Can Head Lice Eggs Live in Bedding?
If you suspect that you or your child has head lice, you can kill the lice by washing the bedding thoroughly. You can use a high heat cycle in a washing machine to kill the lice, but be careful when washing stuffed animals and pillows. You should also use a high temperature cycle to kill any nits. Alternatively, you can place your bedding in the freezer for a few hours before washing.
You can also use insecticides to kill head lice. These are chemicals that will kill live lice, but not their eggs. You can also use a steam cleaner to kill them. But it is best to wash the bedding thoroughly before using it. You should also check pillows regularly, because a single soiled pillow can harbor several dozen of the lice eggs.
If you suspect that you have head lice, you need to act quickly. Ensure that you wash your bedding with hot water, and use a lice treatment shampoo. You should also try not to share bedding or clothing with others to avoid spreading the lice. This is because lice can only live for about 16 hours without a blood meal.
Head lice only live on the head of a human. They cannot swim, jump or hide. They only move by crawling. Unlike bed bugs, head lice can only live on the head of their host. The risk of re-infection is low if you regularly change pillowcases. If you do have lice eggs in bedding or pillowcases, you should wash them at 60 degrees Celsius in hot water or dry them in a hot clothes dryer for about 15 minutes.