home, you also need to take care of the environment around you. Lice and their eggs can live on items that have touched the hair, such as:

• Clothing
• Bed sheets and pillowcases
• Towels
• Stuffed animals
• Hairbrushes and hair accessories

To prevent lice from returning, it’s important to wash all these items in hot water, ideally at a temperature of at least 140°F (60°C). Wash them for about 30 minutes to ensure any remaining lice or nits are killed. This step is just as important as treating the hair because lice can easily spread back to the scalp through infested objects.

By combining natural scalp treatments with thorough cleaning of personal items, you can improve your chances of removing lice from hair permanently at home without the need for harsh medications or professional treatment.

How to Remove Lice from Hair Permanently at Home:

Step 1 – Wash Your Hair with Vinegar

If you’re looking for an effective and natural way on how to remove lice from hair permanently at home, one of the first steps you can try is washing your hair with a vinegar solution. Vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, has properties that help to kill lice and loosen their eggs (called nits), making them easier to comb out. It’s a simple home remedy that can be safely used on adults and children.

This method works by breaking down the sticky substance that lice use to attach their eggs to hair strands. Once that glue is weakened, the nits can be removed more easily using a fine-tooth lice comb. This is a key step in any plan focused on how to remove lice from hair permanently at home, because removing the eggs is essential to stop them from hatching and repeating the cycle.

Ingredients You Will Need:

• 1 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup of warm water

Preparation and Application:

1. In a clean bowl or container, mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of warm water.
2. Apply the mixture directly onto the entire scalp, making sure it covers all the roots of your hair.
3. Massage gently to allow the vinegar to soak in and reach areas where lice or nits may be hiding.
4. After applying the mixture, cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap to trap the heat. This helps the vinegar work better.
5. Leave it on for about 30 minutes.
6. After the time is up, rinse your hair thoroughly and then wash it with your regular shampoo.

This method not only helps to kill the lice but also softens and loosens the eggs, making it easier to comb them out afterward. To get the best results, follow this vinegar rinse with the use of a lice comb to remove the dead lice and nits.

When done consistently, this method can be a reliable part of a broader strategy on how to remove lice from hair permanently at home. It is natural, cost-effective, and does not involve harmful chemicals.

How to Remove Lice from Hair Permanently at Home: Step 2 – Apply a Natural Essential Oil Mixture

Another effective step when exploring how to remove lice from hair permanently at home is using a natural essential oil mixture. Essential oils are known for their antimicrobial, insect-repelling, and soothing properties. Certain oils can help weaken or kill lice, making them easier to remove, while also helping to calm any scalp irritation caused by scratching.

This method is both gentle and powerful, using a combination of natural ingredients that work together to get rid of lice without harsh chemicals.

Coconut oil helps suffocate lice by coating their bodies and blocking their breathing holes. Tea tree oil and ylang ylang oil are both well-known for their insecticidal and antifungal effects. Apple cider vinegar helps loosen the glue that holds the lice eggs in place.

Ingredients You Will Need:

• 50 mL of coconut oil
• 2 to 3 drops of essential tea tree oil
• 2 to 3 drops of ylang ylang essential oil
• 50 mL of apple cider vinegar

Preparation and Application:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut oil, essential oils, and apple cider vinegar until well combined.
2. Apply this mixture evenly across your entire scalp and through the lengths of your hair, making sure to cover all areas thoroughly.
3. Once the mixture is applied, cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap. This traps heat and helps the oils work more effectively.
4. Let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes so the oils have time to weaken or kill the lice.
5. After 20 minutes, rinse your hair thoroughly and wash it with your regular shampoo to remove the oils.

This step is an important part of how to remove lice from hair permanently at home because it works in two ways: killing lice and loosening the grip of the nits. For best results, follow this oil treatment with a combing session to remove the dead lice and their eggs.

Step 3 – Use a Fine-Tooth or Electric Lice Comb

Once you’ve treated your hair with vinegar or essential oils, the next important step in how to remove lice from hair permanently at home is to physically remove lice and nits using a fine-tooth comb. This step is crucial because even if the lice are killed, their eggs may still remain on the hair strands. If not removed, these eggs can hatch and start the cycle all over again.

Start by sectioning your hair into smaller parts to ensure that you don’t miss any areas. Use a fine-tooth lice comb to comb through each section slowly, from the scalp to the tip of the hair. This helps catch both live lice and eggs. Be sure to clean the comb after each pass to avoid spreading any lice from one part of the head to another.

If you want a more modern approach, you can use an electric lice comb instead of a manual one. This tool is designed to detect and kill lice on contact. It works best on dry hair and gives off a continuous buzzing sound while in use. When it comes into contact with a louse, the sound changes and becomes higher-pitched, signaling that it has found lice.

The electric comb uses a mild ultrasound frequency that humans cannot hear or feel, but that is deadly to lice. This makes it a highly effective tool for those who want a painless and chemical-free method to deal with lice infestations.

Whether you choose a manual or electric comb, daily combing for at least 7 to 10 days is highly recommended. This helps to ensure all lice and nits are completely removed and that no new lice can hatch. Consistent combing is one of the most effective parts of any routine on how to remove lice from hair permanently at home.

Step 4 – Wash Your Clothes and Personal Items in Hot Water

A big part of how to remove lice from hair permanently at home is making sure you also clean your surroundings. Lice are tiny insects, but they can spread easily by clinging to everyday objects like brushes, combs, hats, pillowcases, and bedsheets. If you only treat the hair and forget to clean these items, there’s a big chance the lice will come back.

To prevent reinfestation, it’s very important to wash everything that might have touched the scalp of the person with lice. This includes:

• Clothing (especially shirts, scarves, and jackets)
• Bed sheets and pillowcases
• Blankets and quilts
• Stuffed toys
• Hairbands, ties, and accessories
• Hats and caps
• Combs and brushes
• Sofa covers, rugs, and carpets

All of these items should be washed in hot water with a temperature of at least 140°F (60°C). The heat helps to kill both live lice and their eggs that might be hiding in the fabric or fibers.

Items that cannot be washed—like certain toys, cushions, or delicate fabrics—can be sealed in a plastic bag for two weeks. This will suffocate any lice or nits by cutting off their air supply. You can also vacuum furniture, mattresses, and rugs to remove any loose lice or hairs with attached nits.

This cleaning step is essential to fully complete your plan for how to remove lice from hair permanently at home. Without it, lice may survive on surfaces and reinfect your hair even after treatment.

Step 5 – Repeat All the Steps After 9 Days

Lice go through a life cycle that usually lasts about 9 days. This means that even if you remove the adult lice from the hair, some eggs (nits) may be left behind and hatch later. If you don’t treat your hair again after those eggs hatch, you could end up dealing with a brand-new lice infestation.

That’s why it’s very important to repeat all the steps exactly nine days after the first treatment. By this time, any nits that were not removed during the first session may have hatched into baby lice. These young lice can now be treated and removed before they grow up and start laying new eggs.

Here’s what you should do on Day 9:

1. Wash your hair with vinegar again to loosen any new nits.
2. Apply the essential oil mixture to kill any young lice.
3. Comb through your hair carefully using a fine-tooth or electric lice comb to catch all remaining lice and eggs.
4. Wash your clothes, bedding, and personal items in hot water again to prevent recontamination.

Repeating these steps ensures that you break the life cycle of the lice. It is one of the most important secrets in understanding how to remove lice from hair permanently at home. Without this second round of treatment, it’s easy for the lice problem to start all over again.

Consistency and thoroughness are the keys. If you complete both rounds properly—once at the start and again after 9 days—you have a very good chance of eliminating lice for good.

Other Home Methods 

In addition to vinegar rinses, essential oils, and combing, there are a few other natural remedies and tips that can support your goal of how to remove lice from hair permanently at home.

1. Mayonnaise or Olive Oil Mask

Thick substances like mayonnaise or olive oil can smother lice, making it harder for them to breathe and survive. These natural products create a layer over the lice and may weaken their grip on the hair.

• How to Use: Apply a thick layer of mayonnaise or olive oil directly to the scalp and hair. Cover with a shower cap and leave it on for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Then rinse thoroughly and comb the hair to remove lice and nits.

2. Neem Oil Treatment

Neem oil is another essential oil with strong insect-repelling properties. It can interfere with the life cycle of lice and even prevent eggs from hatching.

• How to Use: Mix a few drops of neem oil into your regular shampoo or carrier oil (like coconut oil). Massage into the scalp and leave it in for 30–60 minutes before washing out and combing.

3. Salt and Vinegar Spray

A salt and vinegar combination works as a drying agent that may kill lice by dehydrating them.

• How to Use: Mix 1/4 cup of salt with 1/4 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray onto the scalp and let it sit for 30 minutes under a shower cap. Rinse and follow up with combing.

4. Baking Soda and Conditioner

Baking soda can help loosen the grip of lice and nits while conditioner helps with easier combing.

• How to Use: Mix equal parts baking soda and hair conditioner. Apply to the scalp, then comb thoroughly. Wipe the comb with a tissue after each pass. Rinse and shampoo as usual.

These natural remedies are gentle and safe when used correctly, and they complement your overall plan for how to remove lice from hair permanently at home.

Conclusion: How to Remove Lice from Hair Permanently at Home

Getting rid of lice doesn’t always require expensive chemical treatments or doctor visits. If you’re committed and consistent, there are many natural and effective ways to learn how to remove lice from hair permanently at home.

The key steps include:

• Washing your hair with vinegar to loosen nits
• Using essential oils like tea tree, coconut, and ylang ylang to kill lice
• Combing your hair daily with a fine-tooth or electric lice comb
• Cleaning all clothes, bedding, and personal items with hot water
• Repeating the entire process after 9 days to kill newly hatched lice

Adding other remedies like mayonnaise masks, neem oil, baking soda, or salt and vinegar sprays can make your treatment plan even more effective.

Remember, lice treatment at home requires patience and follow-through. Skipping steps or forgetting to clean your environment can lead to lice coming back. But if you stay consistent and follow the natural remedies properly, you’ll be able to remove lice from hair permanently at home—and do it safely.

Always monitor the scalp for signs of reinfestation over the next few weeks, and continue combing even after the lice are gone to be sure the problem doesn’t return. With care, attention, and a little persistence, your home remedy routine can give you long-lasting relief from lice, the natural way.

SEE MORE

What are the pros and cons of a vegan diet?

How Do You Feel When Your Sugar Is Low?

Benefits of Being Vegan

Breadfruit Benefits

Nutrition for Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease Symptoms

Sexual Dysfunction Causes

Benefits of Cloves to The Vagina