Can Steam Kill Fleas? Fleas and ticks are blood-feeding insects that are mostly known to carry diseases and pester pets. These parasites live on the fur of animals and can sometimes affect humans. Steam kills fleas by exposing the parasites to high levels of heat. The bacteria causing the epidemic known as Black Plague in Europe during the 13th century is believed to have been killed after being exposed to high levels of steam generated by boiling water. Steam may kill fleas on contact or shortly thereafter.  I have dealt with it myself and I know that it can be harmful for pets and kids around the house if precautions are not taken.  Some of the health issues might include asthma and allergies to flea bites. No, steam alone will not kill fleas. Not all insects are killed by high temperature. Most insects that can be killed by heat have to be exposed to 264 degrees Fahrenheit for a few seconds in order to be killed. The way that you can use steam, however, is to inject it into cracks and crevices in your home where fleas hide. The steam will then penetrate the cracks and force the fleas out of hiding, making them easier to catch and kill. Fleas have long been a problem for pet owners and a pain for vets alike. Pet owners try every trick in the book to get rid of them, from expensive dog shampoos to flea bombs. What can you do to get rid of these pesky pests without headaches and buckets of money? Do you know that steam cleaning can kill fleas? Steam is great but it’s also important to remember that there are certain precautions one has to take when using it around your beloved pets.

Can Steam Kill Fleas

Can Steam Kill Fleas?

Steam can kill fleas as it kills all stages of development, including eggs. Steam is effective on carpets, bedding and other surfaces, as well as in cracks and crevices.

Which Flea Traps Actually Work and Which Ones Are a Waste of Money?

How do you know which flea traps to buy? Always make sure that the trap uses UV light. The light lures the fleas, then the sticky surface catches them. This will get rid of a lot of fleas and be more effective than using soapy water or other techniques to kill them. You can also use a bowl of soapy water in conjunction with an insecticidal spray—this is less expensive than buying traps, but it may not be as effective at killing the parasites and preventing recurrence.

Why Steam-Cleaning Your Floors Is a Bad Idea

Steam-cleaning your floors is a bad idea for many reasons. First and foremost, steam cleaners can damage your floors if they are not used correctly. As mentioned above, the water pressure from some steam cleaners can cause irreversible damage to the grout in between tiles, which should be reason enough to avoid using these machines on tile or stone floors. In addition to this problem, steam cleaning can also leave behind a residue that dulls the finish of wood floors and carpets after use—and even carpet stains can occur if you’re not careful about how much moisture you apply with a mop or cloth.

The steam from a clothes iron will not kill fleas.

It is true that steam will kill fleas, but it has to be very hot steam. The temperature has to be at least 180 degrees, and if you don’t have a thermometer handy, you can test by holding your hand over the pot of water for three seconds. If you can stand it, that’s good enough!

Steam kills fleas by dehydrating them. When you use a clothes iron or ironing board on clothing and bedding items with built-in steamers (like this one from Rowenta), or when you do laundry using hot water or in the dryer on high heat settings (if you’re not concerned about shrinkage), this is essentially what happens: You are applying heat directly to the fabric/fabric fibers themselves until they reach such a high temperature that they begin to expand rapidly in size—and hold onto it long enough for all of those nasty little creatures living within them burst into flames before dying very quickly in extreme conditions outside their normal range of comfortability.”