Getting Rid of Fleas

Separating the effective methods from the ineffective ones

When it comes to household pests there is one pest in particular that sends fear in to everyone because they are rumored to be so difficult to get rid of – fleas. There are many common misconceptions about fleas and a wide number of purported solutions to getting rid of them; however, not every “cure” was created equal. Some “cures” for flea infestations have been proven to be completely effective while others don’t even make a dent in the population of such a rapidly reproducing pest. Whether your flea infestation begins as a single flea carried by your pet dog or whether it begins with a whole host of fleas transferring in to your home in items that have been purchased or borrowed, the end result will always be a flea infestation that rapidly becomes more than the original flea population. So how do you get rid of such a determined pest? Well that depends upon what approach you want to take.

There Are Two Methods to Eliminating Fleas, Natural and Chemical

When it comes to eliminating fleas from your home there are those who believe that the quickest way to rid themselves of the problem is the best way to rid themselves of the problem, and then there are those who believe that the most natural way to eliminate the infestation is the best way. Neither of these camps is right or wrong since both have been proven to work in different circumstances; however, depending upon your beliefs you may be more partial to one method because of a desire to save small children from flea bites as quickly as possible or the other method because of a desire to expose children to as few foreign chemicals as possible.

The First Step is Determining How Your Infestation Began

Whether you choose to eliminate your flea infestation using holistic methods or whether you choose to utilize a more modern approach that utilizes less natural chemical sprays your first task is to determine where the infestation came from. If the infestation came from a family pet it is important that this be addressed by taking your pet to your veterinarian for a flea bath to kill the fleas that are currently living off your pet. This type of flea infestation can be largely avoided by applying flea and tick preventative to your pet on a regular monthly basis. When a pet has become infested with fleas and has been taken to the veterinarian to have their flea problem taken care of, it is important that you do not bring the pet back in to the home before the home has also been completely ridded of fleas. If the family pet is brought back home before the infestation has been eliminated in the household then there is a small possibility that your pet will become re-infested despite the fact that they have been treated. If your flea infestation began as a result of a carpet or other item that was given to you by another family it is important to let them know that there were fleas in the carpet so that they can address the problem in their own household as well. Bringing up a flea infestation with anyone is a delicate matter but do not be tempted to let the situation go without being discussed because fleas can very quickly and very easily infest even the cleanest of homes. It is also worth contacting children or individuals that have been in to your house since the infestation began since fleas are able to travel from home to home on humans.

A Little Bit about the Average Flea

So now that you have hopefully determined where your flea infestation began you can begin to address how to eliminate the problem. There are over 2,000 different versions of fleas throughout the world but many of the commonly found fleas can be eliminated with most of the commonly used eradication solutions. Fleas are particularly small as anyone who has experienced an infestation will be able to tell you, varying from 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch the most common sign of an infestation is the small raised red bites that appear on the body and extremities of victims or the extreme itching that accompanies them. While fleas can begin with biting only one family member the bites will soon be found on other individuals in the household as fleas move from one individual to another. Fleas have no trouble when moving from individual to individual or even animal to animal since they can jump as high as 7 inches vertically and 13 inches horizontally. For most species of fleas the one necessity to travel from one place to another is a fresh supply of blood; however, some flea species cannot survive outside of a particular species and as a result cannot thrive on human blood.

Eradicating Fleas the Natural Way

When it comes to eradicating fleas in a more natural and holistic way there are many options to choose from including: warm light and soapy water, sticky flea pads, boric acid based products, Nylar, Rosemary, Lavender, Brewer’s yeast, apple cider vinegar and lemon spray.

Warm Light and Soapy Water

Warm light and soapy water is a commonly recommended solution for those who wish to avoid using potentially harmful chemicals. This trick is mostly used in households that have pets that have been infested by fleas. When night falls and your pet goes to bed put a dish of warm and soapy water underneath a night light. Fleas will be attracted to the warm light of the night light but they cannot swim in soapy water and will drown. While only the adult fleas will leave the safety of their host to bask in the warm glow of the night light the reduction in the adult population will reduce the ability of the flea population to keep increasing. This type of flea reduction solution is only partly effective since many of the fleas on your pet will not want to leave their warm host so it is also important when using this method that you wash your pet thoroughly in Johnson and Johnson’s baby shampoo and warm water utilizing a flea comb. Using warm light and soapy water to eliminate fleas is an effective solution but it does take a longer time period than many people would like.

Sticky Flea Pads and Electronic Traps

Sticky flea pads are similar to the old fly paper that many households used to use decades ago. Sticky flea pads are generally always attached to an electronic trap that you will plug in near to a location of your home that is severely infested with fleas. Fleas will be attracted to the trap over a period of weeks and soon become stuck on the sticky paper. The drawback to using sticky traps like these is that they can appear extremely unsanitary and they can also take a longer period of time to eradicate flea populations. Again, utilizing this method is not effective on the younger fleas and so it is important to keep these traps in use for a significant period of time to ensure that all fleas are captured. It is also important when using this method that you bath any pets as specified above to reduce the number of parasites living off your family pet.

Boric Acid Based Products

Boric acid based products are another highly recommended solution for flea infestations, particularly when there are animals living in the household. Boric acid is not a particularly toxic product to people or other animals but fleas are unable to survive exposure to it. When boric acid based products are sprinkled on the carpet and throughout the infected household the extremely fine particles of boric acid work their way down in to the carpet and are not easily sucked up by vacuum cleaners. The trick to applying this type of solution is to sprinkle a layer on to the carpet and use a broom to work it down in to the carpet fibers, then vacuum to clean off any excess. As fleas come in to contact with these particles they quickly die; however, this means that it is extremely important to vacuum the floors regularly to reduce the dead fleas that are strewn about in your carpet. While boric acid is not generally toxic to humans or pets it is advised to wear a mask to avoid inhaling large amounts of the product when applying it to the carpets and it is also advised to remove other animals from the home to prevent them from breathing in large amounts of it as well.

Nylar

When it comes to homes with tile, wood or linoleum flooring many health conscious individuals choose to use Nylar to eradicate their flea infestation. Nylar regulates the growth of fleas and is commonly utilized where flea carrying pets spend most of their time. Nylar is sold in many online retailers and needs only to be applied once a year to clean up any flea infestation. Nylar is rather a unique product in the way that it works since it acts as a mimic of the juvenile hormone found in the flea and as such it prevents young fleas from becoming adults and it also stops flea eggs from ever hatching thereby reducing flea populations drastically.

Rosemary Flea Dip

Rosemary flea dip is another recommended holistic cure for canine flea infestations and involves placing 2 cups of fresh rosemary sprigs in boiling water for half an hour, straining the liquid and adding it to as much as a gallon of warm water. Water must be warm for this solution to be effective. When the solution is warm but not too hot pour it on to a flea infested dog and leave the dog to air dry.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil has also been claimed to serve as a flea killer, particularly when applied to dogs. The trick to utilizing this natural cure is to place a couple of drops of the essential oil at the back of the neck and a couple of drops at the base of the tail to control flea infestations. Lavender oil can also be utilized by applying a few drops to baseboards in areas where flea infestations are troublesome.

Brewer’s Yeast

Brewer’s yeast is a canine only solution when it comes to flea control and natural living experts claim that one small tablet of Brewer’s yeast added to your dogs food will make him taste repulsive to fleas that attempt to bite him. When using this natural control it is important to check with your veterinarian to find out the correct dosage of Brewer’s yeast as it will change based on the weight of your dog.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another canine only flea controller since it has a particularly strong odor and would leave the home smelling particularly disgusting if it was utilized throughout the home. Adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to your dog’s water bowl will make them taste particularly repulsive to fleas and reduce the likelihood of a flea infestation.

Lemon Spray

Lemon spray is claimed to be another natural flea repellent when a whole lemon is cut in to four and steeped in boiling water overnight. In the morning fish out the lemon pieces and spray the solution on your dog or around your household in areas where fleas are prone to gathering.

Eradicating Fleas the Chemical Way

Hiring a Professional

Not everyone is in to holistic living and instead they seek the quickest route possible to eliminate fleas from their home and their family pets. While many chastise those people for their decision to utilize harsher chemicals there are quite a few good reasons to eliminate fleas as quickly as possible including flea allergies in any one that lives in the household. For most people utilizing a chemical based flea eradication technique means calling in the professionals who come with tried and tested compounds that will eliminate fleas in a matter of weeks rather than a matter of months. One important thing to consider when choosing a faster method of flea control especially when it is as a result of allergies within the home, is that individuals that are sensitive to flea bites may also have allergies to some of the more abrasive agents used in flea control solutions. Another advantage to using this type of service; however, is that pest removal companies almost always offer a guarantee on their services so if you are still left with a house full of fleas following service you will receive your money back or a second treatment free of charge.

Do It Yourself

If you are unable to afford to hire a professional to apply flea eradication techniques in your home you may find that it is more affordable to purchase flea eradication powders or solutions from your local veterinarian or pet supply store. Not all of these products are guaranteed to work though so it is really up to you to do your research before investing in a flea eradication solution of your own. Often times you may find it more helpful to speak with salespersons in the store to see if they have utilized any of the products to get a feel for how easy they are to use, any side effects as a result of chemical compounds in them and how well they work on flea infestations of varied sizes. In the long run it is a much more guaranteed solution to hire a professional to do the job for you when you are not as concerned about Earth-friendly and natural solutions being used; however, in this economy that is not always a feasible option so the second best option in this circumstance is to go by word of mouth.

Always be Vigilant in Flea Infestation Eradication to Avoid Re-infestation

Whether you choose to utilize natural flea eradication methods, hire a professional pest control company or utilize a flea control product that you bought from your local veterinarian or pet supply store, you should always be vigilant in your pest control. Flea populations can quickly rebound when only a few fleas are left alive after a termination procedure, so it is crucial that after experiencing an infestation you continue any treatment procedures that remain even after all signs of fleas have gone. With as small as fleas are it is quite possible for just a few to escape your treatment and with the female flea being capable of laying up to 600 eggs in her lifetime it doesn’t take long for an entirely new flea infestation to begin. If you want to be sure of eliminating your pest problem your best bet is to always utilize professional pest control services that guarantee their work and if you look hard enough you may just find a local pest control service that utilizes natural solutions to terminate fleas.