It can be very challenging getting rid of fleas from any environment, and if you had the bad luck of getting your house or yard infested, you might find that the issue is rather hard to deal with. Most flea infestations happen in places where pets live, too, so the right way of going about things would be to start by ridding your furry friends of fleas.
We made a list of several tips and tricks you might want to check out if you’re having trouble telling just what method you should use to deflea your living environment.
Start with your pets
If you have any animals in your household, you need to get rid of their fleas first. There are several means you can use for the purpose. You can get a spot-on solution, bathe your dog or cat, use defleaing powder, or any other type of insecticide that’s made specifically for the age, species, and weight of the animal.
Reapply the treatment if it does not guarantee protection over the course of a time span like a month, for instance. Most spot-on solutions will allow you to rest assured that you’re covered for three to four weeks. Otherwise, if the dog gets fleas from the daily walk, he or she will accidentally reinfest your home.
For the house
First off, it’s better to use an effective solution that’s also natural, but the fact is that such alternatives might not do the job as well as more chemical ones. Since most flea killers for spaces are toxic, you need to apply them and then leave the house along with your kids, pets, and every little other critter. If you can, come back after about two hours to air the environment.
One thing that we have to set straight is that you have to clean and disinfect absolutely everything in your home because every nook and cranny can be a perfect spot for fleas to hide. Vacuum all of your upholstery, carpets, rugs, sprinkle some powder inside the sofa cushions and clean your bedding, too.
What about your yard?
There are many practical substances that can be used in your yard. However, most of them are toxic, too, so you will have to avoid using them on vegetables if you grow any, especially if you grow plants that you will consume as food. For flowers, that might be less important, especially if they’re only there for aesthetic purposes.
The use of toxic flea killers for your yard is not recommended if you have pets and can’t leave the house for at least a day until the substances are absorbed into the environment. The last thing you’d want to do is to have to take your dog to the vet’s with a severe case of poisoning after he or she just sniffed on a bush you’ve sprayed the insecticide on.