How to de - nit a riding hat.

[Mirage]

That's it really.I discovered last night,that DD1 had little visitors,so treated her with neem oil last night,which seems to have done the trick.Any thoughts about how I make sure none are lurking in her riding hat? I don't really want to use neem on it because it really does stink and will make DD1's head smell for months afterwards.

Any suggestions? TIA.

[runningonwillpower]

I doubt if you need to do anything. As far as I know they don't live 'off-site'.

[Lovesswimming]

just don't use it for a few days, they can't survive that long (probably not even a couple of days)

[Vajazzler]

You could put it it's freezer to kill the little blighters!

[Starballbunny]

They really do cling on to the hair close to the scalp, it's extremely unlikely there are any in the hat.

You don't find them on hair brushes even when there are lots of the little beasts about.

[Littlebigbum]

I vote for the freezer over night because it is the eggs that live off site.

[Poledra]

Not sure I'd put a riding hat in the freezer overnight - what would the effect on the plastic be?

[AuntieStella]

They really don't survive well away from a nice warm host. How often is the hat worn? Leaving in a nice chilly room or suitable dry nook outdoors would probably do it.

And do keep combing DD - it's terribly easy to miss some of the little blighters and that is the fast way to reinfestation.

[Mirage]

Thank you.I was worried about putting it in the freezer as you aren't meant to store them in extremes of temperature.

She wears the hat pretty much every day,but the forecast isn't great this week so might not be riding anyway.

I have just remembered that she has a velvet show cap too,she can wear that for a few days,just in case.

I shall continue to comb daily,and check everyone else,the neem oil did a fabulous job.I originally bought it to treat dpony's pin worm and we haven't had a reoccurance of that.nor did her field mate get it.Shame it stinks so badly though.

[mrslaughan]

We had an infestation (eeeeuuuuuwwwww) just before Xmas, they apparently can't survive off the host longer than 32 hours ( which is why we changed all bedding, and washed soft toys etc...I did go abit overboard probably.....anyway, so if she doesn't wear it for 42 hours say, you should be fine.

[Atbeckandcall]

Frontline spray!!

I work in a vets and if any of the staff's kiddies get visitors they frontline them.
It brilliant and doesn't have a lingering smell. If it can be used on tiny kittens, it'll be fine for children. Spray some in the hat and they'll die v quickly x

[Mirage]

Ohh! That's useful to know.I hadn't thought of Frontline.

As it is,the hat was left 60 hours before we were able to ride again,and I've checked her since and no re infestation.I'm itching now just at the thought of them.Ugh!