Getting Rid Of Fleas In The House

By Author: Austin Baines
Total Articles: 84
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If you have any kind of flea infestation, huge or tiny, getting rid of fleas in the home is an essential step in eliminating and controlling them. You could kill the fleas on your pet all day long and it won’t matter if you don’t take care of the fleas that inhabit different areas of your house. As long as a single adult flea is able to get one blood meal, its ability to reproduce and multiply is unbelievable. Learning and understanding the life cycle of a flea is an important step in your journey to learn how to get rid of fleas in the house. By knowing the timeline and typical activity during the four life stages of a flea, you will better understand what you need to do to eliminate them. There are some very good products available to purchase for controlling your flea infestation, as well as some cheap and inexpensive methods. We will go over many of them right now. With any of the following methods, always remember to concentrate on the area where your pet sleeps. This area is a breeding ground for flea activity.

The Most Effective – The Vacuum Cleaner Method

Using a vacuum cleaner is one of the ...
... only methods that are effective for getting rid of fleas at all four of their life stages. When the flea is in the cocoon stage, it is able to resist and survive most chemicals or other methods meant to kill fleas. This is due to the impermeable nature and strength of the cocoon. The one thing it can’t resist though is getting sucked up by a vacuum cleaner. Even if the cocoon is stuck in the carpet, the rolling bristles on the bottom of a vacuum cleaner can usually dislodge it. A vacuum cleaner is effective for sucking up flea eggs, flea larvae, flea cocoons and even live adult fleas. Always remove and discard vacuum cleaner bags (or empty canister if using a bag-less vacuum) into a sealed garbage bag immediately after vacuuming. Those pesky fleas in their various life stages will still be alive in there and they will find their way out. It would be best to thoroughly vacuum every single day for at least two weeks, or every other day at a minimum. Concentrate on dark corners, cracks, and crevices. Especially concentrate on the area that your pet sleeps. Move furniture and vacuum underneath – as well as lifting cushions and vacuuming the furniture itself. It is not recommended that you rely solely on the vacuum cleaner method, but it is recommended that you utilize it along with any or every other method available. And yes, you could even try vacuuming your pet if it will let you!

Flea Powders

Note: These powder products are not meant to be used directly on your pet. There are other powder products available for that.

Here is what to do when using a powder product for getting rid of fleas in the home. Sprinkle the powder in, on and around all areas that the pet typically lays or sleeps. Also, sprinkle around the perimeter of rooms (cracks) and in-between furniture cushions. Sprinkle entirely over carpeted areas or rugs. Let the powder sit and work for as long as possible (even for days) before you vacuum or as otherwise stated on package instructions. Then thoroughly vacuum up all powder as described above. Repeat the entire powdering process as necessary.

One of my favorite powder products for killing fleas (and all other insects) is something called Diatomaceous Earth. It is actually a food-grade product and poses no harm to the environment, people or pets (although it is recommended that you avoid inhalation of its dust by humans or pets). In fact, this product is actually consumed by humans for a known variety of health benefits. This powder is a natural product that kills insects not with chemicals, but by puncturing the pest’s exoskeleton and absorbing its body fluids. Diatomaceous Earth is widely available in a variety of forms and at a variety of costs.

Another effective powder for flea control is a product called Flea busters. It also kills fleas by dehydrating them. My favorite part about Flea busters is their product guarantee. The “One Year” approval guarantee is totally unconditional. Owners can return the product for a full money back if not happy, or for a replacement, if the product fails to last an entire year. If the customer lives in areas with a local Flea buster’s service center, then the manufacturer could also apply credit towards in-house services to treat pests linked with pets.

Flea Foggers

Flea foggers are somewhat effective for getting rid of fleas in the house. I say somewhat because they typically do not kill the fleas that are still inside their cocoons. If you catch your flea problem early before the larvae have a chance to pupate and weave themselves into a cocoon – then using flea foggers will be very effective. Use caution and always follow package instructions, as these can be harmful to humans and pets. Make sure you put away or cover anything you don’t want to be infected with the chemicals (such as dishes or pans). Also, put out any pilot lights in the vicinity due to the flammability nature of most foggers.

TIP: It is always a good idea to remove all bedding while doing any of these flea treatments. Wash in hot water and replace it after you are done vacuuming.

Using Your Drugged-Up Pet To Get Rid of Fleas

Lastly, one of the more ridiculous methods I’ve come across when researching ways for getting rid of fleas. Knowing that certain oral pet medications will kill fleas when they bite into your pet, somebody had this bright idea. They actually suggested that you send your pet into a room that is known to be infested with fleas. Let the fleas feast on your pet and then die. Obviously, this is stupid for more than one reason. Your pet will be very irritated and itchy. Not to mention this does nothing to get rid of fleas in their other three life stages. I suppose you could just keep your pet drugged up and wait for weeks while all of the fleas become adults and bite into your pet. This might eventually solve the flea infestation problem. If you are really lazy and don’t care for the well-being of your pet, perhaps you should give this method a try. If you want to get rid of fleas quickly then call Flea Control Brisbane professionals.