The Best Ways to Get Rid of Fleas in the House and Yard

Fleas are small and incredibly good jumpers. Although they can only jump from the floor to your knee, in comparison to humans that would be like you leaping over 480 feet into the air!

That’s impressive but doesn’t change the fact that fleas are a nuisance and carry diseases. They may not live on humans but they can bite you and pass on their diseases. That’s why if you think you have a flea issue in your home and yard you need to take speedy action. Click here to talk to a professional and find out more about dealing with an infestation.

Professional help is often essential to ensure the problem is properly dealt with. But, there are several things you can do yourself to help the matter.

Vacuum

Tiled and wooden floors are not generally appealing to fleas, they prefer the softer furnishings, including carpets, rugs, and settees. This allows them to lay eggs that remain hidden. They’ll hatch once the conditions are warm enough, usually early in the summer. 

By vacuuming regularly you can eliminate fleas and their eggs in your home. 

Flea Treatment

It’s your pets that carry the fleas, treating them regularly with an approved flea treatment will reduce the likelihood of them carrying fleas and bringing them into your home.

 

Insecticides

These are some of the most effective ways of eliminating fleas. You can spray part of your home or all of it and your yard, it should kill the fleas on contact and help to eradicate the issue for you. 

Just be sure to follow the instructions and guidelines on the container, you don’t want to endanger your pets or other animals.

Traps

Fleas can be easily caught in a bowl of dish soap mixed with a little water. The substance clings to the fleas preventing them from jumping and effectively killing them.

You’ll need to leave the bowl of dish soap in the middle of where you know they are active, ideally leave it overnight. Then you’ll see how many you’ve managed to catch overnight. 

Herbs

Fleas don’t like certain herbs and you can use this to your advantage. Mix 4 liters of white vinegar with 2 liters of water, ½ liter of lemon juice, and ¼ liter witch hazel. Shake thoroughly and then pour the liquid into a spray bottle.

You can scale down the ingredients as long as the ratios remain the same. Spray the liquid around your home and your garden, it will kill the fleas but it won’t do any harm to you, your children, or pets.

Baking Soda or Salt

Salt is known to dehydrate fleas while baking soda can damage their outer layer, preventing them from jumping or eating. Simply sprinkle some into your soft furnishings and brush it n vigorously for a few minutes. Then, vacuum the area and you can check your cleaner to see how many adult fleas you’ve just collected. You may be surprised by the number!