Dealing with a flea infestation in your home can be both challenging and frustrating. These tiny pests can multiply quickly, causing discomfort to both pets and humans. If you’ve noticed your pets scratching more than usual or have spotted fleas on your furniture, it’s time to take action. In this blog, we’ll guide you through understanding flea infestations, their causes, and effective methods to eliminate fleas and their eggs from your home, including answering the crucial question: how can I kill fleas in the house?
What are Flea Infestations?
Flea outbreaks happen when fleas enter your home, often carried in by pets. These small, wingless bugs survive by feeding on the blood of mammals and birds. After entering your house, they may conceal themselves in rugs, furniture, and floor crevices. Fleas go through a complete metamorphosis, moving through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.
What Causes Fleas?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the environment dramatically influences fleas’ life cycle. Fleas do well in hot, damp weather and usually perish during colder winter periods. Nonetheless, they can thrive and reproduce throughout the year in hotter regions or indoors where the temperature is maintained.
Flea eggs are typically light in color, smooth, and small in size. One solitary adult female flea can lay up to 2,000 eggs in her lifespan, depositing them in your pet’s coat, deep in your carpets, or outdoor places such as tall grass. Under ideal circumstances, fleas can go through the entire life cycle from egg to adult in only 2 to 3 weeks, and adult fleas can survive for up to 100 days. Fleas are prepared to feed right after they hatch, beginning to suck blood within 10 seconds of locating a host. Infestations can be difficult to control because flea larvae can stay inactive for months when conditions are not optimal.
How Can I Kill Fleas in the House?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a thorough and systematic approach to effectively cleaning your home to combat flea infestations. Start by vacuuming floors, upholstery, and mattresses, paying particular attention to cracks and tight spaces where fleas, their eggs, larvae, and cocoons can hide. Using a vacuum with a disposable bag is ideal to avoid contact with the contents.
Next, use a steam cleaner on carpets, upholstery, and pet beds. The combination of high heat and soap effectively kills fleas at all life cycle stages, especially in areas where your pets spend the most time. Finally, wash all bedding, including your pet’s, in hot water and detergent, and dry them on the highest heat setting. In severe infestations, consider replacing old bedding.
How to Kill Flea Eggs
Due to their lack of sticky properties, flea eggs detach from the host and spread throughout the surroundings. Despite previous beliefs, vacuuming has been found to be effective in killing flea eggs, adults, and larvae. Vacuuming regularly, every other day, when dealing with an infestation, can eliminate 32-90% of flea eggs from your carpet, depending on the variety.
Vacuuming on hard surfaces like hardwood or tile can remove eggs from difficult-to-access crevices. Mopping and using steam cleaners can also help eradicate flea eggs completely. Moreover, laundering linens, bedding, and pet beds in hot water can assist in decreasing the flea population.
Getting rid of clutter in your home is important in reducing places where flea eggs hide and making cleaning more efficient. It is essential to have a flea-control program that addresses every stage of fleas. This involves vacuuming, steam cleaning, laundering, and applying suitable flea-control products.
Your Solution for Pest-Free Homes in Harmony with Nature
Now that we have explored how you can kill fleas in the house, it is time to call the experts. At GreenCore Environmental, we specialize in eco-friendly pest control solutions to eradicate fleas and other pests from your home. Whether you live in Central or South Florida, our team can provide the expertise and tools needed to restore peace and tranquility to your home.
Contact GreenCore Environmental at (866) 816-BUGS for a pest-free living environment in harmony with nature. Our tailored solutions ensure you and your pets enjoy a comfortable, flea-free home without compromising safety or environmental impact.