Lice!

So... since I'm dealing with it right now (for the 3rd or 4th time...), I thought I'd share how I deal with lice. I tried following what the box kits say to do, and after a couple hundred dollars spent on that crap, let me say it's not overly effective.
Needed:

• metal-toothed lice/nit comb. NOT plastic. Those are crap.
• Conditioner. Just buy a cheap bottle of anything. I use Coconut Suave conditioner.
• Apple cider vinegar (ACV) and a pitcher or large cup.

Day 1: Shampoo hair... Use a lice-killing shampoo if you want, or Dawn, or regular shampoo... Whatever. Slather on a handful or so of conditioner (depending on length of hair! Shorter hair won't need that much.) Brush it out, to get all the tangles out, then section it off into halves or quarters. Use the nit/lice comb, and comb carefully from scalp to tip of the hair. Rinse OFTEN. I do this with my daughter sitting in the tub. If any of the damn things get caught in the teeth, use a pin or needle to clear them out. Carefully comb the entire head. Rinse thoroughly, then rinse with the ACV. I have a pitcher that I fill with water, then add a splash of ACV. I pour it over my daughter's head, let it sit for a bit, then lightly rinse with plain water.
Repeat this at LEAST every 2 days. I suggest every other day, though.
Why this works better than the kits and shampoos: The chemical method is repeated every 7 days. They warn against doing it more frequently. The reproductive cycle of a louse is 3 days. That means, in 7 days, the lice have gone through 2 reproductive cycles. Yikes! My way catches them before they lay more eggs, assuming you miss any nits in your combing. And you will, it's no big deal, it doesn't mean you did a bad job.   The conditioner method works in 2 ways: the conditioner makes the hair easier to comb, AND its so thick that the lice can't move. They're trapped for the comb to scrape them out of the hair. By doing it at least every 2 days, you catch the newly hatched lice before they lay eggs.
Why the ACV? My aunt and grandma swear an ACV rinse will prevent you from getting lice. It worked last year, but my daughter whined so much about the smell (which goes away when the hair dries) that I slacked on it. Other people claim it works for repelling lice as well. Whether it's true, or just coincidence, I do it anyways.

So that works for the hair. Now what about bedding, toys, etc? Now, I've read the hysterical responses that  are suggested by the "lice industry" and many other people. I vacuum the carpet. Bedding gets washed and dried (probably needed it anyways, right?) and stuffed animals get run through the drier. That's it. No insane cleaning spree. In the many times my daughter has come home with lice, I've gotten them once. Heck, this last time, she slept in my bed with me before I realized she had them, and my head's still "safe". I do check everyone's head, and my husband checks mine. I just realized that there's no use in freaking. Adult lice will die within 2 days without a food source.

And that's how I deal with it. Keep calm, and lice comb on! lol