Want to know how to get rid of fleas?
Few insects are more irritating than fleas. They pester our poor pets and, not satisfied with that, they infest our carpets, beds, and furniture, and start preying on our families. These tiny parasites don’t possess a nasty sting, rarely carry disease, and their bite is more of a nuisance than being painful.
What they do possess in abundance is the irritation factor.
What do we know about these pests, and how can we get rid of them in our home?
Flea facts
At a mere 2.5 centimetres, fleas are small enough to hide in the numerous nooks and crannies that a warm and comfy home offers. They can breed at astonishing rates with one female easily popping out up to 50 eggs a day. These eggs can lie dormant for months waiting for the perfect conditions to hatch, making your home a safe and homely incubation chamber for the next generation of jumping, biting, itching fleas.
Your pet may be carrying around the grown-ups, uncomfortable and itchy as they are, but these are only around 5 percent of the problem.
So, to get rid of fleas in your home we’re going to need a multi-pronged approach, don’t you agree?
How to get rid of fleas naturally
Most of us are more partial to looking for a natural solution to pest infestations before hauling out the toxic chemicals which are sometimes needed.
Let’s see what products we have in our kitchen cupboards that can assist us in beating a flea infestation.
Vacuuming
A regular and thorough vacuum of your carpets is one of the most effective ways of combatting fleas and offers a one-way ticket to oblivion for larvae, eggs, and cocoons. (Be sure to empty your vacuum cleaner in an outside bin.)
Baking soda and salt
To double the efficacy of vacuuming, try this clever life hack.
Sprinkle a mixture of salt and baking soda into your carpets and especially around the areas where your pets sleep, rub it into the carpet and leave it for 12 – 48 hours. This is a natural and safe product which won’t cause any harm to your family or your pets but will have a catastrophic effect on flea eggs and larvae as it serves to dehydrate and kill them.
Your next run with the vacuum cleaner will suck up these husks and prevent another generation from hatching in your space.
Steam cleaning
A regular steam clean of your home is a brilliant way of keeping you pest free. This method works on all sorts of insects such as bed bugs, as well as offering a chemical-free way of sanitising your home. Steam cleaning carpets and upholstery will kill and remove flea eggs and larvae effectively, as will running the cleaner over your pets bedding.
Flea trap
Fleas are nocturnal critters, so here’s a clever little trap that you can use to your advantage.
Place a bowl of soapy water (dishwashing liquid works best here) and place a small tea candle inside or close to the bowl. During the night, the fleas will be drawn to the light and warmth and, en route, will get trapped in the soapy water and die.
Just be careful of leaving naked flames unattended – there are easier ways to get rid of fleas than burning down your house.
Treat your pet
Your furry friend will no doubt be bearing the brunt of your flea infestation, so we need to treat them as a matter of priority.
- Wash their bedding regularly in hot soapy water to get rid of eggs and larvae
- Wash your pet regularly using flea shampoo and use an oral flea treatment
- Groom your pet regularly using a flea comb, concentrating on the neck and tail areas
- As a natural flea repellent, create a mixture of rosemary water in a spray bottle and use it on your pet and their bedding.
In conclusion
Have you tried to get rid of fleas in your home using natural remedies, but the problem is proving too much for you?
Indeed, you may combat the fleas in the home, but they may have set up a holiday home in your garage or shed, or even in your garden, making it impossible to cure the problem.
If this sounds like you, then well done for trying. A natural solution is always a good option, but sometimes we have to call in the professionals to get to the root of the problem.
Please feel free to call in Warren and his team who will be able to sort out your flea infestation and offer sound advice on keeping these little critters in their place.