Treat household items to stop scabies coming back - NPHS027

Scabies mites and eggs can live off the body for several days. After each personal treatment, clean clothing, bedding and household items to stop scabies coming back.

Day 1:

Personal treatment for everyone at home. Apply cream or lotion to all your skin and leave overnight. 

Follow your doctor’s instructions if you are taking tablets. 

See overleaf - Treating yourself and your whānau.

The next day:

After personal treatment, treat sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, towels, facecloths, soft toys and clothing used in the last 4 days.

Choose one of the following methods to kill the mites and their eggs

Hot was cycle over 50°C for more than 10 minutes

Put dry items in the dryer on HOT for at least 10 minutes

Freeze for at least 5 hours (e.g. overnight)

Seal in a plastic bag for 4 days

Days 2, 3 and 4:

Clean carpets, soft furnishings and carseats (adult and child).

Hot wash removable carseat coverings or vacuum clean, wipe surfaces.

A child's carseat can be sealed in a plastic bag for 4 days.

Days 8 – 10:

After your second personal treatment on day 7, repeat the treatment of clothing and household items exactly as Days 2, 3 and 4.

Treating yourself and your whānau

How to apply scabies cream or lotion

• Treat everyone in the house at the same time before bed, even if not itchy.
• Apply permethrin cream or lotion over all your skin. If you can’t get help applying cream to your back, talk to your doctor about other treatment options.
• Use enough cream or lotion to cover skin fully. Ensure enough cream or lotion for everyone in the house, and for the repeat treatment in 7 days.
  • Each treatment for an adult-sized person needs one or two bottles if they are larger.
  • Children 5-12 years; half to one bottle.
  • Children 2-5 years; quarter a bottle.
  • For a child 2 years; less than a quarter of a bottle.

Before you go to bed

• Apply cream or lotion all over your skin, avoiding your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Start with your face, scalp, ears and neck, then your chest, arms and legs,
  including armpits, belly button, feet, toes and toenails.
• Get help to cover hard-to-reach areas like your back.
• Wash your hands, apply it to your genital skin and between the buttocks,
  wash your hands again and then reapply to hands, wrists, between your
  fingers and under nails. Reapply if hands washed overnight.
• Leave cream overnight for 8-12 hours.

The next day

• Wash cream off. Put on clean clothes not worn for 4 days.
• Treat clothing and household items used in the last 4 days.
• See overleaf - Treat household items to stop scabies coming back.

7 days later

• Repeat treatment exactly as Day 1 to kill newly hatched eggs and make sure it
  doesn’t come back.
• Re-treat clothes and household items.

10 - 14 days later

• Check all household members for new itchy spots or rash.
• If new spots appear, seek advice from your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor.

Other information

If you are unable to apply cream or lotion as described, talk to your healthcare
provider about other treatment like tablets.