How to Rid Your Home of Fleas

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (106 Ratings)

Not only are fleas pesky to your pet, but they can invade your home and torment human hosts with annoying bites. Getting rid of fleas requires diligence, patience and time--generally several weeks. Fleas love warm and humid conditions and they are therefore not only a seasonal problem in some parts of the country. Follow these steps to get rid of fleas in your home.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

General Cleaning Supplies
Growth Regulating Insecticides
Pyrethrin Flea Bombs
Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Flea Traps

Step1

Get rid of fleas on your pet. (See "How to Get Rid of Fleas.") Fleas usually come into your home on the body of a warm-blooded creature such as your dog or cat, then multiply.

Step2

Religiously clean surfaces where your dog or cat spends the most time. These are the areas where fleas, eggs, larvae and pupae are most likely to be found. This includes cleaning concrete floors in basements and garages.

Step3

Vacuum carpets thoroughly and often. Even if you already have an active infestation, vacuuming can pick up adult fleas as well as pupae.

Step4

Use flea granules in the nap of your carpet. These can be applied once a year and remain active for the whole year. They are safe and effective.

Step5

Spray carpets with an insecticide such as micro-encapsulated pyrethrins. Repeated applications may be necessary. Use chemicals with caution and read labels carefully.

Step6

Combine the insecticide (which will kill adult fleas) with a growth regulator, which will break the life cycle of the flea. Follow directions carefully.

Step7

See "How to Get Rid of Fleas From Your Home Naturally" under Related eHows for information on using nonchemical methods for flea control.

Step8

Call a pest control company if your efforts are unsuccessful. Such companies are well-equipped to deal with flea infestations.

Tips & Warnings

Fleas are at their worst in summer and early fall, so start your flea prevention tactics in late spring.
Adult fleas are the least of your problem. Eggs can be virtually anywhere, and larvae and pupae are also difficult to find and eliminate.
Use exterior flea-control methods also. No matter how much time you spend ridding the house of fleas, they will get back in if you haven't treated your yard and other surrounding areas.
Before using any toxic pest control product, read the label carefully. Be especially wary if you have young children or pets in the home.
Avoid shutting a room off for a period of time in the hope that the fleas inside will die off due to lack of a host. This method is not effective.

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Comments

starazarabusta said

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on 8/27/2008 i am new to this site, and have obv got something wrong above, this is what we have used to try and combat these nasty fleas we have used "bob martain flea bombers" 2x £8.99p "flea spray"1x £4.99p "flea powder" 2x £2.99 each and a flea trap of ebay £10 inc p&p.. so far so good, as they were jumping onto my socks 10 at a time, now not 1 for the last 24 hours, i will let you know how we get on

starazarabusta said

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on 8/27/2008 hi, we let our nieghbours cat in as as my partner felt sorry for it, as it was lost and confused, due to moving here with his polish owners, enyway mating season arrived, and it was always left out in the rain, enyway it always slept in the same place, (on the corner chair) but when it started looking for other spots to sleep, ie.. the window seal, we thoguht that was abit odd, and then the cat has been gone for 8 days nowere to be seen! i see it yeasterday,(8/27/2008) i called it in our cutey little voice, and i couldnt belive it actually ran away from me? it has never done that before, so it either knows it has left the fleas, or is very clever? we have sinced tryed the homemade flea traps etc etc.. did work, but not very well, so we bought bob martains fog bombs,flea spray, and flea powder, and a proper flea trap, i have got atleast 50 bites my partner has not got 1? but has found the

happyfeet79 said

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on 8/22/2008 i have two pets and small dog and a big cat.
i've used the zodiak carpet spray and the flea and tick spray on both animals. vacuumed and washed all bedding and surrond object in the house. i noticed my dog is free of fleas but my cat is now losing his hair from them. is there something else that i can do to help him. nothing seems to work

csowder said

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on 8/15/2008 If you have carpet, sprinkle 20 Mule Team Borax all over, then walk on it to make it settle into the fibers and padding. Do this AFTER vacuuming (if you have a bag vacuum, sprinkle some in the bag, vacuum, then remove the bag and tie it tight in a trash bag and throw away outside). Avoid vacuuming for as long as you can, so the Borax can get rid of the fleas. If you have a small lamp you can set on the floor, you can place a clear dish on the floor filled with soapy water and shine the light on it before bed. Fleas are drawn to the heat of the light and when they jump toward it, they land in the soapy water and drown. Flush the water the next day. Shampoo hair with a drop of lavender oil added to it. That works great for repelling (and smells great). Place cedar chips under the beds and furniture (in small mesh bags so as not to make a mess) so it will repel.
I guess the best

catmcbar said

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on 8/13/2008 we had our cats inside they broutht in fleas. we have put the cats outside now we also got a profesional in twice to spray the house we have treated the cats with spot on. i hoover daily dust and washed bedlinen we do not have carpets. we are still getting bitten i see maybe one or 2 fleas in my home a day.. any help its so depressing my toddler is suffering the worst.

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