Tackling Your Summer Flea Problem

Your home is a reflection of what you are and how you live. So anything unwanted like fleas will destroy your picture-perfect home. It’s an icky reality, but with the summer heat, in come flies the summer flea problems. Summers are not just about fun under the sun, but plagued with getting rid of these tiny little pests. There are many ways to get rid of these pests but first lets learn a little about them.

Some facts about fleas

You should know that in certain areas of United States, fleas pose more problems. If the climate is warm, and the weather is humid, there can be more fleas. The most common flea that is found in United Sates is Cat Flea. So, if you have pets it is better to take care of them properly, you never know when your little home can turn into a breeding ground for fleas and ticks.

According to PetMD.com

The female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in her lifetime.
A flea can live more than 100 days without a blood meal.
Pets with fleas may develop anemia, tapeworms or intense bouts of itching (pruritus).

Wash them off

Find out the areas where your pets like to spend most of their time. You may not like it, but fleas love your pets. Try and wash the area twice or thrice a day. After you mop and wash the area, empty the vacuum in the trash can. You have to mop the floor with warm water mixed with soap and repeat the process more than once. This has to be repeated again and again until you are absolutely sure that there is no more infestation.

How about a flea trap?

You can put warm soapy water under a lamp and keep the lamp on for the entire night. But ensure that all the other lights are turned off. Fleas are always attracted to light, and most likely they will drown in the warm water. If you have kids or pets in the house, you should warn them about your ploy.

Removing fleas from carpets

It is likely that your pets have brought the fleas home, ensure that your pets get a good bath. Some of the fleas can be eliminated by doing this. Obviously you cannot restrict the movement of your pets. They are everywhere, sitting on the carpets and rugs or walking to your bedroom. To remove fleas from the carpets, you can take some salt and ground it to refined powder consistency. You can just sprinkle it over the carpet and rug and leave it for 12 to 48 hours depending on the infestation. Then vacuum the carpet thoroughly.

If the extent of infestation is quite serious, you can mix it with boric acid. But before you sprinkle the mixture, you have to ask your carpet dealer to see if the fabric can withstand boric acid.

There are a lot of over-the-counter insecticides which have been discarded now-a-days for health hazards. So, if your pets are infected with fleas several times a year, you should take them to vet and express your concerns. Last, a quick call to a professional pest control company can also be useful.