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The Best Way to Get Rid of Fleas in Your House

by Sadie Anderson

Overview

All pet owners know that their dogs and cats are an important part of the family. We love them unconditionally, even when they bring the occasional flea infestation in our homes. Unfortunately, fleas can be incredibly tenacious and can multiply at an alarming rate. There are many advertised quick fixes, but the key to ridding your home of these nasty insects lies in repetition of effective strategies. Professionals can be expensive, and most require you to sign a long-term contract. Performing flea removal yourself is an inexpensive alternative.
A flea's life cycle

There are four main stages in a flea's life cycle: Egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This cycle is what necessitates repetition of treatment. The larva and adult fleas are susceptible to poisons, but during the pupa stage, the flea is surrounded in a hard casing that is nearly impenetrable. Even when all adults are killed, the pupa can still emerge as an adult only days later. Pupa and eggs may lie dormant for months, waiting for the ideal environment to develop. A pet owner may have a seemingly flea-free home for a few months, but as soon as the weather becomes warmer or a family returns from a long absence, the fleas will quickly hatch and look for a first meal.

Flea removal

1. Bathe your pet. Flea and tick shampoos are not necessary and are often too strong for your pet. A simple baby shampoo will work. Try to submerge everything but your pet's head for at least 30 seconds because the fleas will quickly drown. Some will move to your pet's head to stay dry, so you must concentrate on cleaning that area in particular, though you should shampoo the whole body. Do not submerge your pet's head. Simply pour some water over the head to clean, being careful of the eyes and the nose. 2. Purchase a flea comb. Comb your pet's entire body (this works best if the animal is dry). Keep a bowl of water nearby and drop the fleas into the water when you find them. 3. After your pet is dry and combed, apply flea medication to the fur at the back of animal's neck. Brands like Advantage, Revolution, and Frontline are available from your veterinarian. 4. Remove pet bedding, your bedding, throw rugs, and any other fabric you can from your floors and furniture. Wash these as you normally would. 5. While your bedding and rugs are being washed, thoroughly vacuum your carpets. This will suck up many fleas, and it will bring the eggs, larvae, and pupae to the surface. Be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag (or the contents of a bag-less cylinder) in a garbage can outside your home. The fleas will easily find their way back into your carpets if you leave the bag inside the house. 6. Immediately after vacuuming, apply a flea spray to all carpeted surfaces and upholstery. These sprays can be purchased at most supermarkets and pet supply stores. Some people also recommend sprinkling Borax powder on carpets and then vacuuming, but I did not find that effective. These flea sprays should not be applied to pets or humans. Remove pets from the home (or isolate them in a well-ventilated room while spraying the rest of the house, and return to that room later). These chemicals should not be absorbed through the skin, so wear long pants, shoes, and a mask, and open as many doors and windows as possible. After spraying carpets, leave the home for one or more hours to let the carpets dry. 7. Vacuum again to remove dead insects. 8. Bring clean bedding and rugs back into your home. 9. Fleas usually cannot survive in dry environments or in temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you can raise the temperature in your home to more than 90 degrees for several hours, many fleas will die.
Reptition

These steps will need to be repeated every 3 to 4 weeks until the problem is gone. Never ignore the warning signs of fleas. If you find even one insect in your home or on your pet, take steps to prevent another infestation. If your pet goes outside regularly or has contact with other animals, he will likely bring more fleas into your home. Preventative medications are your best defense.