How To Treat A Home For Fleas

How To Treat A Home For Fleas

Fleas are a nuisance and can cause a lot of stress. However, you can use the steps below to eliminate them from your home and create a pest-free environment. If you notice that your beloved furry friend has fleas it is important to take action immediately. These tiny bugs can make both you and your pet feel uncomfortable.

In North America, the two major species of fleas that attack pets are the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). Female fleas lay 50 to 200 eggs per day which fall off the pet into areas where pets sleep or spend a lot of time. Eggs can survive in these areas for up to three months without a host. Fleas prefer humid environments and although they may live outdoors, they will eagerly invade homes when pets go out.

Fleas are a persistent problem for many of us who love our pets and prefer to let them sleep in our beds at night. Here I’ll show you how you can treat your home for fleas so you can enjoy your pets without dealing with these pesky creatures.

How To Treat A Home For Fleas

How To Treat A Home For Fleas

Flea control is an important part of keeping your pet safe, but it’s also important to take the necessary steps to ensure that your home is free of fleas. Here are a few tips on how to treat a home for fleas.

First, you should vacuum the living areas of the house on a weekly basis. Vacuuming can help remove eggs and other flea larvae from their hiding spots in carpets, sofas and beds. If you have pets in your home, it’s also best to use a special pet vacuum cleaner instead of just using a regular household vacuum. This will prevent any fleas from escaping into other areas of the house during vacuuming sessions.

Next, wash all bedding and clothing in hot water at least once per week if there are pets or small children in your household (or if you’ve noticed flea bites). You should also wash all bedding and clothing every time they’re worn by someone who has been exposed to infested environments such as parks or picnic areas where there might be flea activity going on around them (if possible).

If you’re using a flea spray, apply it in all areas where pets spend time: under furniture, around doors, in closets and along baseboards. Don’t forget about those places where pets like to sleep (such as dog beds) or lay around (like cat beds). Also make sure that no food bowls are left uncovered during this process; these are often favorite places for fleas to lay their eggs!

Flea powders work best when applied directly on top of carpets or rugs rather than sprinkled

How To Treat A Home For Fleas

If your pet is a walking carrier of mature fleas, your home can become the nursery.

Since the flea has multiple life stages (egg, larvae, cocoon, adult), when adult fleas are present, it is assumed all of these stages are also present throughout your house. This means that you have to tackle the problem from all angles in order to truly eradicate the infestation.

To do this, you must treat your pet and its living environment at the same time. Depending on your pet’s boundaries, this may include your whole house or yard.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends the following cleaning approaches:

1. Use a powerful vacuum on any floors, upholstery, and mattresses. Cracks and other tight spaces are usually good hiding places for fleas and their cohort of eggs, larvae, and cocoons. If you can, use a vacuum with a bag you can dispose of without coming into contact with its contents.
2. Employ a steam cleaner for carpets and upholstery, including pet beds. The combination of high heat and soap is the enemy of fleas in all stages of life. Pay special attention to any spots where your pet usually lies down or spends a lot of time.
3. Wash all bedding, including your pet’s, in hot water and detergent. Dry it at the highest heat setting. If the infestation is severe, consider getting rid of old bedding and starting anew.

The advent of topical flea treatmentsTrusted Source for pets have made insecticides pretty outdated. Topical prescriptions stop or augment the flea’s reproductive cycle and rapidly kill an infestation.

If you do aim to use an insecticide or other chemical cleaning treatment, please proceed with caution. Many are toxic to humans, pets, and the environment.

Here are some tips:

• Aerosol sprays are recommended over foggers, as you can direct the spray under beds or other places that the foggers may be unable to reach.
• Choose an insecticide that contains both an adulticide (kills adult fleas), such as permethrin, and an insect growth regulator (kills the eggs, larvae, and pupae), such as methoprene or pyriproxyfen.
• People and pets shouldn’t come into contact with an insecticide or chemical treatment until it has dried. Be sure to wear gloves when you apply the spray, and only do it when everyone is out of the room or house.

List Of How To Treat A Home For Fleas