After writing, how to get rid of cockroaches?, how to get rid of bed bugs?, and how to get rid of fruit flies?, we are now writing the best ways to get rid of fleas in the housefast and easy. You have invited your friends to the dinner tomorrow, but forgot that you have some unwanted fleas in the house. You want to get rid of fleas in the house fast and easily. If you are looking for the remedies, which work really fast in getting rid of fleas then you are reading the correct article. This article tells you about best methods that can help you get rid of fleas in your house fast.
Fleas are the small jumping insects that feed on the blood of birds and mammals. They live mostly on dogs and cats. They make their home in their fur and lay eggs. Basically, the fur of the pets work as a shelter for fleas, eggs and larvae. They enter the human world through pets. If you have your pet roaming around the house, then there are chances of fleas being found in the different areas of the house.
Ways to Get Rid of Fleas In The House Fast And Easy:
Contents
These fleas may create a lot of nuisance, when they multiply themselves. At one point you get so irritated that you want to get rid of these fleas at any cost. You start looking for fast remedies. You look for the remedies, which can work as fast as possible. These uninvited guests, hanging around the house, pushes you into the situations, where you have to look for fast remedies.
1.) Wash All the Living Areas and Items
To get rid of fleas, you need to throw all the pet beddings into washing machine and let it go for deep spin. You can throw anything that pet like regular lie or sleep on, those things also which isn’t always your pet bedding. Gently wash all the bedsheets, sofas and the bathroom rug. You can also throw those items which are not salvageable or the inside of the bed bedding is full of dirt, flea larvae, flea excrement and flea eggs.
The best is to purchase a new bedding, if you wash the covers then it has higher chances of hatching eggs in the bedding. As these fleas attacks humans too, if you have suspicious feeling about the fleas that you can be a victim of them, even if you don’t- it’s really necessary to wash off your beddings and upholstery as well.
2.) Spray Insect Growth Regulator
To get rid of fleas from home, you can use insect growth regulator (IGR). Insect growth regulators like Methoprene or Pryriproxyfen. As these room foggers are doesn’t have much effective unless they contain an IGR to prevent the larvae from turning into adult flea. If your room fogger doesn’t has IGR than it won’t kill the larvae as they don’t reach to the base of the carpet fiber where they evolve.
3.) Recover Your Back Yard to Prevent Fleas
The best way to get rid of fleas from home is to clean the back yard so they can’t enter in the house. Before leaving your pet outside, prune foliage and trim the glasses so that flea larvae will kill by the sunlight. If you find the dark and moist spots then find a way to expose them to sunlight. Even when you expose the areas to the sunlight, you may find your pet is still bringing the fleas from outside. The best way to get rid of this problem is use either cider wood chips or Eucalyptus leaves. As the fleas didn’t like them as they are natural so you don’t have to pollute your plants and even you don’t have risk to harming your pets.
The best way is to purchase cedar wood chips which is easily available in the market or nearby convenience store and also spread it on the affected area. If your dog can’t stand it, you need to place the cedar chips in its kennel. Just place the eucalyptus oil where you can think fleas resides, especially at dark and moist place.
4.) Dehumidifier For Kill Fleas Naturally
You may be surprise that how dehumidifier will kill fleas?, but there is a scientific theory for that. Fleas require humidity higher than 50 RH to survive. If relative humidity fall below 50% and soil temperature fall below 95 degrees F, their eggs and fleas kill automatically. They need minimum this humidity and temperature to survive. Get a dehumidifier and bring down the humidity level to less than 50%.
The best part about a dehumidifier is that it not only kills the fleas, but destroys the eggs and larvae as well. Use it for two days and you can easily get rid of fleas in your house fast. Simply place a dehumidifier at the infested area or in every room at your place, if possible. Also, if your pet is infested, make sure that it stays nearby the dehumidifier or place a machine their if it has a separate room. Rest work will be done by dehumidifier.
5.) Make Dish Washing Liquid Flea Trap
One of the easiest and also the best home remedies to get rid of fleas in your house fast and easily is the dish washing liquid. Dish washing liquid potent to kill these tiny monsters and eliminate them from your house. In case fleas have affected your dog or other pets, simply give them a dish wash bath and see how magically these fleas are killed.
- Fill few bowls with water and dish washing liquid. Take as many bowls as you want to keep at various infested sites. Use the washing liquid in a generous amount. Place a tea candle in the center of each of the bowl.
- If the candle doesn’t stand in the bowl, place it near the bowl. Light the candle, and now, leave the trap overnight. Next morning, you will witness the fleas dead inside the bowl. Dispose of the contents of the bowls.
- Repeat the remedy thrice a week if your house is badly infested. This is one of the effective home remedies to get rid of fleas fast and easily.
NOTE- Be extra cautious as you are using fire and keeping it overnight. Keep it away from the bed sheets and curtains and also take precaution for everthing.
6.) Vacuum Your House And Clean Your Pet
This easy method helps to get rid of fleas in the house fast and easily. The process needs efforts and a lot of hard work. But, once implemented successfully, the end results will be quite effective. This makes it as one of the effective remedy to get rid of fleas fast. You have to vacuum your house perfectly. Make sure that you don’t miss any part of the house. Now give your dog a bath. Wash it properly using a good shampoo. It kills the fleas by drowning them, but the eggs and larvae are not easily killed. For the eggs and larvae you have to comb the fur of the dog properly.
7.) Spray Insecticides Or Herbal Flea Spray
This method is one among those effective methods that are used to get rid of fleas in your house fast. Spray insecticides everywhere around your house. Pay special attention to the areas, where you think that these little beasts are more active. Make sure that the insecticide you are using contain IGR (Insect Growth Regulator). It works on larvae and eggs laid by fleas and counters their growth. IGR is the most important thing to be used in order to get rid of insects. It controls the growth rate of fleas.
Herbal Flea Sprays
You can prepare your own herbal pesticides at home. They are chemical free and 100% natural. Thus, do not cause any harm to your family members including the pets. You can easily prepare these natural sprays at home using safe and natural ingredients.
- Mix a gallon of vinegar with 1/2 gallon of water, 16 oz of lemon juice and 8 oz of witch hazel. Pour all the ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray the solution to the infested areas, including the carpets, pets, furniture, bedding, window sills.
- Cover every possible corner of your house including you. Now, use a vacuum cleaner to suck away all the eggs, larvae and dead bodies. If any remains are still left, collect them with a broom and vacuum again.
- Follow the remedy for almost a week. This will help to eliminate any remaining fleas. This grabs its place among all other excellent home remedies to get rid of fleas fast.
NOTE- Prevent any contact of the spray with your eyes and your pet’s eyes as it can cause inflammation, even loss of sight in severe conditions.
8.) Use The Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can prove to be a fast remedy. It is anti-bacterial in nature and helps to get rid of fleas fast by killing them. This makes it as an effective home remedy to eliminate fleas from your house. This is best when it reaches the system. Vinegar reaches the hair and it becomes very good to counter fleas.
You can see the difference as soon as your dog finishes the drink. Add a spoon of apple cider vinegar to every four cups of water. Make your dog drink 2-3 bowls of apple cider vinegar water. Also, make sure that your dog finishes the mixture. You can also make you dog bath with this ACV and water mixture. Also, using ACV as a spray for the infested areas will help to get rid of fleas fast and effectively.
9.) Herbal Mixture For Pets
Prepare a herbal mixture for your pets. Do not think that if it is herbal than it can never work fast. That’s not the case. Though it is a herbal remedy, it works fantastically to get rid of fleas fast. Follow the enlisted steps:
- Take a pan and boil some water in it. Add rosemary leaves to the boiling water. Discard the leave and strain the water. Add that water to lukewarm water and pour it on your dog.
- It will kill the fleas. When your dog is completely rinsed, comb its hair. It takes away the eggs and the larvae.
10.) Borocate Acid and Botanical Dust
Want to get rid of fleas fast? Use borocate acid and botanical dust. Fleas get killed when they don’t get blood to feed on. They can survive only on blood. But, the eggs and the larvae do not need blood to feed on. Borocate acid and botanical dust help counter these eggs and larvae.
- Make a mixture of borocate acid and botanical dust and use it in every corner of the house. Dust your carpet, furniture and the bed of your pet.
- You have to be away from your house for the next 24 hours after completing the process. Repeat the remedy as necessary to get rid of fleas fast.
NOTE- Make sure to avoid any kind of contact with the acid and stay away as far as possible.
11.) Sprinkle The Common Salt
Salt is the most common ingredient that helps you to eliminate flea infestation in the house. This is because it acts as a natural dehydrating agent for the fleas and sucks up every drop of the fluid present in their bodies. Thus, making it one of the excellent and inexpensive home remedies to get rid of fleas fast and easy.
- Get common salt or sea salt in enough quantity. This depends on the infested area that you are targeting. Grind the salt to get a fine powder. Fill this powdered salt in any of your spice sprinkle bottle.
- Sprinkle this salt all over the flea infested sites. Spare your pets from this. It is not for them as salt can damage their skin and also dehydrate their skin.
- Leave the salt sprinkled to the site for almost 12-48 hours. Now, use a vacuum to suck up all the salt and debris from the areas. Repeat the remedy regularly to get rid of fleas.
12.) Pennyroyal Herb Remedy
There is a variety of pennyroyal herbs available in the market among which, European Pennyroyal, American Pennyroyal are traditionally used as natural remedy for fleas. However, this is harmful and is also used for abortions by Native Americans and it can even kill your pets. So, be cautious while using this herb to get rid of fleas fast. This herb helps to repel the fleas and prevent their infestation.
- Simply place Pennyroyal plants around your yards, especially where the pets play. This will keep the area flea free. But, make sure to cover the plants by using fine nets or fences to keep your pets and kids away.
- Another remedy is to simply crush a few pennyroyal leaves in a pestle. Leave until the aroma smears all over the area. You can also tie the crushed leaves in a cheesecloth and hang it to the infested areas.
- Make sure that no juice spills on the floor. Aware your family members about this so that they can stay away from it. You can also prepare a cloth tube and fill it with dried pennyroyal leaves.
- Secure the inner lining of the cloth tube with a plastic bag so that the dried leaves do not spill out when powdered. Use this as a collar for your pets to keep them flea free.
NOTE- Please use pennyroyal with caution as it is dangerous for both humans and pets. It can even lead to fertility issues in both.
13.) Use The Rosemary In Different Form
Rosemary is also useful for controlling the flea problem in your house. You can use rosemary for flea as a powder, a rinse, or an oil as well. You can wash your pets with rosemary water. But, cats should not be considered for this treatment because of certain reactions in them. You can pour rosemary oil in your pet’s collar and rosemary powder can be anywhere in your home. Take equal parts of rosemary, rue, wormwood, peppermint and mix them all. Grind them all till they turn to a fine powder. Sprinkle this powder on all the areas where you find fleas. This is only a flea repellent and not a way to kill fleas.
14.) Make Use of Citronella Essential Oil
Citronella oil has been used traditionally to get rid of fleas in the house fast. It is a volatile oil, which is safe to be used not only for pets but also for humans. Citronella oil repels insects like fleas and ticks, mosquitoes, black flies, etc. You can even mop your floors with a mixture of essential oils with citronella oil. Vacuum your whole house properly and empty the vacuum bag properly. Take 1 gallon of warm water and mix 20 drops of citronella oil, 5 drops of geranium oil and 10 drops each of tea tree oil and lemongrass oil. Mop the floors of your home with this water and do not leave any area. Initially mop daily with this scented water. Later, you can do it once a week to keep the fleas and other insects away from your house.
15.) Horse Apples Will Help
Horse apple is another fine remedy to get rid of fleas in the house effectively and naturally. It has been used traditionally for repelling insects. Take some horse apples and cut them into pieces. Keep these pieces everywhere in your home such as in rooms, hallway, window and also in yards. Keep one fruit in each room. This fruit can last for about 2-3 moths in an air-conditioned environment. These fruits will not only control fleas, but also prevent other insects and rodents like, mouse, grass snake etc.
16.) Diatomaceous Earth and Salt
Wear a dust mask and sprinkle the mixture of food grade (Diatomaceous earth) and salts. They are easily available at stores in the market. Sprinkle it around your house. Three days later, vacuum your house and the fleas are gone. Fleas or other insects are vulnerable to the sharp edges of diatoms. It cuts through the hard shell of fleas and dry them out. Thus, leads to their death as well as of their larvae. DE is non-toxic to humans and animals.
Vacuum all the area in your home thoroughly and wash off everything, which you can’t vacuum. Sprinkle the DE on the concerned area in your home. Leave the Diatomaceous earth in these places for a couple of days. After 1-2 days vacuum away all the powder and remember to dispose of the vacuum bag. You can even sprinkle this Diatomaceous earth in your yard, but you will need a large quantity of this powder. Remember to buy the food grade DE. Use it in dry form only. Don’t purchase DE, which is used for pool filtration. They are hazardous and also wear a face mask and gloves, while working with any such material. Avoid DE from coming in contact with your pets as it can dry out their skin.
17.) Make Use of Boric Acid
Boric acid works similar to salt when you want to use it in order to get rid of fleas. This is because it acts as a desiccant or a dehydrating agent for the fleas thus helping to eliminate them permanently.
- Fill a normal sprinkler with the boric acid. Sprinkle the acid to all the flea infested places like carpets, beddings, pillows etc. Now, use a carpet brush to evenly spread the acid.
- Leave it for almost 12-48 hours. After this, vacuum away all the debris, eggs and larvae of the fleas along with the acid powder. Repeat the remedy to get rid of any flea infestation in the house. This proves as one of the excellent ways to get rid of fleas fast.
NOTE- Use boric acid cautiously, as it can harm your skin and the pets too.
Removing Fleas From Your Pets at Home
1.) Select The Flea Shampoo Carefully
As your pets can be the reason to get fleas in your house. So you should use flea shampoo to prevent fleas in your house. But, be careful while choosing a flea shampoo for your pets. Some shampoos contain anything with conventional insecticides (permethrin, d-limonene, pyrethrins, carbary or chlorphyrifos) which can harm your pets and also the people around it.
Instead these harmful shampoo, you can try natural insecticides or flea irritants. As these shampoos will not harm your pet but definitely nasty for the fleas. While purchasing shampoo make sure you consult with your vet first. Check out the list of natural insecticides or flea irritants given below.
- Citrus oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Tea tree oil (Toxic for cat) it can also be toxic for dogs if they ingested, not worth the risk.
- Cedar oil (toxic to cat)
- Rosemary oil
2.) Clean Off The Neck of Your Pet First
While washing your pet, clean the neck first. As this way the fleas won’t jump over the head. When you wash the pet from neck, the fleas will senses the water and they immediately search for the dry place to hide so this will make them hard to reach any places. So it’s a great idea to at least wet, if not clean, the ear, eye, the rectum, cavity and neck, before making the entire body wet.
For better security, keep lathering your pet for about 15 minutes. As the five minutes is the minimum time needed to begin killing the fleas, but upto 15 minutes is safe. Then rinse your pet in the warm water for some minutes. While washing your pet always make sure to cleanse the soap from its skin and gently dry or soak the areas of your pet where fleas like to hide.
3.) Use Flea Killing Products
After washing your pet, you need to use flea killing products to prevent the contact of flea again. It works like a flea collar, oral medication or a spot on. Go for prescription from vet on spot on treatment usually works best. If the collar contains only insect growth regulator (it only prevent larvae from turning into adults, but it doesn’t have much affect the existing adult. You can use another treatment such as spot on treatment to kill the adult fleas. Collar might be irritating for the pet skin and sometime ineffective.
The product you can use, which are very effective like, Vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride) supplements, ultrasonic device and herbal collars.
4.) Use Fine Toothed Combed
As fleas are like to hide and covered with tiny hair that allows them to grip onto the host fur. You can use teeth that are close enough together that flea can’t slip it is a most effective way to dislodge them. You can’t remove the fleas from comb that are used for another purpose.
How to Get Rid of Fleas in Carpet?
1.) Vacuum Your Carpet Properly
While cleaning the carpet, you should use nozzle attachment instead of pushing the vacuum cleaner. You should begin at the end of the room and vacuum in the strip until you covered the whole carpet. Just pay special attention at the corner of the room and baseboards. Fleas like to hide in the humid and dark areas, so vacuum underneath furniture as well. Also, make sure you have vacuumed the areas where pets like to lie, as well as under the furniture, baseboards and near the entry ways. For heavy infestation, you need to continue vacuuming every day for 10 to 14 days.
2.) Vacuum Any Upholstered Furniture in the Room
To get rid of fleas, vacuum any upholstered furniture in the room, so make sure to get the base and the underside. Be careful, as fleas often jump into the furniture and they can re-infest your carpet, if not get removed properly.
3.) Throw Away the Vacuum Cleaner Bag
Don’t throw the vacuum cleaner bag inside your house. Instead take the bag out the vacuum cleaner and put into the plastic bag, tie the bag up and throw it outside of your house. As this way will help you to get rid of fleas inside your house and back into the carpet.
4.) Use Steam Cleaning Your Furniture and Carpet
For better way to prevent the fleas, choose steam cleaning. If you don’t have steam cleaner then rent it from the home improvement or grocery store. Carefully read the instructions that come with the equipment. You can also hire the steam cleaning company to clean for you. The high temperature comes from the steamer can kill fleas and eggs.
5.) Clean Your Pet’s Bedding
If you don’t want fleas in your carpet then make sure to check the pet’s bedding. As it has a maximum chance of getting fleas. You can clean the pet’s bedding in a sanitary cycle in washing machine. Also the hottest dryer setting is available. Wash these thing until the flea infestation gone.
How to Remove Fleas From Your Car?
1.) Clean Your Car Properly
While cleaning your home, don’t forget to clean your car. Even when you don’t take your pet inside the car, as fleas get hitched a ride by your pants or shoes. Don’t throw trash in your car. Just place any trash in the plastic bag, then seal it and throw it away.
2.) Properly Clean the Blankets and Throw the Car Covers Away
You need to wash the blankets and throw the car covers away. Make sure you use them in warm water and dry them by using high heat.
3.) Use a Flea Spray
Gently spray the flea spray in the interior of the car. Make sure to cover the every corner of the car, edges, cracks between the seat, and under the seats and floor mats. You need to wait for half an hour before wiping the away the spray.
4.) Vacuum Thoroughly
While vacuum your car, you need to pay close attention to the corner of the edges, under the seats, crack between the seats and mat. Then make sure you clean your vacuum afterward since the eggs you caught in the vacuum up can hatch later.
5.) Spray the Interior
To get rid of fleas, you need to choose a product that can be a left on the carpeting. You can use lemon spray, eucalyptus spray and cedar oil work that works as a flea repellents and will leave your car smelling fresh.
Causes of Fleas Infestation and Their Impact on Humans:
Fleas infest your house through your pets. If your dog live in your house more than the yard, then your house is at higher risk of inviting these unwanted creatures. Fleas live in the furs of the pets and get dropped when they roam around the house. So, your house is more prone to these fleas if you have pets roaming around the house. Jumping off the pets, they take shelter in your bed, carpet and rugs.
Humans are not their first choice. If their population increases and the pets are not sufficient for them then they go for animals. They do not cause much harm to humans unless they carry diseases with them. Yes, they do bite. Flea bite is like any other insect bite. It itches and redness appears on the skin. Anesthetic lotions help you with the redness and itching. You can use an antiseptic soap to prevent any kind of infection. Fleas may sometimes carry some diseases with them. Parasitic dermatitis, Lyme disease, Bartonella, erlichiosis, ricketssiae, myxomotosis and plague are the diseases which they carry with themselves.