If you have ever come across fleas, you would know that they are one of the most annoying insects on the planet. Not only are they small but agile as well. The thing with fleas is that these insects prefer four-legged animals over humans. Therefore, if you have a pet animal who is infected with fleas, chances are that your yard, house, and furniture would come next. If you observe that your pet animal is constantly itching, it is a telltale sign that fleas have caught up with it. Even though they are visible to the naked eye, locating the source of larvae is difficult. To know the signs of fleas in bed visit How To Murder Pests.
This article aims to help you get rid of fleas so that your house and particularly the expensive furniture is saved before the damage.
Locate the Source
The first thing you should start with is inspecting your pet animal for fleas. Since pet animals run around in the yards, it is highly likely that your pet animal is the primary source. In such cases, treating the entire house will not work if your pet animal keeps bringing in fleas.
To inspect your pet animal, grab a flea comb, and run it over your pet’s neck and tail since these are the favorite areas of fleas. If found, drop them into hot soapy water to kill them. Once your animal is free of fleas, talk to your veterinarian and ask him/her about flea control. Purchase products that help prevent your animal from catching fleas.
Clear your home of pets and children
The next thing you would want to do is, clear your home of pets and children. Ideally, you should be doing this when nobody is in the house. However, if not possible, make sure that your children and pets are kept out of the house for a while until you are done with the process. Cover any fish tanks or areas you believe fleas will migrate to.
If the infestation is heavy, it is better to destroy all the pet beddings. However, if the infestation is light, soak the bedding and necessary items in hot soapy water. To make sure that the infestation is permanently deleted, you might have to repeat the process multiple times during a week or month.
Locating the fleas
Now that you have cleared the house, prepare for an attack. Take a casual walk around the house and look for fleas and larvae. Check the sleeping spot of your pet animal. Fleas will disappear as soon as they appear so you will have to keep an eye out. Furthermore, fleas prefer to live in areas where foot traffic is minimum but receives a lot of sunlight. Look for flea feces or blood left behind by the fleas. Follow the trail and you shall find the source. Once you have located the source, it all comes down to how you want to kill them.
Getting Rid of Fleas
Vacuum
Grab a beater-bar style vacuum and get to work. If possible, move some furniture around or get under if you weren’t able to move them. Make sure to run the vacuum over corner edges, heat vents, and floor cracks, etc. Furthermore, find out the spot where your pet animal usually sleeps or spends most of its time. If you are unsure, look for areas that have pet hair.
Simply killing the fleas will not solve the problem, instead, you have to get rid of the larvae as well. Therefore, vacuuming is going to play a significant role in helping you get rid of them. Pay special attention to areas that may potentially be flea hideouts.
Dish Soap
Prepare a flea trap using water and dish soap. Grab a bowl or a plate and prepare a warm mixture of water and dish soap. Then, place the mixture in the area which receives the most flea activity. The dish soap mixture acts as a glue. Once the fleas step inside, they will stick to the solution.
It is suggested that the solution should be placed overnight as fleas like to hunt in the dark. Prepare a fresh batch every day for a few days until the situation comes under control.
Herbal Flea Spray
The herbal flea spray is as easy to prepare as the dish soap mixture. Mix 2 liters of water, 4 liters of vinegar, 250ml of witch hazel, and 500ml of lemon juice. Before you proceed with spraying the house, make sure that you have washed beddings or clothes that might be affected. Vacuum the areas properly and then spray on furniture, pet bedding, carpets, and floors, etc.
Baking Soda
The baking soda technique is one of the most effective when it comes to eliminating fleas. Even though vacuuming will help you catch fleas from your furniture and carpets but you should give baking soda a try as well. For this method to work, spray baking soda over your carpet and furniture and rub it in using a hard brush. Then, thoroughly vacuum the areas and preferably destroy the vacuum bag. Otherwise, empty the contents in a plastic bag and put in in the trash can.
Flea Repelling Plants
The final remedy to get rid of fleas on furniture is installing flea repelling plants. These plants are natural repellents and will always keep such insects at bay. Furthermore, flea repelling plants have certain compounds, oils, and chemicals which fleas hate, therefore avoiding them. Plant them in pots at different locations in the house to cover every potential flea living area.
Final Word
Getting rid of fleas could be tricky. However, if you were to follow measures such as cleaning and washing your pet and its bedding along with your bed sheets and carpets etc. you shall reduce the chances of reinfestation. Try the above-mentioned techniques to find out which works best for you. Remember, the point is to kill the larvae not just the adult fleas.