Can Head Lice Survive on Pillows?

Head lice infestations are a valid concern among families with school-aged children. Although these tiny parasites typically live on a person’s scalp, most of us wonder whether they can survive on bedding and pillows, potentially causing reinfestation. I know I have thought about this many times and wondered what the truth of the matter is. Yes, I know this will be making you itch just reading this, but let's explore the truth about the survival capabilities of head lice on pillows and provide practical advice for UK households dealing with these unwelcome visitors. I bet you are itching now. Just reading this.

We are here to talk about whether these parasites can live on your pillows and if you need to worry.

The Life Cycle of Head Lice on Pillows

A type of small, wingless insect, lice feed on human blood and live on or close to the human scalp. When it comes to lice being able to live on pillows, research provides us with some reassuring facts. You dont need to throw out your favourite bedding just yet. Adult head lice can only survive for one to two days without a human host. However, they can still lay eggs, which can lead to a reinfestation if not properly addressed.

Known as nits, lice eggs present an entirely different challenge. If a strand of hair with an attached nit falls onto a pillow, the egg continues to develop until it eventually hatches. What this means is that pillows can harbour viable lice eggs even when adult lice have died.

How Long Can Lice Survive on Bedding?

While the survival time of head lice on bedding is limited, it’s still important to understand. Without access to human blood, head lice living on bedding materials can only survive for up to four days. However, during this period, there remains a risk of reinfestation if someone puts their head down on the lice-infested pillow. So you want to take action within this time.

Medical experts confirm that head lice can technically live in bedding, particularly pillows, but only for a few days. Just Comfy notes that head lice can probably survive for 12 to 24 hours away from the human head. This means that if someone else uses the same pillow within this timeframe, transmission is possible, although not common. But you need to be aware it can happen.

Based on the life cycle of lice and nits, it's possible to have live lice on bedding for up to 13 days. But this only happens if eggs are present, and conditions are favourable for their hatching. This extended timeline highlights the importance of thorough cleaning procedures when dealing with a lice infestation. If you have any doubt, clean the bedding straight away!

How to Remove Head Lice from Pillows and Bedding

When it comes to getting rid of lice and nits from bedding, heat treatments are going to be your best choice.

Hot Water for Washing: Wash all bedding, including pillowcases, sheets, and duvet covers, in hot water – ideally 54°C (130°F) or above. Research has proven that after just five minutes of exposure to these temperatures, lice and nits die.
High-Heat Drying: After washing everything, use your dryer’s highest heat setting to tumble dry your bedding for 15 minutes. Taking this additional step helps kill off any remaining lice or eggs.
Remove Non-Washable Items: For things like pillows and stuffed animals that cannot go in the washing machine, place them in a sealed plastic bag for at least two weeks to kill any lice and eggs.
Use Laundry Detergent: When washing lice-infested bedding, don’t use hot water alone; use your favourite laundry detergent to increase your chances of removing all traces of lice and their eggs.

Not all pillows are machine washable, so the best way to protect your pillow is to use a pillow protector. These protectors create a barrier that prevents lice and nits from coming into direct contact with your pillow. If you do end up with a lice infestation, simply remove the pillow protector from your pillow and wash it with the rest of your bedding.

The Role of Pillow Protectors in Preventing Lice and Dust Mites

For people who are worried about lice and dust mites, pillow protectors provide great protection against both pests and help with allergies. These protective covers create a physical barrier that fully encases the pillow, preventing both lice and dust mites from coming into contact with the actual pillow. This barrier is particularly beneficial for individuals with dust mite allergies, as it significantly reduces exposure to allergens that can trigger respiratory symptoms and skin irritation. I use these as I am an asthma suffer, and they help with my breathing at night.

But today, we are talking about head lice specifically. Pillow protectors are nice because they're easy to take off and wash at high temperatures. Great if you have the misfortune to be dealing with an infestation. They prevent lice and eggs from finding their way onto the pillow itself, which is nice because pillows are a lot harder to clean thoroughly. Using pillow protectors is considered a cost-efficient strategy to minimise the risk of reinfestation from pillows.

Regarding dust mites, pillow protectors create a barrier that prevents these microscopic creatures from accessing their food source, us ( just joking), They like the dead skin cells that accumulate in pillows. The higher quality pillow protectors use an ultra-close weave fabric with openings smaller than the body size of dust mites, physically preventing them from passing through.

Pillow protectors, like those made by Ottoman Textiles, feature a high thread count that creates a weave so tight that head lice cannot penetrate it. These protectors can be washed at high temperatures, effectively killing any lice that may be present on the surface, making them an excellent choice for households dealing with head lice concerns. They also offer specialised mattress protector covers that provide the same protective benefits for beds.

Prevention and Maintenance

Preventing a head lice reinfestation requires ongoing vigilance and a strong stomach (again joking, but I can't be the only one who gets freaked out by these wee creeps ), especially during any active outbreaks. Here are some preventive measures UK households can use to help prevent a head lice reinfestation.

Change and wash all pillowcases at least once a week in hot water
Use pillow protectors that you can remove and wash in hot water
You can use an electric blanket to reduce humidity on bed surfaces, making them less hospitable to both lice and dust mites
Vacuum all mattresses in the home at least once a month, particularly in late winter and early spring
If possible, wash and dry stuffed animals every couple of months. If you are dealing with an infestation, do not keep them on beds

For families with young children who are more susceptible to head lice, waterproof pillow protectors make a great choice. They not only protect against lice, but they also prevent stains, sweat, saliva, and other bodily fluids from reaching the pillow.

Final thoughts

While head lice can survive on pillows for a short period, they typically only live one to two days for adults and potentially longer for eggs. The risk of reinfestation from bedding is relatively low, but it is possible. But taking precautions like washing all bedding in hot water, choosing the highest heat setting on your dryer, and using pillow protectors, you can actually reduce this risk.

For us, UK households dealing with head lice, understanding how these parasites survive helps you develop effective prevention and treatment strategies that hopefully will keep your family safe from these horrible creatures. Just following the recommended cleaning protocols and use protective barriers like pillow protectors and your family can minimise the chances of prolonged infestations and create healthier sleeping environments.

Remember that the most common transmission method for head lice remains direct head-to-head contact. So while bedding hygiene is important, personal preventive measures should not be overlooked in lice management. Unfortunately, sometimes lice will happen, and we have to deal with it. But if you follow these guideline, you have less chance of it being a bigger issues.