How to Kill Fleas

Fleas are insects of the order Siphonaptera. These wingless insects feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals and can thrive in a moist and humid environment. Their presence can be common nuisance in a house with pets like dogs and cats, which are the most important carriers of this insect. Getting rid of this insect can be quite a challenging task, as it calls for a lot of patience and diligence. The first step for eliminating this pesky problem is to maintain hygiene inside and outside your house, and keeping your pets clean.

Getting Rid of Fleas from Your Home

Start the entire process of destroying the flea along with their larvae and pupae, with thorough vacuuming and cleaning. Make sure that every nook and corner of your house, furniture as well as carpets are vacuumed as frequently as possible, with the vacuum bag sealed properly. They can more easily settle on your carpets, as the larvae and the eggs can easily stick on the carpet fibers. So, after vacuuming, spray some salt on the carpets and leave it overnight. Next day, vacuum the carpet again. Salt will kill fleas in carpet by dehydrating them, and it can also be used in the same way for other flea infested parts of your house. Along with regular vacuuming, keep the bedding and rugs of your house clean by washing these in soapy water. Flea traps can also be used for flea control.

Some other popular choices for controlling flea infestation are citrus sprays, insect growth inhibitors, pyrethrins and sorptive dusts. However, talk to a professional or expert with regards to the safety of using such methods inside your house. The natural remedies on the other hand, do not pose any health hazard. To kill them naturally, you can use essential oils, eucalyptus leaves and oil, and cedarwood chips. These are the natural flea repellents, and so place them in those areas that are more prone to flea infestation. If placed near the door, they can help to prevent their entry to your house. Among the essential oils, you can use lavender and citronella for flea control.

Making Your Pet Flea-free

All endeavors to kill these insects inside your house can be futile, if you do not take adequate measures to keep your pets clean. Most of the time, these repelling insects will be brought to your house by your pets. So, give your dog or puppies a good bath at regular intervals. Use a good shampoo to clean them, and mix a few drops of lavender, eucalyptus or tea tree oil in the water to be used for rinsing. Regular bath can help to kill fleas on kittens and puppies to a great extent. You can also use some natural flea repellents like, lavender, citronella, and cedar wood oil on your pet's body. You can mix both the oils with almond oil to make an effective homemade flea repellent.

Even citrus fruits can prove to be an excellent flea repellent. Boil a few pieces of lemon and keep them soaked in the water for the whole night. In place of lemon, you can use orange peel as well. Next day, use the solution on your pet's body. Flea combs are another simple way to remove fleas from your pet's body. At the same time, do not forget to clean the pet's beddings properly. Flea collars can help to kill fleas by emitting poisonous vapors. But, the vapor can also affect the health of your pet, which is the main disadvantage of using this product.

Removing Fleas from the Yard

Along with your house, your yard too might harbor fleas. In such a situation, no matter how much you try to destroy fleas inside your house, they will definitely come back and re-infest your home. The best way to evict fleas from your yard is to use diatomaceous earth, that have sharp edges. Such sharp edges of diatomaceous earth can cut the exoskeleton of the fleas, which would dehydrate these insects and destroy them. However, diatomaceous earth may prove harmful for your pets. Like diatomaceous earth, borax can also be sprayed for this problem.

If the problems persist for a long time, or if flea infestation is too severe, do not forget to consult a professional or expert in this regard.