To get rid of fleas in your house effectively, you need a multi-step approach targeting both your pets and their environment:
Treat Your Pets
- Use appropriate flea treatments such as topical solutions, oral medications, flea collars, or shampoos recommended by your vet.
- Regularly comb your pets with a flea comb, focusing on the neck and tail areas, and dip the comb in hot soapy water to kill fleas
Clean and Treat Your Home
- Vacuum daily all carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, pet bedding, cracks, crevices, baseboards, and floors. Dispose of vacuum contents immediately outside your home to prevent re-infestation
- Steam clean carpets, upholstery, and pet beds if possible, as the combination of heat and soap kills fleas at all life stages
- Wash all pet and family bedding in hot, soapy water and dry on high heat every 1-3 weeks. Replace old bedding if infestation is severe
- Consider using flea sprays or powders designed for indoor use on carpets and furniture, following product instructions carefully
Natural and Additional Remedies
- Sprinkle baking soda or salt on carpets, scrub lightly, let sit for 1-2 days, then vacuum to dehydrate and kill fleas
- Use lemon spray (steep lemon slices in boiling water overnight, then spray) on flea-infested areas for a natural deterrent
- Rosemary water spray can be applied to pets to repel fleas naturally
- Diatomaceous earth (food-grade) sprinkled on carpets and furniture can kill fleas by drying them out
Outdoor Control
- Maintain your yard by mowing grass, removing debris, and trimming plants to reduce flea habitats.
- Apply beneficial nematodes or insecticides safe for outdoor use to control fleas in soil and grass
Ongoing Prevention
- Keep pets indoors as much as possible to reduce exposure to fleas.
- Continue regular vacuuming, washing bedding, and treating pets year-round to prevent re-infestation
If the infestation persists or is severe, consult a veterinarian for pet treatments and consider professional pest control services for your home
. This comprehensive approach targets fleas at all life stages (eggs, larvae, adults) in both pets and the home environment, which is essential for effective eradication
