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How To Remove Fleas

Fleas are one of the most common pests that will take up residence in your household, usually tagging a ride on the back of one of your pets. If left unchecked, fleas can cover you with a series of painful bites and can also transmit diseases, and can quickly spread to take up residence in your furniture and clothes. Thankfully, if you notice that you have a flea population in your home, there are a few things that you can do to remove them as quickly as possible.

Treat Your Pets

The first and most important thing that you need to do when you notice flea bites on yourself or your family is to have your pets checked. Fleas will most commonly be brought into your home from your yard on the fur of your pets, so you'll want to head to a vet straight away to have your pets looked at. Usually, fleas can be treated either using a series of pills or baths. Most vets will also prescribe a flea preventative pill to reduce the likelihood of you experiencing a flea infestation in the future.

Cleaning the Furniture

However, after you've made sure that your pets are completely free and clear of any fleas, you'll have to turn your attention to your furniture. You'll want to remove all the cushions from your chairs and couches, and wash the covers in hot water to kill the fleas and their eggs. You'll then want to vacuum the entirety of the cushions and all other soft fabrics to remove individual fleas and their eggs. You should then immediately empty the vacuum bag into a plastic bag and then put it into the freezer for a few hours before throwing it out. This will ensure that all the fleas inside die so you won't have to worry about them escaping from the trash.

Cleaning the Rest

Finally, if the fleas have made it into your home's carpeting and into your clothes in a full stage infestation, you should clean those as well. Clothes and small throw rugs without plastic backings can be cleaned by putting them in the washing machine with hot water, whereas larger rugs and carpets that cannot be picked up can be cleaned with a steam cleaner, which can be rented from most hardware stores. The most important aspect of cleaning up a flea infestation is the heat: this is what actually kills the insects and their eggs.

For more tips on getting rid of fleas, talk to a pest control professional from companies like E & R Exterminating Company, Inc.