Fleas are small and very agile insects that feed on the blood of animals. When they invade a house they can infest the carpets and fur of our four-legged friends. To kill them, use an insecticide and vacuum rugs, upholstery and carpeting. Also, wash your pets thoroughly. If you follow a strict policy to eliminate these intruders from your home, you can permanently fix the problem within 1-2 weeks.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Treat the House with an Insecticide
Step 1. Mix a natural powdered insecticide with borate (or boric acid)
The simplest way to eliminate fleas is to attack them in the most vulnerable stage of their life cycle, which is when they are in the form of eggs or larvae. The mixture you are going to prepare will prevent these parasites from fully maturing.
- Borates are minerals widely used in the preservation of wood, but also in the production of detergents and insecticides because they have a poisonous action that attacks the stomach of fleas.
- An adult flea lives on average 2-3 months and can last up to 100 days without feeding on the host's blood. On the other hand, the larvae must feed within 3 days of hatching, otherwise they will starve. As a result, it is much easier to attack them first.
Step 2. Sprinkle the borate mixture on carpets, furniture and beds
If you have pets, you can also spread it on their bed. However, you should do this when you plan to be away from home for a certain period of time (at least 24 hours), and in this case also move your furry friends. Let the mixture sit for a day. When you come back, vacuum the carpets and furniture and wash the sheets on each bed. Be careful not to inhale the insecticide. To apply it at home, wear a special protective mask.
- Ventilate the rooms and put on gloves before spreading the insecticide. Repeated exposure to the poisonous agents of these substances can be harmful to the health of animals and people.
- Since fleas have a fairly long life cycle, 2-3 treatments 3 weeks apart are often recommended to completely disinfect the home.
Step 3. Place several traps together with the borate mixture
Flea traps are equipped with a light at the top and an insecticide at the bottom. By placing them in various places in the house, you will ensure that you eliminate fleas that are not exterminated by the borate mixture. They will be attracted by the heat and the glow of the light falling into the poison, in which they will die.
If you have pets that, intrigued by traps, may try to open them and ingest their contents, keep them out of their reach. Alternatively, put them in rooms that you can lock to prevent access to your furry friends
Method 2 of 3: Eliminate Fleas Without Using Insecticides
Step 1. Use the vacuum cleaner twice a day for 2 weeks
Pass it on all flea infested areas, including the busiest spots where your pets tend to roam. Move the furniture to vacuum everything you find on the floor, without forgetting the carpets, the most hidden corners of the carpet and the upholstery of the furniture. Most fleas will not be able to survive after a thorough vacuum cleaning!
- People often prefer to use high-powered appliances, but a normal vacuum cleaner will do just fine too.
- When you're done, throw the bag away to avoid re-infestation.
Step 2. Use dish soap
Pour the water and two drops of detergent into a shallow container so that the fleas, while jumping, get trapped inside. Place it next to a dim light, such as a small night lamp. Many of them, attracted by the glow, will approach falling into the solution, in which they will find certain death.
- The mixture of water and detergent will act as a toxic pool for these parasites. When they jump inside, they will inevitably die.
- If you don't have a shallow bowl, an old Frisbee will do as well.
Step 3. Use a lemon-based solution
Cut a whole lemon into thin wedges and put it in 240ml of water. Bring the solution to a boil and let it sit overnight for maximum effect. Pour it into a spray bottle and spray it on infested areas.
You can also use another citrus fruit, such as orange, lime, or grapefruit
Step 4. Sprinkle cedar shavings in areas overrun with fleas
Place them in the corners of rooms, in the dog's bed and under furniture. You can also wrap them in a cotton cloth and insert them between the upholstery cushions, under the pillows and, if possible, between the sheets and blankets to protect the bed from these pests. Since fleas hate the smell of cedar, they will try to avoid it. You can purchase cedar shavings at pet supply or home cleaning stores.
Make sure your furry friends tolerate cedar. For example, many dogs can be allergic to the substances in this wood, so stop using it in case of allergic reactions such as sneezing or swollen eyes
Step 5. Sprinkle the salt on the carpet surface
Salt has dehydrating properties, so it absorbs moisture from objects. When a grain of salt comes into contact with the flea it will cause irritation and abrasions, causing it to bleed to death. After 7-10 days, vacuum the treated area thoroughly, making sure to collect all flea carcasses and salt residues. Repeat this a couple more times.
- Use fine salt. The smaller the grains, the more effective they are, because they easily adhere to the body of the flea.
- After vacuuming, throw the bag away and replace it with a new one.
Step 6. Use food grade diatomaceous earth
Like salt, diatomaceous earth also kills fleas by causing irritation on the body. Then, scatter a few large spoonfuls of it on the infested spots on the carpet. You can also use it for preventive purposes by spreading it around the entrances of your home. You can find it in animal husbandry stores, in hardware stores or in a house cleaning shop.
Try applying it to your pets, avoiding the eyes and ears. Spread it along your spine and rub it all over so that it comes into contact with your skin
Step 7. Spray the floors and bed with an insect growth regulator
It is a chemical insecticide that inhibits the development of parasites. By dying at the larval stage, they do not have time to become adult fleas that would continue to reproduce and contaminate the home. In other words, it is a substance that interrupts the reproductive cycle, allowing you to keep the infestation at bay. Generally, it needs to be applied twice, about 3 weeks apart.
- The cheapest method is to purchase the concentrated product and dilute it following the instructions contained in the package. You can find it in hardware stores.
- Insect Growth Regulator is not poisonous to mammals, so it's a great solution if you have children and small pets in your home, such as hamsters, reptiles, or fish.
Method 3 of 3: Treating Pets
Step 1. Wash your furry friend every day with water and flea cleaner
In this way, those that nest in the fur will be killed. Prepare your puppy for the bath by applying the cleanser near the ears, eyes, nose, muzzle and butt. When these parasites sense water, they immediately search for a safe place to take refuge, for example around the neck, on the head and near the anus. Apply the product before bathing the animal.
Since fleas may attack your furry friend again during their life cycle, be sure to use this method with other preventative measures, including vacuum cleaning, borate mixture, and cedar shavings
Step 2. Rub and let the cleaner work for at least 10 minutes
After applying it to the most vulnerable areas of the body, wet the animal and lather it completely. Remove the foam with warm water after about ten minutes. Then, after drying the pet, comb it to remove dead fleas.
Once you've finished bathing your furry friend, take a shower. Some flea cleaners can irritate the skin with prolonged exposure
Step 3. Use a flea product
Pesticides, such as Advantage or Frontline, are local treatments to be used monthly. They are generally applied directly to the skin of the animal between the shoulder blades and in different points of the vertebral column and are absorbed by the skin (integumentary system). You can buy them at pet supply stores.
A pesticide can be used in combination with a fine-toothed flea comb to remove them one at a time from the pet's coat
Step 4. Change your treatment if you don't get results
This will prevent fleas from getting used to the method you are using. In fact, you may find that some products are ineffective precisely because the parasites have learned to tolerate a particular treatment (or the chemicals released by the flea collar). In this case, alternate treatments and use them together with the insect growth regulator. For example, if your flea collar doesn't work, try applying a powdered pesticide.
- Your vet may prescribe oral tablets to give to your furry friend. They attack the nervous system of parasites through the bloodstream and tissues of the animal. However, keep in mind that they have no preventive purpose as they only kill adult fleas.
- The use of the insect growth regulator inhibits the development and spread of fleas by preventing them from getting used to pesticide treatments.
Step 5. Use flea tablets to get rid of the problem quickly
They are administered orally and work within a few hours. They kill all the fleas that nest in the fur in about 60 minutes, however they have no preventive purpose and do not make the animal immune to a second infestation. Once the medication takes effect, wash your furry friend if he continues to scratch in an attempt to remove the agonizing fleas.
Some cats may become hyperactive, meow more, or gasp. If this happens, try lowering the recommended dose, but if your cat is too sensitive, you may want to stop taking it
Step 6. Add some deterrent to the bowl
Since fleas feed on the blood of animals, you can intervene by altering your furry friend's food. For example, if you have a dog, use vinegar: mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the water bowl or wash it with water and vinegar.
Do not try this method with cats, as their pH is much more sensitive than that of dogs
Advice
- When looking for fleas, you may come across their droppings. They are composed of dark particles which, in contact with a damp cloth, turn red, as these are the blood waste these parasites feed on. They are a great clue to identifying infested areas.
- Don't leave the salt on the carpet for too long. It will absorb moisture and become encrusted in the fibers.
- If your dog is not responding well to flea cleanser, try a product based on eucalyptus, tea tree or cedar oil. Fleas loathe these substances, so use them wisely.
