How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your House

Household Treatment for Fleas

Most dog and cat lovers accept fleas as an inevitable part of pet ownership.  But that is often because they deal with infestations the wrong way.  Because they generally only treat the affected animal, they miss the other 95 percent of fleas that are living in their homes and yards. How could this be? Don’t parasites have to feed on the pet? Yes, but only if they’re fully grown.

Only about five percent of fleas are adults, and those are the ones that bite! The rest are in the egg, larvae, or pupae stage of the flea life cycle. The future pests that will one day reach adulthood (unless you deal with them first) are more likely to be growing in your home or yard than on your dog or cat.  And this is why when you only treat your furry friend, your pet will soon start scratching again when the next generation of fleas are old enough to feed.

In order to eradicate an infestation, you must kill all of the fleas in your home, yard, and on your pets. And you must do so on the same day!  It may take you a few hours, but total flea control can save your pets from months of needless suffering.  Not to mention the fact that fleas also bite humans! So set aside a free day and assemble your arsenal.

Step 1 in the Fight against Fleas in your Home – Vacuum your entire home!

Fleas tend to hide and grow in dark corners and crevices, under furniture and beds, on carpets and rugs.  A thorough vacuuming not only sucks up fleas when they are away from their hosts, the vibration may also force immature parasites to come out of their cocoons, which makes them more vulnerable to flea bombs, sprays, and other insecticides.

You won’t be able to see them, but most of the fleas you vacuum up will be in the egg, larvae, or pupae stage and will be growing on your carpet or floor. After the vacuuming is done, empty the contents into a plastic bag and secure it. You don’t want any of the fleas you evicted to escape.

Step 2 in the Fight against Fleas in your Home – Spray insecticides!

Sold in fogger, flea bomb, and aerosol form, these products are designed to eliminate fleas in all stages of the life cycle.  They should be applied to all rugs, floors, carpets, and soft upholstered furniture. Also remember to spray under all cushions, beds, and in dark areas.

Knockout Room and Aera Fogger from Virbac

Knockout Room and Aera Fogger Available at VetRxDirect

The most effective flea control products on the market often contain insect growth regulator, which is a chemical that sterilizes fleas and their eggs for several months.  The Room and Area Fogger from Virbac not only contains that chemical, it also has others to kill adult fleas immediately and residually.  In other words, even those that manage to survive the initial application will die off in time.  The standard 6 ounce bottle can treat up to 6000 cubic feet of space.

While it is true some sprays designed for indoor use can also be used to kill fleas in your backyard, concentrated sprays are generally much more effective for outdoor use.  Yard Spray Concentrate, also from Virbac, is a water based solution that will not harm grass or plants. It comes complete with an easy to use hose end applicator and can cover up to 6,000 square feet of lawn.

Step 3 in the Fight against Fleas in your Home – Treat your pets

From tablets to chewables to sprays and shampoos, there are many different and effective ways to treat your dog or cat for flea infestation. Since we cannot discuss all of them here, we will talk about the old standby—shampoo. Flea and tick shampoos are arguably the easiest and most affordable way to kill a bunch of pesky parasites in a matter of minutes. Although it is not a permanent solution, since the chemicals that eradicate the infestation will only stay on your furry friend’s skin for a couple of days, it will stop the scratching while you deal with the fleas in your home and yard.

Adams Plus Flea and Tick Shampoo

Adams Plus Flea and Tick Shampoo Ships Fast From VetRxDirect.

Mild enough to be used as a regular cleanser, Adams Plus Flea & Tick Shampoo with Precor is one of the top selling products on the market. In addition to eliminating infestations, the shampoo will also help deodorize and condition your pet’s coat! The solution contains soothing aloe, lanolin, oatmeal, and, of course, insect growth regulator. Adams Plus kills fleas, flea eggs, lice, and ticks in one shot.

After you have successfully eradicated your house of all the stages of fleas, talk to your veterinarian about the best topical or oral flea preventative for your area. The most trusted names are available at VetRxDirect, your pet’s online pharmacy.

Which products and practices have worked for you? Please leave us ideas in the comments section below so we all can learn how to eradicate our homes of this these little nuisances.

All of us here at VetRxDirect are here to help get you the best products available quickly, when you need them.

Wes