Fleas are blood-sucking parasites that live on the skin of pets. They can jump from pet to pet, or even jump onto humans. Pets can get fleas from contact with other outdoor animals or from contact with contaminated soil or sand. Besides being itchy, they can also spread diseases. Thankfully, there are many ways to get rid of fleas.This article will discuss 12 easy ways to get rid of fleas in the house.
What are Fleas?
Fleas are small black jumping insects that live on the blood of pets and sometimes humans. They are very small, about the size of a grain of salt. Their bites are painless, so you won’t know you have been bitten until you see the red bump that forms at the site. Fleas can jump up to 12 inches, which makes them a very efficient jumper compared to other insects.
How Long do Fleas Live For?
The life cycle of a flea depends on environmental conditions and sometimes can last for weeks or months. In the ideal temperature range (80 to 90 ° F, humidity 70%), the life cycle of fleas is 18 to 21 days. If the temperature and environment are not ideal, the flea larvae will be dormant. Usually, adult fleas can survive for two or three months.
What Causes fleas?
The most common causes of fleas are animals, including dogs, cats, or other pets. Adult female fleas can produce up to 50 eggs per day, and these eggs can live in an ideal environment for up to 100 days.
Flea likes warm and humid climates, so in summer, flea infestation is usually more serious. You must pay attention to the shaded area of the animal fence; this is where fleas are most likely to breed. In addition, fleas will jump from one pet to the fur of other pets. They often hide in furniture, bedding, and cracks on the floor.
How do you know if your pets have fleas?
- Scratching
If your pets start scratching uncontrollably, there’s a chance they’re infested with fleas.
- Loss of hair
Shedding is a familiar telltale for fleas on animals. Your dog and cat may start losing hair on the tail and their back.
Your cat can also start losing hair on its tummy.
- Lumpy skin
If you can notice dry, lumpy skin on your pets, it could be a sign of flea bites. Your cat may develop scabby skin on its back or around its neck.
- Excessive grooming
If your cat or dog starts licking, itching, and biting its fur aggressively, it could be a sign that its fur is infested with fleas.
How do You know if you have fleas in your house?
Fleas love warm, comfortable spaces. Unfortunately, your house meets the perfect conditions fleas need to thrive. When your house is infested with fleas, you may start noticing itchy bites on your body.
The bites can get infected and may take a long time to heal. If your pet sleeps on your bed, then you may get flea bites when you’re in bed. You may also see small flea droppings on your carpet, beddings, and furniture.
12 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Fleas in House
1. Treating your Pet
The first thing that should pop into your mentality spontaneously is to rid them of the discomfort that they are experiencing. To do that, you should first examine your pet closely. Locate and delineate the areas that are ridden by fleas and then take proper action.
You will need to use a rapid-acting agent or product to kill the existing fleas biting your pet immediately. There are many products available, but Capstar is a good choice in this category and will get the job done amicably and effectively.
2. Kill Fleas at Home and in the Yard
The main source from which all fleas come and then subsequently attack your pets lies in your home and the adjoining yard.
That is why the next and sensible step is to rid your home of these harmful creatures as soon as possible. You might be thinking, “Just how do I go about doing it?” well, it’s not that big of a deal. All you need to do is follow certain steps, and you will easily get the desired results.
The first thing you need to do is thoroughly sweep your floor, be it composed of tile or wood. Also, remember to vacuum your rugs, carpets, and furniture scrupulously. This will allow you to remove any fleas that might be infesting these areas.
3. Using a Carpet Sprayer
This is a convenient way to treat your carpets without having to move them. The best way to apply a carpet sprayer is to fill it with a mixture of hot water and a carpet cleaning detergent. Then, spray the mixture onto your carpets and let them dry.
In addition to killing existing fleas, the detergent in the carpet sprayer also acts as a flea repellent. It’s important to note that you will need to use a carpet cleaning detergent when doing this. Normal detergents don’t have the right properties to fight fleas.
Make sure that you spray in the carpets and the upholstery of your home. Be sure to spray under your furniture and its evinced crevices and contours. That is because fleas mostly hide out in these areas since they like dark and gloomy spots, and you don’t get darker and gloomier than these areas.
4. Fogging your House
If you want to go full-on circumventive and prevent your home from developing fleas, then you can opt to fog your house. There are many fogger agents and service providers available, and they guarantee satisfaction.
The best foggers guarantee that your home will remain free from fleas for a period of up to 7 months. This is more than enough time for all fleas to die out in varying degrees of their life cycle.
It is recommended that you utilize about 2 to 3 foggers while keeping the size of your home in the account. If you don’t want to hire a service for this task, you should learn it yourself.
5. Spraying your Yard
Now comes the yard. This is the area where many fleas convene and accumulate in larger numbers. That is why it makes perfect sense to treat your yard accordingly and get rid of the fleas infesting your yard. Spray out your yard with an appropriate agent.
We recommend using Advantage Yard and Premise Spray for the best results. This way, you will be able to kill all the fleas gathered in your yard and prevent them from becoming a greater problem. This will prevent them from coming into your house, getting on your shoes, and of course, on your pet.
Remember to repeat this process regularly after 3 to 4 weeks to get the best results possible. Fleas might start reappearing at faster rates if the yard is left untended for longer periods than the aforementioned standard.
6. Cleaning your Home
This is where things get interesting. You should remember that a flea-free home contains zero fleas. That is why you should take special care and endeavor to remove all fleas from your home.
While vacuuming, mopping, and sweeping your carpets, upholstery, wood and tile floors, and furniture gets all of the larvae, eggs, and pupae out of the equation, there are still certain precautions that you must take. These steps are integral, and you must follow them as well to ensure maximum removal of fleas. These steps can be listed as following for your convenience:
7. Throw away the Vacuum Bag
You need to perform a crucial step once you have completed vacuuming your home for fleas. This is the discarding of the vacuum bag once the job has been completed.
This is important as it protects your home against fleas on an improved basis. You see, flea pupae hatch inside the bag as a ramification of vibrations brought on by your appliance. Unless the bag is thrown away, they might re-infect your home once again.
8. Mopping and Sweeping your Floors
You should know that mere vacuuming your tile or wooden floor is insufficient if you want to rid your home of fleas. You should include a thorough sweeping and mopping to the equation as well.
This is important because fleas love to hang out in the dark and dimly lit areas. These include your baseboards as well, and fleas can infest them as well. That is why you should always remember to sweep and mop your floors as well.
9. Cleaning your Pet’s Bedding
A prime area for infestation is the bedding or sleeping mat/area where your pets lay down to sleep. These areas are usually spots where fleas gather and grow. Once your pet lies down to rest or sleep: they strike without delay or mercy. Fleas love this area since it allows them to feed on your pet constantly.
That is why you should direct your attention to these areas without delay. Make sure to wash your bedding meticulously and carefully. But that isn’t all you need to do. Most of us make the mistake of considering the job as being done once we have cleaned the sheets of our pet’s bedding.
Make sure that you check out the stuffing of the bedding as well. That is because fleas can be hiding out in said stuffing as well. Check it out and remove any fleas that might be present there.
10. Cleaning or Throwing away your Pet’s infected Toys
Pets love to play, and they love toys as well. In fact, toys make a prime and integral component for entertainment when it comes to a pet. But did you know that these toys are also a target of infestation by fleas? It is entirely common and possible for fleas to gather on and hide out in your pet’s toys.
That is why you should also tend them in a requisite manner to rid them of fleas. Make it a habit to regularly wash your pet’s toys thoroughly. This will allow you to expunge any fleas or eggs that might be present inside the toys.
However, sometimes certain pet toys may be unwashable. This applies to chewable toys especially. Under such circumstances, you should throw out these toys to prevent any further trouble or difficulty from befalling your beloved pets. It is better to be safe than sorry, after all.
11. Boric Acid Therapy to Get Rid of Fleas
Boric acid therapy is a very effective way to eliminate fleas. Boric acid has the properties of a desiccant or dehydrating agent, which can dehydrate fleas and cause death.
You can make simple flea powder at home. Prepare 200 grams of boric acid, 200 grams of salt, a metal spoon, metal or ceramic mixing bowl, kitchen gloves, a broom, and a container with a plastic lid.
First, pour boric acid and salt into a bowl and mix well. Place the mixture in a container with a plastic lid. Seal the edges of the cover and make small holes in the cover. When in use, first suck the carpet with a vacuum cleaner, spread the mixture evenly on the carpet, and gently sweep with a broom.
Leave it for 2-3 hours, then use a vacuum cleaner to clean it. Do not leave the mixture on the carpet, as this will bleach the fibers. Repeat once a day until the fleas disappear. Remember to store excess items in a cool and dry place after use. Make sure to vacuum every day; this will eliminate fleas and prevent nymph food.
12. Baking Soda to Get Rid of Fleas
Baking soda is a very effective treatment to get rid of fleas. Baking soda can be used with table salt to kill adult fleas and their eggs effectively. This product works by dehydrating fleas and eventually killing them. This method is cheap and safe and will not harm your pet or children. Moreover, these two ingredients are also easy to find in most households.
How to use baking soda to kill fleas? You must ensure that your baking soda is active before use. Add a few drops of vinegar to baking soda and observe if the mixture foams and lasts a few minutes. If no bubbles form or the bubbles form slowly, you need to replace them with new baking soda.
To kill fleas with baking soda, first use a vacuum cleaner to clean the carpet, bedding, and home furniture. Then spread the baking soda and salt evenly on the carpet. Finally, use a broom to ensure that the mixture is evenly distributed to all areas. Wait 2-3 hours, then clean it with a vacuum cleaner. Repeat this process every 1 to 2 days until the fleas are completely killed.
How to use baking soda to clean fleas from pets? You can use baking soda to make cheap pet shampoos, first mixing one tablespoon of baking soda with two glasses of water. Wet your pet’s fur thoroughly with warm water, then wash it with shampoo. Wait 1-2 minutes, then rinse with water. Remember to avoid using it on wounds or pet faces.
Final Words
Your pets are precious to you, and you know that you should do everything in your power to keep them safe and content. Fleas are an abhorrent blight upon their existence, and that is why you should make certain that they are protected against this atrocious problem. So, we conclude by saying that, remember to be safe and be aware always. Follow these directions to the letter, and you will succeed in this task quite effectively and palpably.
