Does acetone kill louse eggs?

[Lyndsey Doyle]

Good morning, one of the very few downsides of living on an old wood boat is the neccessity of grappling with invisible invaders.
It's well known that the French don't wash, and, after coming into close contact with certain representatives of said nationality, my starboard bunk has recently become somewhat itchy. I'm no expert, but scratched quite a few times during the last couple of nights.
No time to do a proper job because guests are coming, a quick blitzkreig without dismantling 36+ silicon bronze screws etc is sought. I have a broad selection of naughty chemicals (no not that sort, Jenkins in the back row!) which one will do the business but dry out in an hour or two? Got some International thinners kicking about which I don't use, what do you think?
Mucho appreciado LD
sorry the sausage pic is the wrong one struggling to put up the correct one

 

[prv]

Don't suppose you've got a hoover on board?

As a student I moved into a room previously occupied by a slightly crazy woman and her cat. The furnishings included a small sofa, which turned out to be full of fleas. The advice I found online was to beat it thoroughly with a stick, which apparently simulates a large animal crashing past, and triggers the fleas to come to the surface and start jumping in order to catch a ride. Then immediately go over the whole thing with the hoover, which sucks them up. It worked remarkably well, and I was able to use the sofa for the next two years without any more bites on the back of my legs.

Are you proposing to soak the mattress in acetone?

Pete

 

[VicS]

Good morning, one of the very few downsides of living on an old wood boat is the neccessity of grappling with invisible invaders.
? Got some International thinners kicking about which I don't use, what do you think?

Not aware that any International thinners contain acetone ! ....

Sounds more likely that fleas are your problem. I'd suggest you look for a suitable insecticide.

 

[RichardS]

sorry the sausage pic is the wrong one struggling to put up the correct one

I might be seeing things ...... but the non-sausage pic looks like some sole boards which are full of holes.

Is that another kind of "invisible invader" which has eaten away your boards?

(although looking at the size of those holes, it could hardly be invisible! )

What are those holes?

Richard

 

[awol]

A guaranteed remedy would be to soak the bedding and surrounding area in thinners, apply a lit match and run. A similar result without collateral damage can be achieved with a smoke bomb like http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fogger-Spider-BedBug-Cockroach-killer/dp/B0072VJI4O.

 

[vyv_cox]

I would be very wary of applying any chemicals to a bed, where the occupant could be inhaling the remaining fumes for hours on end. Acetone would at least evaporate fairly readily but International thinners stinks for days on a cloth. Vacuum cleaner sounds like the best quick remedy.

 

[RichardTaylor]

Any thinners/Acetone could seriously degrade the foam in the mattress.

 

[sarabande]

Solvent not a good idea, unless you are having a special kind of mind party as well, Miss L (missile ?).


Flea powder liberally sprinkled everywhere, then suction cleaner a few days alter.


A neat recipe for DIY flea powder, which also smells very nice and is not "chemically". Finding the content will also put you in touch with young french persons who are into the good life.....

Diatomaceous Earth (ultra fine sharp earth crystals which kill fleas by physical action
Neem Powder (Indian tree, much loved by hippies, and me)
Yarrow Powder (in all good cooking stores)
Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Mix and sprinkle. Smells lovely, almost as good as boat diesel.

 

[prv]

I might be seeing things ...... but the non-sausage pic looks like some sole boards which are full of holes.

Errm, no, those are bunk-boards which are full of ventilation holes

Pete

 

[Giblets]

May I suggest a product called Indorex Spray made by Verbac Animal Health.

 

[RichardS]

Errm, no, those are bunk-boards which are full of ventilation holes

Pete

I don't have those. Do all monohulls have so many large holes?

Best not have any seriously obese sailing pals as they might end up in the bilges! :ambivalence:

Richard

 

[sarabande]

Errm, no, those are bunk-boards which are full of ventilation holes

Pete

aw shucks, I was looking forward to Lindsey's next thread about termites.....

 

[prv]

I don't have those. Do all monohulls have so many large holes?

I don't think it's a multihull / monohull thing!

Ariam has a few small holes in the plywood locker lids, but since they are small (about 1"), few in number, and much of the under-bunk surface is GRP rather than lid anyway, I'm sure they do precisely bugger-all in terms of ventilation. The underneath of the mattress does get quite damp, I might get round to fitting slats or some of that ventilation mesh one day.

Pete

 

[shan]

May I suggest a product called Indorex Spray made by Verbac Animal Health.

+ 1

 

[EdWingfield]

But our OP is talking about invisible lice, not fleas?

 

[Giblets]

But our OP is talking about invisible lice, not fleas?

Indorex will deal with them!

 

[macd]

But our OP is talking about invisible lice, not fleas?

That's what the head says, but not the body of the post. I suspect he hasn't a clue what he's got, just that it's small and itchy.

 

[nigelmercier]

May I suggest a product called Indorex Spray made by Verbac Animal Health.

Apparently this "kills household fleas for two months".

Zombie fleas.

Edit...

Just noticed the sausage picture, takes me back ten years. Brilliant

 

[EdWingfield]

It could be an unfortunate infestation of the pubic area? I wonder if Indorex is safe to apply to the family jewels?

 

[Giblets]

It could be an unfortunate infestation of the pubic area? I wonder if Indorex is safe to apply to the family jewels?

Errr, no.