Learn how to get rid of fleas quickly with proven methods, natural remedies, and expert tips to prevent fleas from coming back.
If you find one flea, there may be more hiding there. Not just a second flea, but hundreds if not thousands.
Fleas are persistent and reproduce quickly, laying hundreds of eggs. “For every adult flea someone sees on their pet, there are about 90 to 100 other fleas in other life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) in the home environment,” says Thomas Dock, director of communications and communications at Noah Animal Hospital in Indiana.
Getting rid of fleas is a process and requires multiple steps to get rid of them completely. Here’s what experts say is the fastest way to get rid of fleas in your home.
Are there fleas? Here’s what you should do now:
If you find even one fleas flying around, you should start exterminating them immediately. This includes cleaning your home, treating your pets, and contacting pest control professionals.
- Disinfect. If you find fleas in your home, the first step is to clean the areas where fleas are most likely to breed. This includes washing bedding, rugs, and pet bedding, vacuuming carpets and the bottom of walls.
- Treat your pet. Even if your pet is completely indoors, All pets in your home should be treated for fleas. Wash each pet with soap and water, use a flea comb, and consult your veterinarian about the best medication to kill fleas and prevent them from coming back.
- Call a pest control professional to treat your home. Getting rid of fleas can be difficult, so it’s best to hire a professional exterminator. It may take two or three treatments to completely eliminate fleas in your home.
- Clean and vacuum. Sweep and vacuum your floors daily to remove any remaining eggs or young fleas.
- Follow-up and usage prevention. Fleas can become resistant to insecticides at some stage in their life cycle, so re-treatment may be necessary. A good pest control company will return within 10 to 15 days to assess for further infestations.
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How to get rid of fleas
To get rid of fleas, you need to clean your home and treat your pets. If fleas are still present, call your local exterminator.
“When it comes to treatment, the quickest way to get rid of fleas is to call a pest control professional,” says Jeff Schumacher, owner of All-Safe Pest & Termite in Texas. Fleas are resistant to some insecticides during some stages of their life cycle, so two or more additional treatments may be required to kill young fleas and any remaining eggs.
Treat all pets in your home with topical or oral treatments. You can apply topical flea treatments like Advantage II or Frontline to your pet’s skin, or use oral chew medications like Bravecto or NexGard. Always consult your veterinarian before starting treatment.
Why fleas come into the house
Fleas enter homes by attaching themselves to pets, humans, and other wildlife. Ultimately, they are looking for a food source and a place to live and reproduce. Once there, they can jump off their original host and find new breeding grounds on couches, carpets, bedding, and more.
Fleas can also be found on used furniture. “If the person who bought it had fleas in the house, the dormant eggs could hatch if brought into the right environment, and you could quickly have a flea problem,” Schumacher says.
If you are moving into a new house or apartment, it is important to clean the house before moving in, as previous homeowners or tenants could be the culprit.
How to safely get rid of fleas from your home
A good insecticide sprayer can make a big difference in treatment. “Treatments should include insect growth regulators (IGRs),” Dock says. “These products not only prevent the eggs from hatching, but also prevent the larvae from molting and maturing.”
IGR does not kill fleas on contact, but rather disrupts the flea life cycle. These treatments prevent new fleas from hatching, prevent larvae from molting, and prevent young fleas from developing into blood-sucking adults. The most common IGRs used to treat flea infestations include methoprene, pyriproxyfen, and lufenuro.
“We then recommend that clients consider vacuuming daily for two weeks, which will stimulate the pupa to hatch as adults,” says Dock. When they become adults, if they get on top of your pet and touch the adult, it will die. ”
Note: Steam cleaning is also a great way to get rid of fleas. Hot steam can kill fleas and eggs at all stages of life.
Natural ways to get rid of fleas
“Flea prevention can be DIY, but getting rid of fleas is much more difficult,” Schumacher says. The flea life cycle is complex and it is very easy for an infestation to get out of control. There are several measures that can help get rid of fleas, but be aware that they may not be enough.
To get rid of fleas, you need to do the following:
- Give your pet a flea preventative right away
- Keep the lawn cut short
- Move bird feeders away from your home (so that squirrels, rodents, and other flea-carrying animals are not near your home’s entrance).
- Vacuum frequently (at least once every two days)
- Wash sheets, bedding, rugs, and pet beds about weekly.
“Prophylactic treatment of your pet and regular vacuuming of the areas where your pet spends the most time (such as couches, rugs, carpets, bedding, etc.) are the best preventative measures,” Schumacher says.
Professional flea treatment
Professional flea treatment includes testing, initial treatment, follow-up care, and flea prevention.
“It starts with a thorough inspection to determine exactly where the fleas are located,” Schumacher says. Our experts will take care of every part of your home, both indoors and outdoors.
“We then apply targeted treatments to the most affected areas,” he says. “Residual adulticides kill adult fleas, while insect growth regulators prevent egg maturation.”
When combined with flea control for all pets, you get a multi-pronged approach that almost guarantees the elimination of fleas that have taken up residence in your home.
How to prevent fleas from recurring
Smart flea prevention includes pest treatment and regular cleaning. Vacuum regularly, wash upholstery, and stay up-to-date on pet treatment information.
“All pets should be on parasite prevention year-round,” says Dock. This will prevent fleas from entering your home on your pet.
Common mistakes when trying to get rid of fleas
“Honestly, the first mistake you make is waiting to call a pest control professional,” Schumacher says. Pest control companies have decades of experience treating fleas and have a plan to not only get rid of fleas, but to prevent fleas from coming back in the future.
Forgetting to apply flea preventative to your pet is also a big mistake. An untreated pet is more than just an invitation, it’s an open door for fleas to invade your home.
“One of the most common flea treatment mistakes we see is customers discontinuing flea preventatives (pet products) before the infestation is completely gone,” Dock says. The best flea prevention method is continuous application of medication. “All pets should be flea-treated year-round, but for at least three consecutive months to deter infestations (adult fleas have a lifespan of about 90 days),” he added.
The second mistake was not giving flea prevention to all pets in the household. “Many cat owners say their cats never go outside, but they don’t realize that their dogs are bringing fleas into the house, and that their cats can act as a reservoir for adult fleas, continuing the infestation,” Dock says.
When to contact a pest control professional
If you’ve cleaned your home and exterminated your pet’s fleas and there’s still an active flea infestation, call an exterminator. These professionals will develop a targeted plan to get rid of fleas in your home and on your lawn so that the fleas are eradicated and left alone.
FAQ
Can fleas survive in carpet?
Fleas don’t just live in carpets; they can also breed there. There may be more fleas on your carpets and upholstery than on your pet.
How long does it take to get rid of fleas?
Small intrusions can be resolved in as little as two to four weeks. However, large infestations may take several months to be fully controlled. That’s why it’s important to hire a pest control professional. They can speed up the process and keep fleas from coming back.
Do fleas die in winter?
Adult fleas can die when outdoor temperatures drop below freezing, but flea pupae can live inside a cocoon and remain dormant until the weather warms.
Can I get fleas even if I don’t have a pet?
Yes, you don’t have to worry about fleas even if you don’t have a dog or cat. Fleas can come from previous owners if you rent, hitchhike on second-hand furniture, rodents, or enter your space through shared walls. Fleas can also bite humans if their preferred host is not nearby.
