If you have a pet, especially one that ventures outdoors or around other animals, you might contract a problem with fleas inside your home. Many people dislike flea bombing because of the chemicals it releases in their home. The problem with getting rid of fleas is making sure to kill the fleas in all their life stages -- including the eggs. Many alternative natural pest control methods are effective for one stage but not all, so you will have to use a combination of approaches.
How to Get Rid of Fleas Without Using a Bug Bomb
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Step 1: Treat your pet immediately
If you notice fleas in your home, the first thing you should do is treat your pet. You can get flea and tick prevention medicine that is easy to apply and safe for your pet from your veterinarian, such as Frontline or Advantage. It is important to treat your dogs and cats so that they do not continue to bring fleas into your home.
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Step 2: Vacuum your carpets
Vacuuming will not extract all the flea larvae, but it will help capture the adult fleas and eggs. It is important to use a vacuum with a disposable bag; as soon as you are finished vacuuming, take the bag outside to a dumpster or trash can away from your house. You may have to vacuum several times for a few weeks to get rid of fleas.
Step 3: Wash linens
Wash all bedding, pet beds, toys and washable pet items in hot water. You may need to wash bedding more often than normal, such as every other day for two weeks or more. You continue to kill fleas that are hatching or larvae that are growing into adult fleas when you wash these items in hot water.
Step 4: Use diatomaceous earth
Place diatomaceous earth in gardens, in pots inside your home and around the outside of windows. Fleas that come into contact with diatomaceous earth will die of dehydration. This soil is a non-chemical way to kill insects.
Step 5: Make a flea trap
Place a light bulb or lamp over a shallow pan of soapy water at night. The theory is that fleas will be attracted to the light and drowned in the pan of water. People who have tried this find several fleas in the pans in the morning. However, this method alone is not going to get rid of all the fleas in your house. You can use it in combination with other methods listed here.