Dust soap against lice - how to use, pros and cons of the product

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Svetlana Tarasova

Hairdresser-stylist with more than 8 years of experience, expert in the field of haircuts, styling, hair care, coloring.
Pediculosis is a parasitic disease that affects the skin and scalp and causes a number of unpleasant symptoms.

To treat the disease, various remedies are used, both pharmaceutical and folk. One of the popular methods available is dust soap.

Dust soap for lice and nits - composition and method of use

The composition of dust soap is based on phenol derivatives and alkali, saponified with oils. It also contains vegetable or animal fats, the content of which, depending on the technology, can be 65, 70 or 72%.

The insecticidal property of the product is provided by dust or dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane (DDT). The soap contains only 5% of this substance, but this is enough to kill parasites in just one use . The dust affects adult lice and has a detrimental effect on nits, destroying their cocoon.

IMPORTANT! The insecticide can have a detrimental effect not only on parasites, but also on humans, so the product must be used carefully.

Dust soap is used like special shampoos. Instructions for its use are as follows:

• The soap needs to be crushed and beaten in a container.
• Distribute the foamed product over the hair and scalp.
• Then you need to wrap your head in polyethylene or put on a cap.
• You need to keep the soap for a maximum of half an hour.
• Then the head is washed with the usual shampoo several times.
• After this, you need to remove the insects using a special comb with fine teeth.

To prevent hair from drying out after soap, it is recommended to use a balm.
Usually one application of soap is enough to eliminate parasites. If results are not achieved, it is better to use less aggressive means for subsequent processing.

Can children use DDT soap?

It is not recommended to use dust soap to treat children . This is due to its poisonous properties. For kids, it is better to look for safer alternatives.

Effect of use on dogs and cats

Dust soap can be used in the fight against fleas and other parasites in pets . It is necessary to use a special collar that will protect the animal from getting the drug into the eyes, mouth and ears.

The use of dust for an animal is carried out according to the following scheme:

• A large basin should be filled approximately halfway with warm water. You can also use the bathroom.
• A protective collar is put on the pet. You need to place it in water and wet the wool.
• The entire body of the animal except the muzzle is lathered with dust soap.
• The foam should be left for 5-10 minutes.
• Then the product is washed off. It's better to do this several times.
• The animal must be dried with a terry towel.

IMPORTANT! After the procedure, the pet needs to be taken out into the air so that the body can quickly cleanse itself of toxins. If possible, give him some fresh milk to drink.

Real reviews

I consider dust soap one of the best products. We used it to treat lice at one time, and now we use it on children. Its price is cheap, but its efficiency is high. The main thing is not to hold it on your head for a long time, then there will be no bad consequences.

Tamara Ivanovna, 32 years old, Moscow

As a child, I washed my hair with this product after I brought lice from kindergarten. It seems to have helped. I remember well that the smell took a long time to dissipate, but nothing was wrong, it was a good remedy.

Anatoly Ivanovich, 52 years old, Samara

I have two children the same age, they go to school. Somehow they brought lice. First, I rushed to the pharmacy and bought a special shampoo against head lice, but it didn’t help. Then I remembered how my mother treated me the old fashioned way. In general, I bought this soap, soaped the children once, and everything was fine. Then they just combed out the dead lice. True, the smell leaves much to be desired, but what can we do now? But it works.

Antonina, 36 years old, Tambov

In my opinion, this soap is used by extreme people. It is clear that before there were few opportunities, but now pharmacies are overwhelmed with anti-pediculosis drugs. And the prices are different, for every budget. Why torture yourself, and especially your children? Ivan, 27 years old, Novorossiysk

Contraindications and precautions

Dust is a highly toxic substance, so it is contraindicated for children, pregnant and lactating women. It should not be used by people with poor health and chronic diseases.

Dust soap is strictly prohibited for asthmatics - the strong smell will instantly lead to an attack of suffocation. Contraindications also include dermatitis and allergic reactions.

ATTENTION! Before you start processing your hair, you need to make sure that there are no open wounds or scratches on the skin.

Absorption of a toxic component into the blood can lead to poisoning. The lethal dose of DDT is 3 g per kilogram of weight. Intoxication can also occur at significantly lower dosages.

Due to the presence of alkali in the composition, the drug can cause dryness and irritation of the scalp . When a toxic substance accumulates in the body, the following consequences are possible:

• disruptions in the functioning of the brain;
• brain disorders;
• gene mutations;
• malignant neoplasms;
• nervous and autonomic disorders.

During pregnancy, dust can provoke intrauterine fetal death.

The insecticide can accumulate in the body. It is almost not broken down and is not excreted, which can lead to severe intoxication , manifested by the following symptoms:

• weakness;
• nausea;
• headache;
• breathing problems;
• allergic reaction;
• muscle cramps.

If after using dust soap at least one symptom of poisoning occurs, you should immediately contact a specialist.
When using dust soap, you must adhere to the following precautions:

• It is recommended that someone else treat the head of a person with lice . The handler must wear goggles, a respirator and rubber gloves.
• The patient must keep his mouth and eyes closed during the entire session.
• If discomfort occurs, you need to wash off the soap earlier.

Dust soap is not suitable for regular use. Only one-time use is allowed. For repeated procedures, less aggressive agents are used.

Price

The asking price ranges from thirty to sixty rubles. The cost is affected by the weight of the final product. Usually soap is produced in packages of forty or sixty-five grams. This weight is enough to carry out the initial treatment of one person in order to rid him of the carriage of lice.

Due to its high toxicity, the product has almost been discontinued. Currently, it cannot be found in retail pharmacies or hardware store shelves. But there is a way out, you can try to order the product online or look for it on the shelves of pet stores, since this insecticide is successfully used to rid animals of flea parasitism.

Release forms and alternative uses of dust

To combat parasites, you can only use dust soap. This is done extremely carefully, taking into account all safety measures.

Dust with water for lice

Before application, dust soap is always moistened with water . This is necessary for it to foam. Foam should be applied to all hair.

If parasite larvae remain on any part of them that has not been treated, then a relapse of the disease will begin after a few days.

Dust in powder form

Dust powder should never be applied to the head . This will lead to dangerous consequences and provoke severe intoxication.

Operating principle

When dust soap is applied to foci of head lice, dichlorophenyltrichloromethylmethane penetrates deeply through the chitinous cover of lice, causing their death. In addition to killing adults, DDT has a detrimental effect on the larvae, destroying their protective cocoon and destroying the glue with which they are attached to the skin and hair.

When soap is applied, lice die.

Pros and cons of dust in the fight against pediculosis

Nowadays, dust soap is not used so actively, but in the last century it was one of the main ways to combat parasites. The main advantage of the product is its effectiveness.

Dust helps get rid of parasites in just one procedure, which not all pharmaceutical products can do. Also, one of the advantages is the low price of the product.

Despite this, the product has a number of disadvantages.

These include its toxicity and strong pungent odor, which takes more than one hour to dissipate. In addition, the product has many contraindications, and it can cause poisoning.

There is also a negative effect of dust soap on hair . After using it, they become dry, dull and brittle. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the strands with enhanced care.

Did dust soap help you against lice?

Not really

What to replace it with?

You can replace dust soap with safer folk remedies, such as vinegar, kerosene, dichlorvos, hairspray, essential oils, including tea tree oil, hellebore water, tar soap.

There are also a lot of modern remedies against pediculosis. Read on our website about some of them: these are sprays for lice and nits - Nyuda, Paranit, Pediculen Ultra, Para Plus and ointments Benzyl benzoate (ointment and emulsion) and Sulfuric.

Probably, in a few decades, dust soap will finally become a thing of history, since it is already very difficult to get it today. But while there is still an opportunity to try its anti-pediculosis effect, just keep in mind that you will do this at your own peril and risk.

Other folk remedies against lice

People also know other means to help cope with parasites. Many of them are safer than dust soap, so they can be used as an alternative.

Alcohol (vodka)

One of the popular folk methods of treating head lice is using vodka or alcohol. They cannot be applied in their pure form, otherwise a burn may occur. Alcohol is an antiseptic and therefore helps kill adult insects.

But at the same time, it does not act on nits and is contraindicated for children. You need to keep alcohol products on your head for half an hour, after warming your head.

Tar soap

Tar soap has antiseptic properties, so it helps in the fight against parasites. In addition, they are frightened by the pungent smell. You need to wash your hair with soap and keep it under a plastic cap for 2-3 hours. After this, you need to rinse off the soap and comb your hair.

Kerosene

Kerosene helps eliminate parasites, but it is a very aggressive agent . It must be diluted with vegetable oil in a ratio of 10:1 - the composition is not used in its pure form.

The product should be kept for two hours, wrapping your head in polyethylene and a towel. After this, the hair is washed and combed.

Cranberry

Cranberry juice helps fight nits by corroding the shell and destroying the embryo. It must be used within 10-15 days.

Tea tree oil

Tea oil is an effective antiseptic that promotes the death of parasites. It is not used in its pure form - it must be used together with a light base oil (almond, jojoba, peach, apricot, etc.).

The oils are mixed in a 1:2 ratio, then the mixture is applied to the scalp and distributed along the length of the hair. You need to keep the composition under polyethylene for at least two hours. The procedure must be repeated for three days. In the future, tea oil can be used once a week for prevention.

Hydrogen peroxide

Peroxide breaks down the protective chitinous layer of parasites and causes them a chemical burn . The parasites will not die from it, but it will be much easier to comb them out. For treatment you need to take peroxide 1.5%.

If it has a three percent concentration, it must be diluted with water in equal proportions. The product is applied to the scalp and roots, left for 8-10 minutes, then rinsed thoroughly and the parasites are removed with a comb.

Vinegar

Vinegar fights both lice and nits . But it can cause a burn, so it needs to be diluted with water (1:1 for apple cider vinegar and 1:2 for nine percent).

The mixture is applied only to the hair, without touching the scalp. You need to keep it for up to half an hour, then you need to wash and comb your hair.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap is an effective antiseptic. It not only fights parasites, but also helps relieve itching . It is used like tar soap: applied to the head and left under a cap for half an hour. But the remedy gives clear results no earlier than after a week, so it is more likely to be additional than basic.

All traditional methods must be used with caution. This is especially true for dust soap.

Despite its effectiveness, the product is toxic and can lead to serious negative consequences. If you decide to choose it to eliminate parasites, it is important to take into account all contraindications and precautions.

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Terms of use

Tar soap is used against lice as follows:

• wash your hair thoroughly and immediately rinse with water to remove dirt and grease from your hair;
• apply the soap again and foam it thoroughly;
• leave the product on your hair and wait about an hour;
  

  On a note! Since this drug has no side effects, there is no strict time frame. Only in case of individual intolerance to the components, unpleasant sensations may occur.

• Rinse off the soap with plenty of water and begin combing with a comb;
• carry out the procedure daily for a week.

If you are going to combine anti-lice soap with insecticidal preparations, then first of all the hair should be treated with a chemical. After which the soap is applied to the hair once. There is no need to carry out this procedure often - once or twice will be enough. Here everything will depend on the effectiveness of the insecticide.

In both the first and second cases, the use of tar soap is only an additional measure that enhances the effect of the second remedy.

Now we should talk about the effectiveness and rules for using dust and laundry soap.

Washing dogs with soap

With dogs, the situation is much simpler - they are not afraid of water, they themselves climb into it when they see it on the street, even when it’s cold. Therefore, taking a bath for a dog should not cause any problems, but it is worth remembering the characteristics of small dogs: they are very weak, they do not have thick hair, so they, like cats, need to be washed in warm water in a pre-heated bath so that they do not freeze .

Small dogs should not be washed in cold water

The process of washing dogs with soap is as follows:

1. It is necessary to wet the animal’s fur (you also don’t have to touch the head).
2. Lather the soap until a large amount of foam forms.
3. Rub the animal's fur with this foam. Soap should not get into your eyes, nose, ears or mouth.
4. Wait a few minutes, then rinse off the soap thoroughly.
5. If the dog has thick, long hair, you need to lather it again with soap and wait a few minutes, then rinse it off.

Dogs with dry and thin skin should be washed with extreme caution. Dust soap can be used only once every few weeks, so that DDT does not accumulate in the body, and tar and laundry soap can be used several times in a row, with a difference of several days.

Providing first aid for intoxication

The first thing that needs to be done is to get rid of the direct impact of the toxic substance on the body and to prevent the poisoning from worsening. Only by removing dust from the surface of the skin with a large amount of water or removing the victim from an area containing toxic fumes can further destruction of internal organs and the central nervous system be prevented.

If gastric lavage is necessary, the victim needs to drink at least 1.5 liters of clean water and then induce vomiting by putting a finger in the mouth. Such actions are repeated until the stomach is completely cleansed of the toxic substance.

Alternative

Treating head lice with dust soap is as risky as using kerosene. Therefore, it is recommended to choose an equally effective, but more gentle treatment. Pharmacy counters offer a sufficient variety of products with natural or chemical compositions that are safer for human health. You can also choose a recipe from traditional medicine. The use of any product must be accompanied by mechanical hair treatment - a thick comb with tightly spaced teeth comes complete with a variety of pharmaceutical preparations and is also sold separately. With its help, you can not only remove live lice, but also comb out nits that are very firmly glued to the hair shaft. Treatment of pediculosis is carried out at home. You can confirm the diagnosis of pediculosis and choose a safe and effective remedy during a consultation with a trichologist or dermatologist. The patient is recommended to take sick leave for a week. If side effects occur, you should immediately contact the clinic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhNfS7r7_Mg&t=131s

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Treating cats with soap

Cats are very finicky creatures who do not like to take baths. If households who do not go outside are unlikely to catch any infection, then street revelers are very susceptible to this, and after each walk they need to be washed and treated. After all, if they have worms, people can also become infected with helminthiasis.

Cats have a special relationship with water: don’t touch this wet liquid! There are, of course, exceptions who love to swim, but they are too few.

Some cats favor baths

Therefore, washing a water hater usually requires two adults - one holds it, the other washes it. In addition, you must follow a number of rules for bathing cats:

• before bathing, you need to heat the bath so that it is not cold, and fill it with water so that it is up to your pet’s chest; if you have a basin, fill it with warm (38–43 degrees) water (so that it only reaches the cat’s chest) and place the cat in it; Do not wash in a cold bath or with cold water - the pet may get sick;

  
  The cat must stand firmly on its paws, the water must be up to its chest, not higher, so as not to choke.

Super Fas Powder

Super Fas powder for cockroaches

The most popular form is white powder against cockroaches Fas Super, sold in small bags of 10 g.

According to the degree of danger of the powder:

• highly dangerous if inhaled due to the volatility of the poison;
• moderate – when passing into the stomach;
• low hazard - in case of contact with skin.

Instructions for preparing and using a solution of Super Fas powder against cockroaches:

1. Before treatment begins, all food and necessary items must be removed from the premises, cleaned, and all residents and pets removed.
2. Before use, be sure to wear protective clothing and goggles, a respirator, and rubber gloves.
3. The powder should be diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions with warm water in a ratio of 1:20.
4. Pour the prepared solution into a spray bottle.
5. Spray the solution in all places where insects accumulate: baseboards, furniture, cabinets, cracks in walls and floors, sinks, the area around the trash can and pipes, cockroach paths. The consumption rate is 50 ml/sq.m. m.
6. After finishing the treatment, it is recommended to thoroughly ventilate the room.

Important!

It is better for children, pregnant women and animals not to return to the apartment for 24 hours after spraying until the concentration of chemicals in the air decreases. The high efficiency of the applied solution lasts 7-8 days; repeated spraying should be carried out no less than after 3-4 weeks when pests appear.

Cockroach repellent Fas in powder can only be purchased in specialized hardware or country stores, as well as in pharmacies or from an official supplier via the Internet. It can be stored for up to 2 years in a dry place out of reach of children. It is prohibited to keep it close to dishes, personal hygiene products and food.

Another powder remedy for cockroaches, Fas Duble, in the form of a dust, has reduced toxicity, so it is widely used to kill insects in apartments and private houses. The dust is used in dry form and applied in areas where the Prussians are located.

How does the disease manifest itself?

One of the most important symptoms of this disease is itching; it plagues a person with increasing intensity. As a result, children often scratch the affected areas of their heads until they bleed. In especially severe cases, due to pediculosis, the lymph nodes located behind the ears become denser and increase in size.

White shiny lice larvae (nits) are always visible on the hair of a sick person; they usually look like ordinary dandruff, but unlike the latter, nits are not shaken off from the hair, they are tightly attached to it using a special substance secreted by lice.

Just one female can give birth to more than a hundred young lice (the maturation period for nits is ten days)

Therefore, it is also important to begin treatment for this disease in a timely manner. To do this, you can use modern shampoos, combs or proven folk methods.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap in the Soviet Union was made according to certain standards and was available in every home: it was used for washing dishes, washing clothes, washing the body and head. One inexpensive soap replaced a huge number of different detergents. This is due to its composition.

Laundry soap contains only sodium or potassium salt and fatty acids. If you add dyes and essential oils to them, you can get toilet soap. If you add various thinning components and, for example, SLS, you can get a well-foaming shampoo alternative. Thus, only two components included in laundry soap are the basis of any cleaning chemical product, so it was used wherever possible.

Laundry soap indicates the percentage of acids

Laundry soap has a percentage designation: 72% means that the product contains the maximum amount of acids. This is a natural, environmentally friendly soap.

The saturated fatty acids included in this product (stearic, palmitic, lauric, and so on) improve the properties of soap to form foam and exhibit washing abilities in both cold and hot water.

If your hands remain sticky after using laundry soap, it contains rosin. This substance promotes the formation of foam and dissolution of the product in cold water, and also increases the shelf life of the soap. If you add sodium silicate to the product, the stickiness will disappear.

If you add bleach to laundry soap, it will turn white.

Now liquid laundry soap has appeared on the market, which has nothing in common with solid laundry soap except the name. It contains toxic substances that can corrode the skin.

Laundry soap not only cleans surfaces well from dirt, but also has antimicrobial properties, so it is often used in medicine in the absence of certain drugs.

After washing the wound, you need to apply gauze soaked in a soap solution. on the wound

Advantages of this product:

• environmentally friendly hypoallergenic product;
• high alkaline balance;
• has antimicrobial properties;
• low cost;

One of the advantages and disadvantages of this product is that due to its high alkaline balance, this soap cannot be used often for washing: alkali harms the skin, and the epidermis loses its elasticity and becomes dry.