4 Vinegar Remedies To Fight Lice Naturally
Do you want to know how to fight lice with vinegar? These insects usually appear frequently in childhood. In fact, when one child has them, the rest begin to spread almost inevitably. Therefore, it is essential to take preventive measures and have some natural and homemade solutions on hand.
In this article, we share with you popular vinegar remedies that were used before to fight lice without using chemicals. This will be combined with other effective ingredients that have been proven; such as rosemary, tea tree essential oil, garlic, eucalyptus, anise, and coconut oil.
I have lice!
Lice are a frequent problem in schools due to their easy and rapid spread between children through physical contact. These small parasites settle on the scalp and feed on the blood, causing itching. Therefore, if there is a child with lice at school, prevention is essential.
As several researchers at the University of Frankfurt (Germany) point out, there are a variety of products and shampoos to combat lice. However, some contain chemical ingredients and, furthermore, they are not always effective.
Instead, there are home remedies that (according to popular beliefs) would help eliminate them without harming hair or health. In spite of everything, it is important to go to the doctor and remember that the most effective natural solution is constant brushing.
Folk remedies with vinegar to fight lice
The base of these remedies is vinegar, a product that is used to alleviate health, beauty, home problems, etc. Along these lines, some people believe that one of its possible advantages is making the lice nits (the eggs) not able to adhere to the hair.
Several researchers from the University of Arizona explained that vinegar acts as a disinfectant and lowers the pH. For this reason, it was thought that perhaps it could also serve to kill these annoying insects.
However, the truth is that research published in 2004 by the Journal of Pediatric Nursing showed that eliminating lice with these remedies was difficult. In fact, Vaseline was the one that gave the best results as opposed to what was expected.
For this reason, the information presented here is indicative and should be consulted by a professional to rule out any type of problem. That said, we present you some remedies that were used before to combat them; mixed with natural ingredients that have been proven effective.
1. Vinegar with rosemary to fight lice
First of all, the most traditional and home remedy is rosemary vinegar. Its effectiveness in getting rid of lice was demonstrated by the following study published by the Journal of Medical Entomology in 2004 .
In addition, you can prepare it at home yourself by macerating this plant, which has antiseptic properties. In this way, when you need it, you will have it ready.
Ingredients
- 2 glasses of vinegar (400 ml).
- 2 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Elaboration
- Put the vinegar and rosemary in a glass jar.
- Close it well and let it marinate for a month.
- After this time, it will be ready to use.
2. Vinegar with tea tree
A natural product that cannot be missing from the medicine cabinet is the tea tree. As a promising research carried out at an Italian university well demonstrated, this essential oil helps fight lice in an effective way.
In this way, it is the perfect ingredient to add to shampoo and prevent lice. Likewise, you will also be able to combat them if you combine it with vinegar. Although keep in mind that its smell is a bit strong and special.
Ingredients
- 1 glass of vinegar (200 ml).
- 10 drops of tea tree essential oil.
Elaboration
- Mix both ingredients in a spray bottle.
- Shake well just before use.
3. Vinegar, garlic and eucalyptus
One ingredient that would also work is garlic, as it works to kill bacteria naturally. Both for its components and its strong smell, garlic is believed to be an excellent lice repellent. In addition, it has the advantage that it is usually in any kitchen.
In this case, add eucalyptus essential oil to disguise the smell a bit and further enhance its effects.
Ingredients
- 1 glass of vinegar (200 ml).
- 1 clove garlic.
- 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
Elaboration
- Beat the vinegar with the garlic.
- Strain the preparation, place it in a container and add the essential oil.
- Shake before using.
4. Vinegar, coconut oil and anise to fight lice
In this home remedy we suggest you mix the vinegar with coconut oil and anise, as described in this experiment published in 2009 by the European Journal of Pediatrics .
This combination would be 90% effective. In addition, this vegetable oil (increasingly popular for its multiple properties) has the virtue of protecting the scalp while keeping the hair hydrated.
Ingredients
- 1 glass of vinegar (200 ml).
- 2 tablespoons of anise seeds mixed with water.
- ½ glass of extra virgin coconut oil (100 ml).
Elaboration
- Put the ingredients in a jar. However, keep in mind that coconut oil solidifies after 23ºC.
- Mix well and shake before use.
Kill lice naturally
With these remedies created with natural products, they tried to combat these parasites without resorting to chemicals. However, as you have seen, the efficacy of vinegar has not yet been proven.
For this reason, consult a specialist to avoid irritation and other hair problems. Also, if you think vinegar can be harsh, use the other ingredients separately.
