Living With Scabies In Shared Housing - What To Do

Discovering scabies in your shared housing can come as a shock but it’s a common issue when living in close quarters - it’s just one of those things that can happen. While it might feel overwhelming or even embarrassing at first, rest assured there are clear steps you can take to handle it.

The condition, an itchy rash caused by mites, is highly contagious and can spread quickly in a shared household. Treating scabies in shared accommodation means you need to be proactive. But with the right treatment plan and a bit of teamwork you can stop more people from being infected and get things back to normal.

This isn’t just about treating yourself; it’s about looking out for your housemates too. Thankfully topical creams and oral medications are effective while washing bedding and clothing will help get rid of the mites for good.

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How To Tell Your Housemates You Have Scabies

We get it - telling your housemates you’ve got scabies can feel uncomfortable. But it’s an important step to stop the spread and start tackling the issue together. Uni halls and scabies often go hand in hand but they’re equally common in private accommodation. No matter where you’re living it’s important to nip it in the bud.

Choose a private location where you can gather your housemates together and bring up scabies. You may have to explain how it’s caused by tiny mites through close contact and not poor hygiene which is a common misconception. Read our scabies guides too so you’ve got all the main facts to hand.

Share any key details, like how scabies is easily treatable and that everyone in the house should be proactive, even if they don’t have symptoms yet. Stress that the sooner it’s dealt with the sooner you can all get back to normal and that’s why you’re being upfront about it.

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Permethrin 5% cream is effective in treating scabies and lice infestations, providing quick relief from itching and irritation.

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Treating Scabies When You Live With Others

While it’s tempting to not tell anyone and simply treat yourself you could be storing up reinfestations down the line. Your housemates may already have the condition but aren’t showing symptoms yet, so it’s essential everyone is treated at the same time.

Once you’ve identified scabies and had it confirmed by a medical professional, you’ll need to coordinate treatment to prevent further infestations and stop the cycle.

During treatment, it’s a good idea to manage shared spaces carefully. Clean bedding, towels, and clothes in hot water (at least 60C), and avoid sharing personal items. Avoid direct, skin-to-skin contact with anyone else in your household and vacuum the entire home too.

Scabies treatment starts to work immediately, killing the mites within a day although the itch and rash may worsen initially. Symptoms should start to ease within a week although itching may last up to six or more.

Managing Shared Spaces During Treatment

Take simple, practical steps to manage communal spaces during your treatment. Starting with shared bathrooms, encourage everyone to use their own towels and regularly wipe down sinks and surfaces after use.

When it comes to bedding and laundry, take it in turns to wash your personal items rather than mixing washing machine loads. Wash bedding, clothes and towels on a hot wash and dry on high heat. Pop anything that can’t be washed into a sealed bag for three days or more, so the mites die.

Shared furniture like chairs or sofas can be used as normal but give them a quick vacuum or wipe down for peace of mind. Vacuum carpets too to remove mites which might be present in carpet fibres.

While scabies mites don’t survive long off the body, some light cleaning can help you feel in control. Skip the myths about needing to sanitise everything daily - it’s all about being practical, not perfect.

Lyclear

Lyclear 5% cream is a highly effective topical treatment used to clear scabies and crab mites and their eggs from the skin.

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Preventing Reinfection In Shared Housing

Preventing a return of scabies is about adopting a common-sense approach. Focus on essential cleaning tasks, like washing clothes and bedding. Items which haven’t been used in a while can wait. It’s the frequently used things that need attention.

If you’re expecting visitors, it’s best to hold off until treatment is complete. You can return to normal activities once everyone in the house has finished treatment and symptoms like itching have eased.

You’ll know treatment has worked when the skin rash heals and the itching goes away. While scabies is usually successfully treated with one round of medication some people may require a second treatment. If symptoms persist several weeks after finishing treatment speak to your doctor.

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Get Scabies Under Control For Good

Scabies in shared housing can be challenging because you’ve got to coordinate several people’s treatment at the same time. But with a bit of teamwork and a sensible cleaning routine in place you’ll soon stop the spread. Concentrate on the practical steps you can take like making sure everyone gets treated, cleaning clothes and bedding and managing shared spaces.

Scabies is temporary and treatable. Signs like reduced itching and the rash disappearing will show you’re on the right track. Before you know it, your household will be back to normal, and scabies will be a distant memory.

What's Next?

Get rid of scabies in your shared household for good with a discreet scabies consultation with a UK doctor online. Receive expert advice, personalised treatment plans and practical support to help with the physical and mental effects from the comfort of your home. It’s quick, confidential and designed to tackle scabies effectively. Sign up for yours today.

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