How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Carpet and Prevent Flea Infestation

Pets will reinfest carpets if they do not have flea baths.

Fleas are blood-sucking parasites that enter homes on pets, people's clothing and secondhand furniture. Only adult fleas spend their time on their hosts. Flea eggs, larvae and pupae live in furniture and carpets. Vacuuming alone will not remove flea infestations from carpets. You have to use pesticides to get rid of fleas. Flea pupae are resistant to pesticides, so follow-up treatments and preventative measures are necessary to keep the pupae from starting a new infestation.

Things You'll Need

• Flea bomb or aerosol pesticide
• Vacuum cleaner
• Flea dip for pets
• Flea control medication for pets
• Flea control carpet powder

Instructions

Eliminating Fleas

1. Vacuum the carpets and furniture thoroughly. Empty the vacuum cleaner into a trash bag. Seal the bag and dispose of it outside of the home.

2. Remove pets and family from the home. Following the directions exactly, set the flea bomb -- a pesticide canister that releases a fog of chemicals -- and leave the house. The bomb should go near the center of the home away from walls. Stay out of the home for the length of time specified on the packaging.

3. Bathe all of the household pets in flea dip while the flea bomb is at work in the home. This way, the pets will not immediately bring fleas back into the home.

4. Open all the windows when you re-enter the home. Let the house air out, then vacuum the carpets again.

Prevention

1. Keep all pets indoors to stop fleas from coming into the home on pets. If this is not possible, use flea prevention medication on all pets. Make sure to use it as directed and to keep up with it, even when no fleas are present.

2. Prevent infestation of carpets by using flea control powder on carpets when vacuuming. Sprinkle the powder to the edge of the carpet and under furniture. Allow it to set for the amount of time specified on the product, then vacuum thoroughly. Do this once a week for two weeks after flea bombing to kill the fleas that are emerging from their cocoons. These may not die during flea bombing.

3. Wash all secondhand items before bringing them into the home. Do not take in stray animals without first bringing them to the veterinarian for a flea bath and shots.

Tips & Warnings

• Open closet doors and remove cushions from furniture before bombing.

• As an alternative to bombing, use a manual spray pesticide. You can apply this directly to infested areas. Follow the precautions on the product for the safety of yourself and your pets.

• Use a pesticide that contains both permethrin and methoprene so it affects fleas in all stages of development.

• Read all pesticide labels before using. Some require a period of time before it is safe for pets and children to go near areas that came into contact with the pesticide.

• Cover all food in the kitchen before using spray or fog pesticide.

• Turn off all pilot lights in the home before fogging.

References

• University of Kentucky; RIdding Your Home of Fleas; Mike Potter