How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home and Stay Rid of Them
This can be difficult if you have a bad infestation, but if you follow these simple steps and stick to them, you should be able to enjoy a flea-free home.
The first thing to do is gather up everything in your home that might have been exposed to fleas and which will fit in a washing machine. This can include pet bedding, small carpets, pet toys, throw pillows and the like.
Wash everything you can with detergent and hot water. Anything you can’t wash you might want to consider throwing away, especially if it’s likely to be infested with fleas.
The Importance of Vacuuming
Next, you’ll want to treat your carpets and floors. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is with your vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming alone will get rid of many adult fleas, as well as eggs and larva. It will also break up cocoons and make fleas more vulnerable.
Consider buying a flea collar and placing one in the vacuum cleaner bag before vacuuming to kill fleas that get sucked up. Move as much furniture as possible so you can vacuum those areas that aren’t usually exposed.
The more you can vacuum, the better. Every day is ideal, but if you can’t manage that, then shoot for at least every third day. There’s no way to overstate the value of vacuuming in flea control. It eliminates fleas and eggs, and will also break up the pile of the carpet and allow any sprays you use to penetrate much better.
Flea Sprays and Bombs or Foggers
If you’ve got a particularly bad flea infestation, you’re probably going to want to use some kind of spray on your carpets and furniture. As I mentioned before, the key to selecting the right spray is to find one that will control the pre-adult fleas as well as the adult ones.
The Knockout, Siphotrol and Adams brands of products are very good for killing adult and pre-adult fleas. Please see our helpful product guide for more information. We’ll give you the ins and outs of each product.
In general, sprays that can be directed on the most problem areas are the most effective, as opposed to flea “bombs” or foggers that are set off before you leave your home. Bombs can work well too though, and they’re certainly convenient and might be worth a try if your infestation isn’t too bad.
Stay With the Program
By far the most important thing you can do to get rid of fleas is to stick with it. Even if you’ve treated your home and pets, and the fleas seem to be gone, don’t let up. Eggs and larva may be laying in wait, and will hatch and force you to repeat the process all over again.
So, keep vacuuming, and keep treating your pet every month with the topical flea treatment you’re using. If there’s one secret to effective flea control, it’s being consistent and keeping at it.
