How Long Do Head Lice Live on Fabric?

There are several ways to get rid of head lice infestations. To start with, the best method is to wash all your fabrics thoroughly, especially bed linens. Usually, lice cannot live on fabric longer than 48 hours. However, some occasions do occur where lice can be found on bed linens. The best method to get rid of these infestations is to wash bed linens on the highest heat setting.

Once the lice fall off the head, they will die. Then, the house will take care of itself. The average life of a head lice is 30 days, but they can live for as little as 24 hours. Typically, an infestation can be treated in one visit to a lice treatment salon.

While these insects can survive for a few days when they have fallen off their host, they do not survive in clothing or bedding. Instead, they prefer to live on the scalp of their host. Unlike bed bugs, head lice do not hide in fabrics, so it is very important to keep your clothes clean to prevent them from being transferred from one person to another.

Despite being parasitic, head lice cannot survive without human blood. In order to remain alive, they require the warmth of the scalp to incubate. They also need human blood to feed on after hatching. Therefore, it is important to treat head lice as quickly as possible to prevent the spread of the infection.