The Best Ways to Get Rid of Fleas

Fleas are an irritating pest that many pet owners have to deal with at some point. These tiny parasites multiply fast and can spread disease and cause tapeworms in both animals and humans. It's important to get rid of them as soon as you see signs of an infestation.

  1. What Are They?

    • Fleas are parasites that live on the blood of a host, which are usually animals and most commonly your own household pet. Adult fleas lay eggs on the host, which are often shed in bedding and carpets, or anywhere else the host may frequent. The eggs usually hatch in about one to two weeks, and the fleas emerge as larvae. These larvae can live in carpets and bedding for up to 200 days before going through the transformational process as pupae to become adult fleas. This process can take up to year, which means that many generations of fleas can accumulate and lead to a great infestation.

    Removing Fleas from Your Home

    • Getting rid of fleas may take more than one try, but you can get rid of them effectively.

      First, remove infested pets from home.

      Collect bedding or any other articles that fleas could hide in and wash them in soapy water.

      Vacuum carpets, furniture, carpets, bare floors, and anywhere dust and eggs could collect, including corners and cracks in the floor. Immediately remove the vacuum bag when done and seal in a plastic bag to avoid fleas escaping through any tiny holes.

      If you have a particularly large infestation, you may want to shampoo your carpet with insecticidal carpet shampoo or have carpets professionally steam-cleaned. Steam will kill all stages of the transforming fleas except eggs. Pest control specialists can also help with a major infestation by applying an infrared heat treatment to the carpet.

    Removing Fleas from Pets

    • Wash your infected pet with warm, soapy water. You can also use insecticidal pet flea shampoos, but these are often unnecessary, soapy water kills fleas effectively in most cases. Never use shampoos that contain DEET (diethyltoluamide), an insecticide, as it can cause serious adverse reactions.

      You can also buy special flea combs that are designed to extract fleas from pets. Comb your pet daily with these combs to keep flea populations down.