Has your furry companion been scratching a lot lately? How about being extremely grouchy and irritated? If you take a look at their skin beneath their fur, do you see bites? You may have noticed them already, but your pet has a flea problem.
Treating fleas on your pet is the first step to getting rid of those stubborn fleas. However, it’s important to note that simply treating your pet may not solve the problem. Fleas often infest carpets and other areas of the home, so additional measures may be necessary to fully address the issue.
In this article, you will learn how to exterminate fleas in your carpet and other tips and tricks for stubborn infestations.
Carpet Flea Removal
When you are removing fleas from your carpet, the first thing you should do is vacuum the carpet that they were in or where your pet has frequently visited.
While this will not exactly kill the fleas, this will stir them up, and they will start to jump and scurry across the fibers of the carpet. This is the first step of many to kill adult fleas in your carpet.
You may need to use a steam cleaner to clean your carpet and eliminate fleas by exposing them to high temperatures, causing their bodies to overheat and explode.
Remember, fleas jump. So using a carpet cleaning vacuum and steamer will keep fleas from getting into your carpet further, and mainly keep the infestation in one area.
Eliminating Fleas from Your Carpet
When you are treating fleas in a carpeted area, you will want to make sure other areas do not have any signs of flea life. Check your pet’s bedding, couches, and anywhere that has cotton or fabric. Fleas can live on anything they can climb on and stick to.
If your upholstery is flea-free, still use a flea treatment method to stop the fleas from fleeing and prevent future infestations from getting out of control as well.
Did you know that Ohio State University has estimated that people have spent over $1 billion every single year just to get rid of fleas from their households? Infestations are common and require effective solutions to prevent them from affecting your carpet and pets.
Flea Infestation Solutions
In this section, we will go over solutions to effectively eliminate fleas, especially since removing them from the carpet can be challenging if you don’t know what will kill them.
Carpet Cleaner
One way to eliminate fleas from your carpet is to use a carpet cleaner. This not only cleans the carpet but also helps to remove flea eggs, larvae, and adult fleas from within the carpet fibers. Vacuuming with a carpet cleaner will help to pick up fleas and eggs hiding in the carpet.
Baking Soda and Salt
Did you know what you have in your kitchen is a way to get rid of fleas? Salt and baking soda combined have drying and liquid-absorbing properties. Sprinkle the mixture on the carpet and let it sit for at least 24 hours before vacuuming.
Boric Acid
Boric acid is a dehydrator, just like salt is, and has been used as a remedy to clean your carpet and remove adult fleas. Use boric acid on your carpet and let it sit on the carpet for at least 12 hours or vacuum after 24 hours thoroughly.
Effective Flea Control Methods
Carpets and furniture both need to be treated to protect your carpet from being the next flea breeding ground inside your home. You can do this by vacuuming your upholstered furniture and taking off all cushions and pillows to be treated separately.
You can get rid of adult fleas from your home by running your vacuum over the area every other day, as this will prevent the adults from reproducing as quickly and will pull any eggs or larvae into the carpet.
Did you know that the American Kennel Club has found that more fleas are active during the spring to early autumn? When the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, fleas are slower and cannot survive the cold.
Tackling Carpet Flea Infestations
When you are tackling a flea infestation in your carpets, you will want to use any solutions you can to kill them before it gets out of hand even further. Just treating your pets for fleas will not be enough.
You can use food-grade diatomaceous earth to kill fleas and their eggs on your carpet. Diatomaceous earth is an abrasive exoskeleton from fossilized aquatic organisms that clings to fleas, drying them out due to its abrasive particles.
They can not detach it from their bodies (which are mostly made of liquids). Thus leaving the dehydrator on their skin will kill them since it will absorb all of your pet’s blood from their body and make it impossible for them to feed again as they can’t hold blood in their bodies.
Diatomaceous earth will start working within 4 hours, but it is recommended to leave it in the area undisturbed for up to 48 hours to ensure it effectively eliminates fleas and their eggs. It’s always satisfying to see dead fleas and flea eggs.
Flea-Free Carpet Strategies
To prevent an infestation in your home, consider hiring a professional pest control team to spray and eliminate fleas. The pest control team will spray your carpets where the fleas reside to stop new fleas from hatching.
These professionals use chemical sprays and heat treatments and even have insect regulators to quickly kill the infestation. They will also help to rid your pets of fleas living on them after they have been treated..
Preventing Fleas in Carpets
One thing that fleas dislike is lavender. Spraying lavender oil around your home, and even planting lavender flowers outside, can repel fleas, but not necessarily kill them. A natural remedy that smells nice is always a win since fleas are resilient. The chances of having fleas will decrease if you have lavender planted outside.
Fleas need a livable host. They mostly prefer our pets over ourselves, and that is how fleas can infest our pets and homes so quickly, as they have their body temperature regulated and have enough blood supply to breed.
If you have a cat, it’s a good idea to keep them inside as much as possible during peak flea season, or even permanently until you have treated them properly and found a way for your pet to repel fleas while outside.
Carpet Flea Extermination Techniques
If the pros can do it, so can you. Always remember that fleas can travel back to their original nesting area, so you will need to use some ways to prevent fleas from coming into your home.
To get rid of fleas in your carpet, you need to spray treatment throughout the rooms you are treating. Make sure to use a sweeping motion and spray into all the nooks and crannies. This will help eliminate the fleas and prevent future infestations.
Fleas can also infest your pet’s bedding, so it’s important to either steam clean it or put it in the washing machine with hot water and detergent to drown and kill the fleas. Keep in mind that fleas can jump at least 7 inches off the ground, so couches and other upholstered furniture will also need to be washed and treated.
