How to Delouse an Auto Interior
Although many people associate head lice infestations with children, head lice infestations can happen to anyone at any time. Head lice attach sticky eggs to an infested person's hair and those eggs then transfer and stick to any surface where an infested hair falls or a person sits or rests. Once you discover an infestation, you must clean all possible transfer surfaces thoroughly to delouse, or remove the infestation, including your auto interior's smooth and/or fabric upholstered surfaces.
Things You'll Need
- Vacuum
- Water
- Detergent
- Plastic garbage bags
- Microfiber cloths
- Spray-on or wet vac upholstery cleaner (optional)
- Upholstery wet vac (optional)
Instructions
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1
Vacuum your auto interior completely using an upholstery attachment. Sweep from top to bottom--headrests, seat backs, seats and then carpets--paying close attention to any areas where the head of the person who has head lice rested. Lice infestation areas to pay attention to include headrests, a child's car seat (if applicable), midway point of the seat back for young children or the bottom seats if the person laid down on the seat at any point.
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2
Dispose of the vacuum bag or empty your dry vacuum's canister into a plastic bag. Seal the bag and throw it away into a trashcan outside of your home.
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3
Clean your vacuum. Wipe the vacuum bag compartment or canister interior with a hot, soapy microfiber cloth, rinse with a damp cloth and then air dry. Place the cloths in a plastic bag and set the bag outside. Soak any attachments that you used in hot, soapy water for at least 15 minutes. Rinse under hot running tap water and then air dry. Run hot water through the hose as well and hang or lay the hose outside or over a shower rod to dry.
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4
Wipe all of the smooth surfaces in your auto's interior with damp, lint-free textured microfiber cloths. Place the cloths in the plastic garbage bag from Step 3 and then throw the bag in the trash when finished. If you want to keep the cloths, wash the cloths in hot water and detergent and then dry in a dryer on high heat.
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Tips & Warnings
If dry vacuuming the interior of your automobile doesn't delouse it, repeat the dry vacuum steps again and then use spray or wet vac upholstery cleaner. The chemicals in upholstery cleaners or hot steam from a steam vac can kill lice and destroy lice eggs.
Always vacuum your automobile interior until you believe that you've removed any hair, dirt and debris completely from all surfaces.
Never use a lice-killing product to clean your auto interior because lice killing agents contain toxic pesticides that can harm anyone who rides in your automobile.
