How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home and Stay Rid of Them
The first thing to do is gather up everything in your home that might have been exposed to fleas and which will fit in a washing machine. This can include pet bedding, small carpets, pet toys, throw pillows and the like.
Wash everything you can with detergent and hot water. Anything you can’t wash you might want to consider throwing away, especially if it’s likely to be infested with fleas.
The Importance of Vacuuming
Next, you’ll want to treat your carpets and floors. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is with your vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming alone will get rid of many adult fleas, as well as eggs and larva. It will also break up cocoons and make fleas more vulnerable.
Consider buying a flea collar and placing one in the vacuum cleaner bag before vacuuming to kill fleas that get sucked up. Move as much furniture as possible so you can vacuum those areas that aren’t usually exposed.
The more you can vacuum, the better. Every day is ideal, but if you can’t manage that, then shoot for at least every third day. There’s no way to overstate the value of vacuuming in flea control. It eliminates fleas and eggs, and will also break up the pile of the carpet and allow any sprays you use to penetrate much better.
Flea Sprays and Bombs or Foggers
If you’ve got a particularly bad flea infestation, you’re probably going to want to use some kind of spray on your carpets and furniture. As I mentioned before, the key to selecting the right spray is to find one that will control the pre-adult fleas as well as the adult ones.
The Knockout, Siphotrol and Adams brands of products are very good for killing adult and pre-adult fleas. Please see our helpful product guide for more information. We’ll give you the ins and outs of each product.
In general, sprays that can be directed on the most problem areas are the most effective, as opposed to flea “bombs” or foggers that are set off before you leave your home. Bombs can work well too though, and they’re certainly convenient and might be worth a try if your infestation isn’t too bad.
Stay With the Program
So, keep vacuuming, and keep treating your pet every month with the topical flea treatment you’re using. If there’s one secret to effective flea control, it’s being consistent and keeping at it.
{ 100 comments… read them below or add one }
Bengal flea spray is a decent help for fleas on carpeting and bedding. However, you must re-spray every three weeks. Its not a permanent solution but it will keep them off your ankles.
Vacuum the heck out of your floors & furniture, follow with a good spectracide spray, follow that with a good dusting of 20 Mule Team Borax and vacuum again every day – reapply spray & Borax. I have allergies so I use a dust mask for this. If your vac has a bag, throw it away. If not, wash the container out thoroughly & the filter as well. Swear a little & pray a lot but stay with the treatment. Doesn’t hurt to use bug bombs, too. Holes in the ground can be: crickets, ants, ground hornets, etc. Exterminators are higher than a tree and you will find they expect you to vac twice daily, too. I cannot reason wy God created fleas, flies, and ticks unless it was to give man something to gripe about!!!
About fleas & mattresses: I’d try vacuuming thoroughly & then putting a dustproof, dust-mite-proof zip-up cover on it. There’s got to be a way to defeat the little devils!!!
If you have problems with fleas like me, well guess what? Do I have good news for you. Try using Dawn dish detergent, and it will eliminate the fleas on your pet, and on and inside your apolstry. Well GOOD LUCK!
We have a serious infestation; I believe our condo building is infested–I’ve heard other dog/cat owners complaining. I recently used Dawn dish detergent on my greyhound to supplement Frontline Plus. It is definitely helping. However, I agree with this web site that we need to be vigilant with daily vacuuming and laundering of everything the pets have been on.
we were gone for 14 months out of the country and rented our home to neighbours who are renovating. We came home a week and a half ago to find juming fleas everywhere!!! Our tenants had 5 cats!!! The following day we had the Fleabuster guy in but he says that since we don’t have any pets we just have to vacuum everday and wait for the flea cycle to be finished. We are supplementing with bombs right now but the guy keep assuring us that the powder will work and he has a one year warranty and will come to redo the job if we still get heavy infestation. Just to help things a bit i had my husband order a fleabuster powder so i can apply it in areas that i feel can do with some more. It has static qualities so it sticks to the furniture and the carpet strands and the cracks and attacks the flea when it emerges from the pupae stage. I will let everybody know if in 4 weeks it works. Should be enough time for the cycle to go through. And it is very safe for children (we have 2)and you can apply it wiyth nobody getting out of the house.
Is there anything you can eat/take that would make humans & pets blood distasteful to fleas? I’ve bombed, Advantaged and vacuumed and I still get bit. I’m ready to cry.
I’m having same problem. We didn’t have a flea issue and then found some on the dog then looked at the car and they both have them. I use Frontline every month. I’m about to cry too. I fogged the house, washing everything now, talked to the vet he said that Frontline needs to be put down the spine of the animal not in one large blob like shown on the package. Also, he said to have your yard sprayed for fleas! YUCK. I love to snuggle with my pets but it grosses me out to see fleas on them! Hopefully all our work will pay off.
Anyone else have ideas?
SAME HERE! I’m so about to cry as well. I don’t know if I have any more surface on me for them to bite anymore. And I don’t even have any pets!!! I’ve never had to deal with fleas ever, even when I had pets. I’ve used powder, vacuumed and swept and cleaned every square inch of my unit. I swear I’ve never dealt with a more relentless pest in my life.
Stella, make sure you aren’t actually dealing with bedbugs. Adults can look similar to fleas and are even more relentless!
I crush a clove of fresh garlic and put it in with my dogs’ food every day. They eat wet food in the morning and kibble in the evening. They don’t even notice it mixed in with the wet food. It won’t kill any fleas obviously, but if they get on the dog and bite, it will be distasteful and they will go elsewhere. It’s been working for me so far!
FYI garlic is toxic to dogs and can kill them. Keep up with your flea/tick preventative and you shouldn’t have any problems.
IS garlic toxic to dogs? I heard garlic and onions are toxic to cats, but not dogs. Garlic is worth investigating!
I read somewhere else that vitamin B is helpful for humans
I have read that fleas do not like the taste of garlic.
Take some garlique or a garlic 1000mg Supplemental pills at the vitamin section of your pharmacy it helps big time. It is odorless so ya wont go around knockin people out like ya just fini shed off a big Italian cold cut Sammich. it helps keep the fleas from biting, make it a daily thing. Also Trader Joes, has it for dogs and cats for them to take.
AGW, I’ve heard that vitamin B-12, brewers yeast and garlic can all be effective if eaten. Still, if you have a bad infestation, there may be so many fleas that these methods won’t do much. I wouldn’t bother with bombs too much. It’s much more effective to spray directly on the most infested areas, with a spray such as Knockout that will kill the eggs and larvae, as well as adult fleas. There’s no real secret, it just requires a lot of work, vacuuming, and washing everything in sight. Sorry I can’t be of more help. Best of luck.
Oh yeah, I forgot to add that I called terminex today to get a ball-park figure on a home treatment. I was told it was $150 for and initial treatment and $75 for three more treaments over a year. Just in case anyone was thinking about this option…
I don’t know if this will help anyone but this helped me. I live in NC and have had a really bad problem with fleas this year. I have had to start with treating my yard every week with a product called Triazinon, I get it from Lowes. I purchase the liquid form so I can just use my water hose to put it on my lawn. For treatment of my animals, I called my vet and she recommended a dip made by Zodiac, Pet Smart I know carries this. They make one that can also be used for puppies and kittens also. For my house, Hartz puts out a really good carpet powder and 3 in 1 spray that I hhave used in my entire house. All of this together has made a big difference. It hasn’t gotten totally rid of the problem but it has at least made it to where I can live with it and I’m not seeing fleas every time I sit down in my house now.
Hartz products are hazardous to cats. Known to cause seizures. Don’t use these products.
We had fleas in our home. They were apparently dormant when we moved into the house and didn’t notice them at all…at first. I could describe the details of everything we have tried to do to get rid of them….BUT….I found this piece of information the most helpful…so I’m passing it along to any of you who are seriously desperate to find help….Here it is….Call a large and reputable hotel in your area…call a couple if you need to….although they might not first admit it…they have battled with fleas at some point in time…ask them who they used to treat the problem, the price, the results and so on. Most of them will absolutely tell you if the experience was good. Find their method of resolving the matter and you have just found one for yourself! Good place to start, anyway. It worked for us!!!
One thing I’ve not seen mentioned on this site is an easy treatment I personally have used for the treatment of fleas in your clothes.
Fleas get in your socks/stockings and suchlike. Most items of clothing can be folded up and put in a microwave oven. A short blast of about 30 seconds on socks/tee-shirts etc is enough to kill the fleas. I do it in the morning and again when I take my clothes off at night. If I see one on me I quickly fold the flea inside my clothes so it can’t escape, take off the item and put it in the microwave immediately. Only put dry clothes in and a short blast won’t harm your clothes.
I am currently fighting a massive infestation in my home, I will tell you that most of the sprays like Hartz in control and such just dont’ work. Me and wife have vacuumed and vacuumed but I will say that rubbing alcohol and or vodka surely works for temporary comfort in the areas of you home you like to chill while you let the professionals do the work, i would not recommend spending any money on those powders and sprays because guess what they don’t work…..spend 50 get the house treated and call it a day…my opinion
Yes! Big John mentioning alcohol reminded me.
Another mehod I found successful was to drink a bottle of whiskey. Then, sufficiently innebriated, sleep in the room where you suspect the little darlings to be.
You’ll get bitten for definite. But rest assured, the swines will die on the blood.
I did this over a period of time and killed more fleas than any spray or powder could have done.
Point being: alcohol kills fleas. I am sure there are a few methods – for the creative amongst us.
So you’re suggesting that I become an alcoholic?
Thanks, you’ve really solved my flea problem, and yet I was thinking of harsh street drugs!!
My son uses a spray-bottle of Everclear on his mattress sometimes, in addition to more traditional approaches. He says it works well, temporarily, though it probably doesn’t help the flammability of his mattress.
Get over it! a litle bite here and there don’t hurt anyone. I am a flea and I get sick when i see how much blood you all waste every month, and thousands of my childeren go hungry every day.
How does your little body push the keyboard to type?
My house has hard-wood floors and the cats moved out months ago but we still have a pretty bad flea problem. Pest control has come by twice and I try to vacuum but as I travel for a living I can’t do it all of the time. I’m stressed out because I’ve spent so much money on pest control already. They keep assuring me that the adult fleas will die off and that I might see baby fleas around but that they will die off too. However, I keep getting bit by giant adult fleas. What should I do?
Fleas- I think I’m at the point where I ahve to get a new mattress (just getting a cheap, plastic air mattress for now). No matter how many times I wash or switch my bedding, I can’t seem to wake up without a few new bites on me. It’s so frustrating!
I used Frontline on my two indoor cats and the next morning there were dead fleas where ever my cats would sit and lay. That immediatly relieved me.
However, I was sitting on my couch last night and saw a tiny flea hopping around next to me. I then find a slew of them crawling around in my socks! I immediatly rinsed them for a while in really hot water, hopefully that killed them. I was mortified though! I just had to move the couch, vaccuum and spray this insecticide that I am not too keen on (hot shot home pest spray)
I am trying a product called Fleago. It’s pure Borate acid powder that is safe for use on a large scale. I’ve read nothing but good reviews on it.
Does anyone know how to get fleas out of luggage? I found my cat, to my suprise, in my closet where I keep a luggage bag of mine. I’m worried it’s contaminated…
I work at a medical facility and I have direct contact with people all day long. We recently found out that our office was infested with fleas and everyone was getting bit. I need some tips on how to get rid of these suckers. I found them in my house and even in my car. Everyday after work i go to the basement and wash my clothing, and take a long shower. But recently I found some black dots on my covers and when i googled it the images looked like flea poop. I have pets who have been bathe in flea shampoo and given flea medicine. I havent seen them on my dogs but i did see them in my car and house. I try to vacuum everyday and wipe furniture with water and vinegar. It serves as a repellant since its too acidic. Any other tips please let me know.
I was wondering if the bombs you talk about are flea bombs or just regular bug bombs
we used 11 regular bug bombs, and it dosen’t work at all!! We are still highly infested! I would recommend getting a powder or spray, some powders that are good are Fleago and Adams, I’ve tried Hartz and it didn’t work. Some sprays that are good are Adams and Hot Shot Home pest spray. If you have pets try Zodiac flea dip, and also get a flea collar and stick it in your vacume cleaner, and vacume at least once a day, I’ve noticed that vacuming has helped! Hope it helps, i’m still trying too.
my roomie has 2 black haired dogs that come into my room and office all the time. all the sudden i was studying and felt something prick me, the bite was pimp size and it looked like it had a pin prick in the middle, the itching didnt last very long, and was totally gone by the next day. then the next night in bed im getting bit so i stripped my covers, and i really think its fleas but my roomate doesnt believe me… because she doesnt have any fleas in her room (where the dogs sleep) and that the dogs dont have any fleas (they get monthly stuff done)… so i went and bought massive flea spray to spray in my office and bedroom, vac’d, washed my bedding, and sprayed all over on the carpet near my bed under my bed, all over and then left all day. her bf asked if i could show him one, so i come home today to see if the spray worked and i have black dots all over my carpet but when i pull them off the carpet they just look like fuzz. sSO I GUESS I SHOULD GET TO THE POINT.. AFTER YOU SPRAY YOUR CARPET, IS THAT WHAT THE “FLEAS” are supposed to look like? little balls of fuzz? i would love someone to tell me what their fleas lookedl ike after they sprayed and if they looked at all like tiny black fuzz balls.
NO THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE WET DEAD FLEAS
Will bengal harm my pet.
Thank you. This advice may come in handy. I do have a question though.
How would you treat a home that has wood flooring?
We are having an awful time with fleas. We have had a Professional Exterminator here twice now to spray, and they are still, just awful. Im ready to pack up and leave my home, I have a 6 month old baby I cant even allow her to play on the floor, However the few times she has they have bit her which is good but I dont want to take the chance either. Can you help?
Hi Denise,
I’m sorry to hear you have such a bad infestation. That’s sounds horrible, especially after two professional exterminations. Are you vacuuming regularly, and using a borate flea powder on your carpets? Those powders are non-toxic to pets and kids, so they should be safe to use. Check out our page on killing fleas in your carpet for more information. Good luck!
I have had a fearce problem with fleas for over a month now!! I have BOMBED, bathed, sprayed, dipped and even used Adams flea monthly repellant. Ques what…still have them. I’m at the point to where I just want to burn the place down to get rid of them. Worst part is when I visit mt family, I have to drown my pets in flea dip cause I’m so paranoid of getting even more.
Heidi,
Sorry to hear your fleas are so bad. You might want to consider a professional extermination service at this point. Are you vacuuming every day? That’s one of the most effective ways to get rid of fleas in your carpets, as well as using a borate based flea powder, which is non-toxic. Check out our page on killing fleas in your carpet for more information.
How did they get in my home?
Really helpful, constructive free advice. Excellent many thanks x
Well, I feel everyone’s pain. My mom’s house is infested with fleas, funny thing is they do not bite her, just me and the dog. Imagine that!! Well, what seems to work for me is: I take off long pants, shoes and socks and put on shorts and flip flops that I keep in the car. As soon as I enter the house, I spray my legs, feet and ankles down with an apple cider vinegar mixture (brown vinegar) and water. I also spray on skin so soft. I continue alternating between the vinegar and the skin so soft. I spray my bedding with both. I have also started taking garlic pills as well. I bought the pill Comfortis for the dog, it seems to help some. The house may still be infested, but I only get bit from time to time now.
Hi D. Davis,
Thanks for the tips. I like the idea of using Skin So Soft. I have not heard that before. If you’re concerned about toxicity, you might look into using a borate based flea powder on the carpets before vacuuming. Those can be pretty effective, and won’t harm you or your dog.
Hi,
We’ve had a horrible case of fleas for about 1 1/2 months now, I’ve tried everything from powders & bombs to sprays & shampooers, and nothing seems to work! I just found this website though, and it gave me alot more helpful hints, like washing pets bed and rugs, I didn’t know about the larvae stage! This is by far the best website out of hundreds that i’ve looked at.
Hi Kristen,
I’m glad to hear you found this site so helpful. As this page says, one of the best things you can do is consistent vacuuming. And yes, be sure to wash everything you can in hot water and detergent.
Thank you for this web site. It has been very helpful in controling our infestation. Our dog is very small (abt 2 lbs) and finding products for him can be difficult. Can we use cat products on him?
Hi Dave,
I’m glad the site has been helpful for you.
Should never use cat flea products on a dog and vice versa. I’m not sure about a dog that small. You should probably consult your vet. You could also just try bathing him regularly to see it that works.
Good luck.
I was just woundering, has anyone ever FULLY gotten rid of ALL the fleas, or am I just fighting a never ending battle. I have had an exterminater at my house twice, and am still seeing them and getting bit. I have tried everything that has been mentioned, and I have treated my dog, got rid of my cat, and vaccume every day. Am I ever gonna be able to feel comfortable in my own house????
Sounds like a bad infestation, Janice. You have my sympathies.
The best thing you can do is keep to the regimen described in this site. It sounds like you are, but keep treating your dog. As we exit the flea season, you should have better luck, but keep this in mind for next year, and start treating your home and pets before they show any signs of fleas.
Good luck.
Thanks Travis,
Just wanted to let you know that I had termenex spay for the fourth time today, crossen my fingers that this works
How do I know that My dog has flees? She does not itch much and I give her flea control given to me by my vet (Prac-tic 275mg (Registered trade mark) -Pyriprole ) on a regular basis. However both my daughter and I have severe itching in the legs and arms mainly!- is there some way of distinguishing a flea infestation from some other infestation..say mosquito bites??
Hi Mariella,
Well, you can check to see if you find fleas specifically first. Try walking around on your carpets with white socks to see if you pick up any fleas. Also, check out our page on how to tell if your pet has fleas. There are some distinctive traits that will let you know if it’s fleas or some other biting insect.
Can I leave my kitchen cabinet doors closed, or do I have to open them & put all dishes, pots & pans in the dishwasher after fogging?
two months ago there was a mice in my garage and inside my house in top of my attic. But after three months i get red of it, But the thing is they live a lot of a small animal inside my wall and my attic am not sure if is a flea it look like flea but they bite really bad. Do you guys have any solution to get red of this even is inside my wall?
Mice do not like peppermint. This was confirmed with a professional company. Also the Cedarcide product is very good for fleas. Go to http://www.cedarcide.com
I have a question for anybody that might be able to help me. We just rented a place and it has a bad infestation of fleas but there is no carpet in the house what so ever and no furniture. How do I get rid of them, I have already tried flea bombs and it seems like all it did was make them mad. Do you still use the same method as what is written above? Please help…
Since there are so many wild animals roaming our yard in the South, we have a huge problem with fleas and ticks. We can spray the yard, but the wild animals just bring new ones constantly. We bought a can of Hot Shot flea killer spray when our car became infested and we got eaten every time we got in the car. One application on the car carpet and seats, no more fleas and it smells great. The can said you can spray it on the dog, so we did. No more fleas on the dog and our dog does not mind being sprayed. For the price it must be the best deal around for flea and tick control. Those stupid monthly things you put on the back are worthless since it takes so long to kill the fleas and they just jump off the dog and on you to feast. Save your sanity and money, and just get the Hot Shot flea killer spray can. It lasts a long time and gets the job done. After spraying, we brush the damp stuff into the fur for maximum effect. We also spray where our dog sleeps, and it makes the rug smell good too. So far absolutely no allergic or skin reaction of any kind on the dog (unlike the spot on the back stuff which caused allergic reactions in both our dogs with acne type pimples right where we put the stuff). Then the allergic reaction spread to other parts of the back. Hot Shot did not harm our dogs and is just a great product at an affordable price. We get it at
the grocery store for under $5.00 a can.
so today i gave my puppy a bath and found fleas on him, i’ve had another dog for almost 5 years and never had this problem, i dont know if it came from the new puppy or them being at a dog sitter with other animals for a few days. i went and bought flea collars right away, some bug bomb cans, flea shampoo, and some flea killing spray. this is my first flea problem, did i get enough to take care of the problem or is there i need? also should i clean my dogs first or the house?
thanks and very useful.
I have 2 small dog & I think they have fleas. They sleep in my room & some times on my bed how can I get ride of fleas before they become a big problem?
A few years ago we had a huge problem with fleas even though we were vacuuming and both dogs were using the flea treatment from the vet. When I called to complain about the flea treatment not working I was told that my dogs kept bringing the fleas into the house every time they went for a walk or into the yard. My husband treated the yard while I continued treating the house and we were able to solve the problem. He continued to treat the yard every year as soon as it got warm enough for fleas.
Yes.
It’s a good idea to treat your yard, because the dogs are out there all the time.
But what I can’t figure out about what your vet is saying is…
if your already using the flea treatment on them , it is supposed to work by if a flea gets on them, it is supposed to kill the flea when the flea bites them/works on the nervous system. SO what is the point of using the flea treatment then?
If they are just going to bring them in the house over and over. It is SUPPOSED to kill the fleas before they get loose in your house. I mean we can’t go around spraying all the parks neighbors yards etc. SO we use the flea treament on our dogs instead. I think the bottom line is that the flea treatments just DON”T work a lot of the time.
Apparently the girl next door to me in my apartment building is having the same problem with the fleas in the neighborhood and has now put her dog into boarding and is working on finding him a new home. I don’t know what to do anymore I have tried every thing, my room is flea free except for the ones she brings back every time we go for a walk. I can’t spray the whole neighborhood. I’m at a loss, my dog is allergic I’m worried i will end up having to re-home her to get her some relief. I’m a mess myself this whole thing has been horrible, and emotionally devastating for me. HELP!
I have two cats and one dog and they have had fleas all summer. I used biospot at first and then I used frontline for the cats and advantex for the dog and nothing has worked. I feel so bad for my pets because they are so miserble. I don’t know what else to do. Please help me to help them.
Count me in…. NEVER EVER had a problem and im in the double digits with the cats. Bought Hartz collars, and the fleas laughed. So i returned them and demanded a refund. Bought Zodiac power, collars and drops and same deal. I caved in and bout Revolution on deadfleaz.com
Im so sad I could cry.
My indoor cat was infested with fleas…the vet gave him capstar which was amazing and then placed him on program to kill flea eggs as capstar is for adult fleas and then placed revolution on him which works better than Frontline. My concern is he was hibernating in the basement as it is cooler during our high humidty weather and they said because of the moisture down there thats how he got infested….we never had this at an extreme basis. My question is how do I clear the basement of fleas… I tried a Raid fumegator product and vaccumned and bleached down there totally plus fumigated the carpet areas in the living area upstairs but there is still fleas? What else can I use down there?
So I have been reading all these other comments from people and my flea problem doesn’t seem as bad as some, which I am thankful for. Things I have done and are still doing are using a little garlic in my dogs food, brushing her with a flea comb almost every night, and vacuuming every single day since I noticed the fleas. It has been a month or longer since I started this process and still have fleas, but not on my dog anymore. I did just purchase Adams Flea and Tick Home and Carpet Spray and will try to let you know if it has worked for me or not. Other people have commented that this was a good buy for them, so I hope it is for me as well.
I have use that stuff and it is great. But I also wash my cat in dawn soap and it worked great.
I have a bad flea problem but I have been using Adams products. I have small kids at home and I like this stuff cause it just needs to dry and then everything is fine. I also wash my cat in dawn dish soap and it does work better then the flea soap out there. the fleas were dropping right off right after I put on. I vacuum everyday twice a day. Once in the morning before work and once right after I put my kids down for the night. Let me tell you after about a month I have them almost gone. Now it is time to flea prevention.
HELP… We found fleas on one of our three house cats about 3 weeks ago. We banned all three cats to the basement. I was able to bath the cat we saw the fleas on, once with a flea DIP and twice with flea shampoo. The other two cats were not so thrilled with the idea of taking a bath. I treated all three cats with a topical flea control ( the type you put on the back of their necks, BUT NOT FrontLine Brand, a cheaper brand) twice. I washed my curtains my throw pillows my sofa cushions my bedding AND STILL I SEE FLEA! We bombed the house twice. The cats are still in the basement. We fell they may be getting the fleas from the abandon house directly contacted to our house. We miss our cats and we would love to have them back upstairs but I just do not want to take the chance to get more fleas in the house. i vacuum four to six times a week. I saw a teeny tiny flea in the living room today. UGGGGG
Read the article…
Are you daft or something?
This is such an over reaction. All you need to do is vacuum once a week and make sure any pets taken care of with flea prevention solutions you can get from any veterinarian. Anyways, a few fleas doesn’t mean you’re going to get the bubonic plague, you might just get a cold or the flu. Besides, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Whew! Thanks for the information. Unfortunately, I recently lost my dog through a car accident. Little did I know I had a flea problem until I developed all these bumps on my legs. Then I saw little black marks on my leg start to MOVE!! That’s how I discovered fleas. And my first instinct was to vacuum–which I did. Now I’m going to do a more thorough job and move furniture and such. Thanks for the information. Very helpful to me.
My wife’s grandmother gave us an old “Home Remedies” book, and in it is a section on fleas, I read one thing that I had not tried….fill a pie pan with dish soap & water, put it in the middle of the floor in an infested room with a desk light pointed directly down on it, turn off all other lights and leave it on overnight, the fleas will jump at the light, and land in the water……I was amazed at all the fleas we caught, been doing that for about 2 weeks. We have caught as many as 35 in a single night. We have tried the foggers, but I think they just pissed the fleas off. We just started doing the Borax on the carpets, vacuuming daily, and the pie pan thing. It is a nightmare, but I think if not for the pie pan trick, those fleas would be carrying our house away.
Burt,
Do you think the pie pan trick would work on funiture only? Our house doesn’t have any carpet only laminate floors including the bedrooms.
Thanks for the tip.
Kimberly,
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work on furniture, all I can tell you is to try it and see. Make sure the room is as dark as possible and the lamp is positioned directly over the pan. Be careful and put something under them, those lamps can generate some serious heat. If you have rugs down, you may want to put a lamp near one. Vacuum them and or wash them with hot water. Someone told my wife today that an Exterminator said that fleas like to get under the fridge because it’s warm under there (heat generated by the compressor)…I am thinking about smearing some dish soap mixed with a little water under there…..I figure they’ll have to jump down on the floor at some point…..fun, ain’t it? Get creative, there are tons of good suggestions on here. Good Luck. -Burt
I would like to know if the Victor ultimate flea trap are effective,because i wanted to used it in my moms room in nursing home.I did complained to the Director about this but she make me feel that I am paranoid about my complained cause now my mom skin bites has resolved plus she said i am the only one who was complaining about it.But my problem everytime I visited my mom which is 3-5x/week ,the fleas stick to my pants and I take it home,I can’t sleep at night due to flea bite.I used Hot shots spray and vacuum my carpet all the time,which appear to be successful,I dress up in my garage and leave my clothes outside to avoid taking the flea inside the house,I dont have pets,this problem started when my mom was transferred to nursing home for about 2 months now.I would like to resolved this problem on my own for now,so if you could recommend something I could used without affecting anyone except the fleas.Thanks
How awful. I hope you have found some relief for your mother. Is there anyother place you could move her to?
What a great site..been reading alll the remedies that may help and i to am in the flea stage of things and i have used borax for my carpets and wow i think and hope it worked…although not sure but i only found 2-3 fleas on my dog (is that normal) and also we dont have bites on us nor does the dog? is that normal?…i have been vacuming like crazy (im a clean freak and to know theres bugs in my house drives me crazy) but have bombed the house and furinuture myself with then stuff u buy at the vets and will see what happens but i hope i caught these dam critters in time but maybe thats why we didnt get it bad “”yet”"..maybe there coming..lol..i hope not but if someone has advice on the lack of fleas we have that would be great!…borax in carpet im hoping willl kill off the larva, etc..i got this adivise on here but open to suggestions..thanks and wish all well with there flea situation..i know how kyou feel and its not a good feeling!!!
Which is best flea spray or powder? My friend has flea infestation in her homw. The 3 cats are treated with frontline, but the house is infested. Have spent alot on sprays but not very efficient, so was wondering if the powder would be better in treating these pests?
This is the most helpful information I have ever received on getting rid of fleas! Straight to the point and simple! Thank you soo much!
hi i got fleas from a neighbor who has 9 cats. we got pest control to come to our house. so far they came twice and we still have them. i just found one on my son’s bed. i can’t sleep i keep on getting bites everywhere. please how long does it take to get rid of them. thanks.
fleas are bad in my house and on my cats. It does not help if I use the Hartz or the Pet Armor that has recently come out, the fleas are still there. I am so frustrated with the situation.
I need help I have used frontline on all three cats it seems to be working on the two smaller cats but not the third. I have bought flea collars, I clean my apartment everyday and vacuum. I also have used sprays for the furniture. Everything I have used doesn’t seem to be working. I don’t want to fog or bomb my house because I have a newborn on the way. Does anybody have any other suggestions that will not be harmful to the cats or to my baby that should be here within the next week or two??
This is a bad year for fleas. I’ve called some Vet offices and they say they are getting about 10 calls a day from people with the problem. They recommended using Frontline or Advantix every 25 days, bombing house, spraying, and wait for 2 good frosts before we see a decline with this God forsaken issue. We have also sprayed our yard where animals hang around. We are about to all cry here. Lowes and Home depot are having a problem keeping the bug sprays and bombs in stock. I’m ready to sell the house! I’m seriously thinking of getting rid of animals.
Artice above written by Tavis McGee. Isn’st the the fictional character from the John D. Mcdonald detective book series?
Indeed it is, Craig. Not my real name, but I’m a big fan of the series. Nice catch. You win a cookie!
Okay …we have recently had to put my mother n law into a nursing home …We are having to move into her home …We went down there today …As soon as we step on porch ,you could look at you legs and they were just black …that’s the best way to describe this severe infestation …There are no pets in home …No people …her sister has had an exterminator in ..obviously did not help..They used some kinds powder too….She has a huge home ..they are EVERY WHERE!….Only 2 rooms have carpet ,the rest are laminate….Can fleas jump as high as bed ? Also can they get upstairs ,without any traffic going up the steps ?…..We went and set of 7 bombs …hoping this will work ,but i will be trying some of the ideas on here
i just moved in with my boyfriend they had a pit bull fleas are horrible the dog just died house is really really bad with fleas i have bites all over me how can i get rid of all the fleas,i an sure they are all in the furniture and everything PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sheila
Can I use Ortho® Home Defense Max for killing fleas inside my home after I vacumn my floors and furniture. ? will it kill the fleas and is it effective ?
I heard that lemon juice sprayed on a cat or dog works , and on furniture , I havent tried it yet was wondering if it would hurt my “kids” . I heard that dawn dish soap works , going to try that later today , I have also heard that garlic was great , but I also heard that its poison to my dog ! what really works and is safe for my “kids” ! it hurts to see them dig and chew and itch when i have done everything known to man just about to get rid of the devils !
I am going crazy with this flea stuff. I am 8 months pregnant and also have a 3 yr old son. My husband and my son aren’t getting bit as bad as me & we don’t see them that often, but with all the bites on me I know they are here. I am at my wits end cuz we have bombed twice, I vacuum as much as I can, I have carpet scrubbed and washed everything. I have no idea what else to do & really don’t want to bring a baby home to this?!
hi i too am 8months pregnant and i live in a fle infested house, i have a 9year old who is covered in flea bites and a four year old who hassent had one!! i myself am covered but not as bad as my daughter!!
the problem started about 2months ago nand has been driving me to dispair, we have one cat which frontline has not worked on!!! i have moved house three weeks ago and hoped the problem was at the old house! unfortunatly its come with us and we now actually see the fleas crawling on us! they must be in the furniture ect, i took the cat to the vet last week and got advocate for him and he has a fle collar on and afdter using various diy products which dont work i got the proffessionals in 3days ago.They blitzed my home and told me not to vacume for 2weeks so that newly hatching fleas will inhale the stuff on the carpet they told me i shouldent be bitten again after their visit, how wrong iv been bitten about the same amount as in the last 3weeks and iv found fleas in my daughters bed still!! im in complete dispair and dont know what to do next, judging by others posts the problem does not just disapear even if u get rid of the pet because the fleas just feed off the humans instead!!
I had to get rid of my two dogs.. I tried everything from home remedies to chemicals on them nothing worked.. Im pretty sure that one of my dogs were on the verge me insanity because of it.. I couldn’t see them suffer so reluctantly i choose to surrender them.. I have bombed and vaccumed daily for 3 weeks straight.. Applying carpet sprays and everything else anyone has suggested.. And again vaccuming.. But there little effers are eating my children alive literally it has gotten so bad i have them staying some where else.. Any suggestions with what else i can do i call an extermination company but the cost is completely out of my budget.. I need my kids to be cake to come home anyone with any ideas???!!! Please help
We can’t get on top of our flea problem. We had both the groomer give both the dog and the cat a flea bath and we bombed the house and sprayed the car and vacuumed everythin. The next day we applied Bio-Spot to both pets.
Two weeks later the fleas were back with a vengence. We took the pets back to the groomer, who gave them a heavy duty flea bath. I tore the house apart, moving furniture, washing everything that fit in the washer, and threw away several pillows, replaced cardboard storage boxes with plastic ones and vacuumed the hardwood, the baseboards, the carpets, under the furniture cushions, took apart the sleeper sofa and vacuumed every part. Everything was sprayed with flea spray with IGR. I re-fogged the basement and the garage and sprayed the cars. This time we treated the pets with Frontline.
We watched the pets carefully and after a few days saw only dead fleas on them. That was about 2 1/2 weeks ago and the pets are scratching like crazy and I’m starting to see flea dirt and the dog is covered again. The cat has started sleeping in strange spots (she does this when she’s got fleas).
The only animal who goes outside is the dog. I thought that Frontline would continue to kill fleas for a month? I thought the spray and the foggers would kill fleas for at least a couple of months? I thought that the whole purpose of the IGR was to keep eggs from hatching and from adult fleas from being able to lay viable eggs? I thought that the various chemicals I have innudated my house and pets with would also act on any new fleas that might be introduced from the outside?
What am I missing?
I’ve had great sucess by first vacuuming to get the little critters moving, then using a permithrim( an adulticide) spray and a then a spray with an insect growth inhibiitor which will interupt the egg, larvea and pupae stages. The chemical for this needs to be either methoprene or pyripoxyfen. Without the egg, larva killer it is a lot harder to get rid of these pests, Make sure you always read the active ingredients. Somoe sprays have both but I haven’t been able to find one lately.
I also wash everything in as hot of water as possible and dry on high.
what I can’t wash on hot, I either microwave or hang outside and spray. You need to spray under furniture beds, etc.. anywhere they like to hide away from traffic and is dark. Both sides of throw rugs, between mattresses and along baseboards. I don’t bother spraying vinyl or wood floors, just go along the baseboards, and vacuum and wash the floors..you will dee fleas for about 2 to 3 more weeks, but just vacuum and it will activate the spray and should take care of them. If you still see ‘em after 4 weeks retreat. I learned this from a home extestion agent and it had never failed me so far. i think bombs are useless because they only get exposed areas and don’t have the IGR(insect grwoth regulator). Oh yeah, whereever your dog or cat sleeps I would spray a few times, letting it dry in between.
The most important thing is to be careful, make sure you air out your rooms and the carpet is dry before reentering. Also I don’t know if it makes any difference but when we caome in from a walk I use some puppy flea spray an his feet before bringing him back in the house. Not the week after flea treating hime tho, might too much. Really hope this helps some of you, fleas are nasty things. Good Luck everyone!
Frontline and Advantage don’t work. I have tried them both. Now my house is infested too, and my dog is digging so bad she is losing her hair and bleeding.
I dont have any pets. I visited a friend who does and carried them home in my clothing, Ive had my coat dry cleaned to hopefully remove them. Within a week of visiting my friend my living room is infested. I read where fleas dont like to be in high traffic areas. Well in my household of 4 this is the most common used space. If you sit on the couch they bite. Playing board games in the floor with my kids I was picking fleas off all of us, even my son’s face! In the morning brushing my daughters hair I find fleas in it and dried blood. I vacuum 3 times a day. We have sprayed. Im seeing an increase in the number of fleas. Any suggestions for a pet free home??