They may only range between 1.5mm – 3.3mm in size, but fleas can cause a lot of trouble for you and your pets. “What kind of trouble, and how serious can it really be?” Let’s take a look:
A flea feeds on blood, and once they’ve fed, they lay eggs, creating more…and more blood-thirsty pests.
They’re in your bed!
Are you one of those people who shares your bed with your pets? Sure they love it, but so do their fleas. If you wake up with spots on your body, it’s probably because of a flea bite, which will leave you feeling itchy and uncomfortable. These bites can also cause allergic reactions and even certain diseases.
And that’s not all: The female flea can lay up to 50 eggs every time that she feeds, meaning that over a period of a few months, your bed can host almost 200,000 eggs – from a single flea!
Steps to a flea-free your home
Control fleas on your pets:
Unfortunately, your beloved pets are one of the main causes of flea infestation and so the best way to start is to get rid of their fleas. There are a few treatment options:
Topical Treatment.
There are a number of over-the-counter treatments available. Your local pet store should have them in stock and they will be able to answer any questions that you may have. You can also buy a flea-killing shampoo for your pet(s).
Alternative Treatment.
If your pet is scratching a lot and you don’t have any topical treatment, you can use a liquid dish-washing soap to wash him. Make sure it contains glycerine because this is the ingredient that kills the fleas.
Get them out of your bed
- Vacuum your sheets, mattress and pillows.
- Vacuum any rugs that you may have in the room. Rugs may contain flea eggs.
- Make sure that you rinse out the vacuum bag thoroughly otherwise the eggs will hatch.
- If you find that vacuuming has not helped, it is a very large infestation and you’ll need to use a flea bomb.
Wooden Floors and Carpets
“I don’t have any pets, do I have anything to worry about?” Unfortunately, even a pet-free home can still host fleas. If previous owners, or visitors had pets, they could have carried fleas into your home, hiding in carpets or wooden floors. (Carpets are similar to pet-hair, giving fleas plenty of space to hide.)
How to get them off your floor
- Mop your floor more than once a week – thoroughly.
- You can use a normal carpet and/or floor cleaner.
- It’s also a good idea to invest in a floor steam cleaner because the heat will kill the fleas, instantly!
So, now you’ve got your flea-killing battle plan! Ready, set, attack!
Sources:
http://www.fleabites.net/how-to-get-rid-of-fleas-in-your-bed/
http://www.fleastrouble.com/fleas-in-bed-tips-for-getting-rid-of-fleas-forever/
http://www.pierrevanryneveldvet.com/#!ticks-and-fleas/c1b7m
http://www.pestproducts.com/flea1.htm
http://fleasbgone.org/home-flea-removal