Liquid lice treatments and shampoos don’t work for everyone, especially if you don’t like the idea of handling the products yourself. Instead, you can look into using a lice spray, which effectively kills lice in a simple, easy-to-use form.
4.6
Over 90 years of experience
Nationwide service area
Free retreatments if pests return
4.7
Treats 20 types of pests
Offers instant online quotes
30-day money-back guarantee
What Should You Look For?
Not all lice sprays are created equal. Some are designed to be friendlier and gentle on skin, while others are tough on pests and use stronger chemicals. You might also want a spray that has additional features, like the power to also repel lice for a short period of time after application.
Additionally, many lice sprays might be less effective methods for killing lice because they use gentler ingredients or no pesticides. The below items are some important aspects you should consider before deciding which lice spray works for you.
Ingredients
As with many other insecticidal treatments, you should pay close attention to the ingredients used in lice spray.
Some sprays use more powerful chemicals to eliminate lice and only require one treatment. These chemicals are mild forms of pesticides and are usually in the form of pyrethrins or permethrins, which can be toxic when ingested.
Those two are specifically recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as the first solution to a head lice problem.
Unfortunately, lice are becoming more and more resilient to these ingredients.
Also be aware that these chemicals can be tough on the skin if not used carefully, which can cause additional scalp irritation.
Did You Know
Lice eggs glue themselves to individual hair follicles.
If you’re not comfortable using this kind of lice spray, you might want to consider one which uses more natural ingredients like rosemary and mint. These sprays are not as strong as the ones which use pesticides, but are less likely to be toxic and usually include some lice repelling properties.
Ultimately, it’s important to determine which ingredients are right for you before choosing a lice spray for treatment.
Add-Ons
Sometimes sprays come with useful features like lice combs or conditioners that can help eliminate all traces of lice and nits.
Depending on your infestation level, you might not need any additional equipment, but the add-ons can be beneficial for people facing a moderate-to-severe lice problem.
In particular, most lice treatments on the market require the use of a lice comb, which is often sold separately. Finding a package deal which includes a comb can save you money in the long run.
Sprays that also repel lice?
Since lice die very quickly without a host, grabbing a spray with repellent properties is usually a good idea.
These sprays can be useful for people who are worried about redeveloping a lice infestation, especially if multiple people in the same home have a problem.
Here’s a quick video showing the powerful effects rosemary could have on lice!
Repelling sprays can also be useful if you have children and they go to a school where other kids have come home with lice.
In addition, some sprays only repel and will not be useful to treat lice infestations. In this case, you need to read the product carefully and be sure it can treat an active problem.
How Much Does It Cost?
Most lice sprays cost between $10-$20 for a single, multi-use bottle that can work for families.
Remember to check and see if it comes with a lice comb or any other useful materials to target nits and lice, as nits can be difficult to eliminate without the proper equipment. This is because nits latch onto the hair follicle for safety.
Top 4 Best Lice Sprays
In the below section we break down each of our product recommendations in a little more detail.
- LiceLogic Natural Hair Nit Spray
- Licefreee Spray Instant Head Lice Treatment
- Nit Free Head Lice Detangling Spray
- Nix Lice and Bed Bug Killing Spray
LiceLogic Natural Hair Nit Spray
The LiceLogic Natural Hair Nit Spray comes with a refreshing mint scent which I enjoy.
The product uses more traditional pesticides to loosen nits and destroy lice, but still manages to be gentle on the skin.
Its creators combined chemicals with gentler alternatives like rosemary and mint, which mean the LiceLogic Spray can repel future lice for a few days after application.
The product can be used on wet or dry hair and is safe for daily use. LiceLogic is a spray but looks more like a mousse which can be massaged throughout your hair, meaning it can be effective on most hair types.
Licefreee Spray Instant Head Lice Treatment
The Licefreee Spray Instant Head Lice Treatment uses a non-toxic formula designed to be homeopathic and environmentally friendly.
Unlike some other products, this one comes with a patented metal comb that can help dislodge nits and dead lice from the scalp.
The Licefreee Spray does not need to be rinsed out of hair after application and does not contain permethrin or pyrethrum, which are the two most popular yet toxic lice treatments.
We recommend this product to people seeking an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional lice treatments, or to people who have children and are concerned about the ingredients in other sprays. Because it is a spray, it’s easy to apply Licefreee to most hair types.
Nit Free Head Lice Detangling Spray
Unlike some other products, the Nit Free Head Lice Detangling Spray is made with peppermint oil for a fresh scent and the non-toxic lice repelling power of plants.
This spray works as a leave in conditioner which can help dislodge nits and dead lice from people’s hair.
It can be applied to wet or dry hair and helps soothe scalp irritation caused by bites from lice.
The Nit Free spray is not guaranteed to kill lice but uses strong repellents and works effectively with a comb for those seeking a non-toxic, low chemical alternative to traditional pesticides. I recommend this product to families with children because of the spray’s ability to repel lice and gentle approach to infestations.
Nix Lice and Bed Bug Killing Spray
Generally speaking, lice cannot survive if not attached to the human head, but the pests can and do regularly fall off the scalp onto bedding and furniture. For this, it’s a good idea to have a treatment ready to kill any stray lice during or after scalp treatment.
This product uses permethrin to immediately kill any lice it comes into contact with.
It is important to note that this product is not meant to be used on the scalp under any circumstances. Use the product to spray down all areas of your bed and all furniture to kill stray lice to prevent a reinfestation.
This product is effective for up to 4 weeks and can also be used to kill some strains of bed bugs if you ever have experienced that problem.
Simply spray down all furniture and bedding allow the chemical to kill any lice that may be present. This is a great way to be double sure you have destroyed any remaining lice in the area.
Use the form below to get price estimates from local providers:
