Should I spray hats with lice killing spray??

Hello, all. I just bought a few hats yesterday at a flea market to use for

classic portraits of children. The hats look brand new, but you never know who

has used them and if they had lice! Is there anyway to "sanitize" the hats for

lice? I have looked online for Lice Spray but all of the products I found were

for upholtry. I am sure these chemicals would be very rough on a kid's head! I

was hoping for a response for someone who has "studio clothing" that their

clients use for classic portraits. I didn't know what the studio did with the

items after the client used them! I a bit of a clean freak and I know I

wouldn't want some hat on my child's head that had been on 60 others.

 

Thanks alot-

Jana

I think there are two common ways to kill lice - chemicals and heat. Take your pick.

 

Are you going to sterilize them after every use?

After raising 5 kids we've learned the whole drill.

 

Head lice can be killed without chemicals by high temperatures and starvation.

 

If the hats will stand it, soak them in hot water (at least 140 degrees F) for at least 15 minutes, then run them through the dryer on the hottest setting.

 

If they don't like water, just heating in the dryer for 30 minutes or so will work. I've also read that baking in an oven (150-170 degrees) or in a microwave will work, but I've never had the nerve to try it -- the risk of fire seems too high, and the dryer is quite convenient.

 

For more delicate items, placing them in an airtight bag for at least 14 days will kill the adults and nits (airtight doesn't kill, just prevents the little critters from escaping). You might want to get in the habit of just storing your kid's clothing and cuddly props in Ziplocks.

 

Prefessional dry cleaning is also effective; many photogs charge a cleaning fee for use of studio clothing for just that reason.

Maybe check your local health department and/or county agent?

"Head lice can be killed without chemicals by high temperatures and starvation."

 

I understnd how high temperture would be applied to a hat, but how does one starve a hat?

From a quick Google of "lice hats": http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/headlice.html

<I>but how does one starve a hat?</i><P>

 

Don't give it any head? Sorry...

The hat is girls easter-like hat so the straw (or plastic like material) might melt or catch fire in the oven or microwave! The hat wouldn't withstand a dryer (flowers will fall apart). However, on the Harvard site the Beau sent said that a hairdryer will kill lice. I do intent to do this after each session that it is used. What can I say... my mother traumatized me by using Ridd shampoo on me everyday after kindergarden to be sure I never got lice! Thanks for all your helpful tips!

Interesting - you can apparently freeze the little boogers too! So if you live up north, leave those hats out for a few nights in the cold and *then* blowdry 'em! ;-)

as long as there's no metal on them, just stick those suckers in the microwave for ~10 seconds.

Try putting them in a closed box or similar with some cotton wool soaked in household ammonia for 24 hours.

I would like what was mentioned...store them in a zip lock...that way you should be safe....but it has to be over 14 days

Many good suggestions here! Here's another... A good way to be sure you get rid of lice (I know, thanks to my little boy) is hairspray. It's really just glue & rubbing alcohol, and it gums the suckers up & poisons them. Spray it on heavy, then wash the hat in hot water, and dry it normally.

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The microwave trick should work too but there can really be no metal in or on them anywhere.

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Another trick to help is ziplock bags and mothballs.

Not sure I want to admit this, but my daughter managed to come home with head lice twice when she was in first grade (ughhh, talk about being skeeved out!) .... I remember buying the shampoo kit that came with a lice killing spray for objects that wouldn't go in a washing machine... ie. the sofa, the car upholstery...

 

You might want to check the pharmacy to see what they have.