Got a Flea Infestation? Ways to Rid Your Home of Fleas with Items You Already Have
Now that the weather is beginning to warm up, fleas are beginning to flourish. If you have pets and they have not been treated for fleas, they may pick them up outdoors and bring them inside. Unfortunately, this can cause your home to quickly become overrun with these small hopping pests. This can leave you, your children, and your pets with itchy bite marks. Taking action quickly can help get the infestation under control and allow you to live a bite-free life once again. However, many of the products sold to kill fleas contain insecticides. If you don't feel comfortable using these toxins around your children or pets, you may be looking for other options. Here are a few chemical-free ways to rid your home of fleas with items you likely already have.
Salt
One of the best ways to kill fleas is to simply sprinkle salt throughout the carpets in your home. Salt will dehydrate fleas, causing them to die when they come into contact with the salt. However, salt also attracts and retains moisture. Therefore, if you live in a humid environment, you will need to vacuum up the salt and lay fresh salt every 12 to 48 hours. Vacuuming frequently also helps to remove fleas and their eggs. It is important to note that salt should only be sprinkled in your home, not used to treat your pet's flea problem. Salt can irritate your pet's skin, so do not use this method to rid your pet of fleas.
Vinegar
Vinegar kills and repels fleas. Soaking fleas in the mixture will kill any existing ones, while the scent will repel any in the future. There are many ways to use vinegar to control a flea infestation you already have. One way you can kill fleas using vinegar is by giving your pet a vinegar bath. After shampooing your pet, add one quart of distilled white vinegar to the bath water and allow it to soak into your pet's fur and skin. Then remove your pet from the water and let it air dry. Do not rinse the vinegar away. Repeat this process daily until the fleas are gone from your pet.
Another way you can use vinegar to kill fleas in your home is by laundering linens in vinegar. Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar into the washing machine as you wash your sheets, pillows, curtains, or your pet's bedding while dealing with a flea infestation. This will kill any existing fleas while repelling future ones.
Lastly, pour some white vinegar into a spray bottle. Spritz the areas in your home where fleas may be living, such as the carpet or around your pet's bed. Vacuum your carpets at least every two to three days to remove fleas and their eggs. In conjunction with the vinegar, your infestation should slowly lessen and, hopefully within a week or so, be gone completely.
Liquid Dish Soap
The last way you can rid your home of fleas without the use of expensive chemicals is by using a liquid dish soap. Liquid dish soap coats the exterior of a flea so it can't hop. When used in conjunction with some form of water, fleas will drown. To control fleas in your home, you can make a flea trap by mixing a squirt of liquid dish soap and warm water in a shallow dish at night time. Place the dish in an area infested with fleas and use some sort of light to draw the fleas to the dish. The fleas will be attracted to the light and eventually drown in the soapy water.
Another way to use liquid dish soap to kill fleas is to bathe your dog or cat using the dish soap as the shampoo. Shampooing your pet daily while also setting liquid dish soap traps will help you to control the flea infestation in your home.
Salt, vinegar, and liquid dish soap are all effective ways to kill fleas without using any chemicals. And best of all, you likely already have the items in your home. However, if these items don't seem to decrease the infestation, or the infestation is recurring, you may wish to seek assistance from a pest-control company. A service like U.S. Pest Control can help you to get rid of severe or recurring infestations, helping to make your home flea-free once again.
