If you have pets living in your home, you may need to rid your home of fleas occasionally. Have you ever walked into your living room and suddenly had your ankles covered in biting fleas. That is how you know that a flea infestation has gotten out of hand in your carpet. You may be tempted to throw the pets outside forever. Before you do try these simple steps to rid your home of fleas and prevent a future flea infestation.
Things You'll Need
- Cedar oil
- Tea Tree oil
- Lemon juice
- Vacuum cleaner
- Carpet shampooer
- 20 Mule team borax
- Carpet shampoo
Instructions
Sprinkle the infested area with 20 Mule Team Borax powder and then leave it on over night.
Vacuum the entire area thoroughly. If you have an attachment for vacuuming corners, edges, and crevices use it.
Fill your carpet shampooer with your regular carpet shampoo leaving a little room for some additives. To each quart of carpet shampoo, add 1/8-cup oil of cedar, 1/8-cup of lemon juice, and 1-tsp of Tea Tree oil. Fill the water reservoir as usual.
Shampoo the carpets with the shampooer set on the normal to heavy setting. Make sure you overlap each pass with the shampooer at least two inches so you do not miss any areas. If your shampooer has an attachment for edges, use it. If it does not you may want to put some of this mixture into a bucket and scrub these areas with a utility-type brush.
Open your windows, turn on fans, and point them into the rooms you have shampooed so the carpet can dry faster. If you cannot open the windows, use fans and a dehumidifier.
Vacuum the carpet thoroughly once it has dried completely overlapping each pass with the vacuum by at least two-inches.
Wash items in the washing machine that will fit and are machine washable such as bedding, furniture covers, throw pillows, stuffed toys, and rugs. Add 1-tsp of Tea Tree Oil to the detergent. For rugs and pet bedding also add 1-tsp of oil of cedar to the washer. Items that can be dried in an electric dryer should be as the heat will kill any survivors.
Spray items such as furniture and large stuffed animals that you cannot shampoo or launder. Mix 1-quart of water, 1/8-cup oil of cedar, 1-tsp Tea Tree oil, and 1/8-cup of lemon juice in a spray bottle. Use this mixture to mist anything you did not shampoo or launder.