With pets, come fleas. These irritating wingless insects can live on your animals for weeks. Which means they can live on anything your pet comes into contact with: such as your furniture, upholstery, carpets, and bedding. Being pet-free doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be flea-free. They can hitch a ride into your home with visitors who have pets or on your kids who have played in the yard. No matter how they came in, you want them out! Which pest control methods will be effective for flea infestations?

Signs of a Flea Infestation
How do you know if you have fleas? You may notice:

  • Your pet scratching excessively.
  • You scratching excessively (fleas aren’t discriminating with their dinner choices).
  • Black or red droppings on your pet’s skin.
  • Flat, black, wingless bugs, measuring about 2.5mm.

How Do You Remove Them? Pest Control for Fleas
There are two challenges with infestations: first, you have the lives fleas that live on your pets or other surfaces, and then you have the eggs they lay. These hatch and perpetuate the problem; this is why people treat their pets and still battle fleas. It is best to call a Brevard County Pest control service for professional eradication, and there are some do-it-yourself steps you can take:

  • Start by vacuuming- especially high traffic areas and those your pets favor. This simple step can eliminate 50% of the flea eggs. Remove your vacuum bag, seal into a plastic bag, and then throw away immediately so the eggs don’t hatch.
  • If you have them, treat your pets. Select a good prevention product, such as Frontline (your vet can help you make the right choice), and then use a flea comb to find the fleas. Retreat your pet according to the product instructions.
  • After treatment, try to keep your pets indoors for 30 days, or limit them to paved surfaces.
  • Wash all pet bedding, blankets, and soft toys. Make sure to use your dryer on high to kill the bugs and eggs.
  • Use a commercial flea removal solution to eliminate the fleas and larvae from your furniture and other surfaces. Do not skip this step! Otherwise, your treated pet can get re-infested, and larvae can hatch into adult pests.
  • If you prefer, use green pest control. While you can opt for foggers or “bombs,” there are natural alternatives if you are concerned about chemicals. You can try rubbing citrus (lemon, orange, etc.) on your pet’s skin, covering your furniture after you treat your pet, introducing natural predators to your landscaping (called “beneficial nematodes” – available through nurseries or online), or sprinkling salt on carpeting and furniture and then vacuuming.

Kick these itchy, uninvited guests out of your home. If you need help, please call a professional pest control service, such as Slug-A-Bug.