How To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your Home

by Arricca Elin SanSone

As if dealing with fleas in your yard isn’t enough, these little bloodsuckers can infest your home, too. “You often don’t see them unless you have a bad infestation,” says Eric Benson, PhD, professor emeritus and extension entomologist with Clemson University. “But you may notice your pet is extra-itchy, or you may spot fleas hopping around if you shuffle through the carpet in your socks.”

Strangely enough, even if you don’t have pets, you could be dealing with an indoor flea infestation. You may have a wildlife nest, such as squirrels or mice, somewhere inside a wall void. Or you may have moved into a home in which the previous owner had pets with fleas, which can hang out in their pupal (cocoon) stage waiting for the presence of warm-blooded animals. Once you move in, the adult fleas emerge, ready to dine. “Although they don’t prefer people, they will bite you, especially if you’re the only meal in town,” says Benson.

Meet The Experts
Eric Benson, PhD, is a professor emeritus and extension entomologist with Clemson University.
Taylor Bryant, VMD, is a primary care and general surgery staff veterinarian at Friendship Hospital for Animals.

While fleas are a year-round problem in the South, they tend to be the worst in the late spring to early fall. Fleas are carried constantly into your yard by wildlife that passes through, such as skunks, raccoons, opossums, mice, and deer, says Benson. If your cat or dog is outside and not wearing a flea protection product, fleas hitch a ride indoors with them.

Flea bites don’t just cause skin irritation and potential allergic reactions in pets. “Fleas can carry and transmit diseases to both pets and people, such as typhus, bartonellosis, and tapeworms,” says Taylor Bryant, VMD, primary care and general surgery staff veterinarian at Friendship Hospital for Animals. “In some pets, they also can cause anemia because a single flea can consume up to 15 times its body weight in blood over several weeks.”

Understanding Fleas Indoors
There are more than 300 species of fleas in the U.S., but the one that is the biggest problem is the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), which affects both cats and dogs. Once onboard your pet, both male and female fleas feed at the first opportunity, typically when your pet is resting, says Benson.

Fleas digest the blood they need, then defecate tiny specks of dried blood, or flea dirt. The female mates and, within a few days, lays 20 to 50 eggs. This occurs multiple times over her lifetime. These tiny white pearls are nearly impossible to see, rolling easily off your pet onto your floor or sofa. The eggs hatch in 2 to 5 days, depending on conditions, says Benson.

The flea larvae, which look like tiny maggots, worm their way into the carpet or mattress, feeding on the flea dirt that their parents left behind, says Benson. Next, the larvae burrow down into the carpet, pupating in a protective cocoon that encompasses carpet fibers and other floor debris from the environment.

This protective cocoon keeps them safe until they emerge as adult fleas, staying snug for up to six months. Adult fleas are triggered to emerge when they sense the presence of warm-blooded animals from vibration, compression, and body heat, says Benson.

What To Do About Fleas In Your House
Though it may feel like the end of the world if you discover a flea infestation in your home, you can get it under control, though you’ll need to be persistent and repeat treatments to handle all the generations of fleas that may be living indoors, say Benson and Bryant.

Follow these steps:
Bathe your pet right away. It’s not necessary to use a flea shampoo because they kill only the adult fleas and don’t have residual effects once washed off, says Bryant. Any pet shampoo is fine.
Apply a flea preventative product. “Call your vet to discuss which treatment option is best for your pet because they all have pros and cons,” says Bryant. “Also, some products that are safe for dogs are not appropriate for use in cats or if there are cats in the household.” Some products also may protect your pet against ticks. Your options include:
Topical (spot-on) products are applied to the animal’s back; the medication is spread through the lipid/fatty layer across the pet’s skin and coat. They’re typically applied once a month and repel fleas so that they don’t need to bite for the product to work. But the products may cause skin sensitivity in some pets.
Collars work in a similar manner but can be left on during swimming and don’t need changed as often. But they must be worn snugly enough to have skin contact and may cause skin irritation.
Oral prescription medications last longer than some topicals but may cause tummy upset in some pets and may not contain a repellant so that fleas must bite in order to be killed.
Vacuum every surface including carpets, vinyl, and hardwood floors. “Use the crevice tool to get into cracks and crevices along the edges of the room because larvae don’t like light and will try to hide,” says Benson.
Clean other key areas. “Fleas are not uniformly distributed throughout the house. They’re typically clumped in key areas where your pet rests,” says Benson. That means you should vacuum places such as upholstered surfaces, mattresses, and bed frames, where eggs, larvae, and pupae may be found. Don’t forget to clean areas up high, such as shelving, where cats may lounge.
Repeat every day to every-other-day. “You can accomplish a lot with a vacuum, and you really can’t ‘over-vacuum,’” says Benson. Though it’s unlikely fleas are going to make their way out of the vacuum bag, toss it if you’re not willing to take chances.
Stick with the routine. Continue the vacuuming regimen for about two weeks; if you don’t see any new issues, you can stop vacuuming daily. But keep a vigilant eye for several months. In fact, “it can be beneficial to keep bathing and cleaning regularly throughout the full year after an infestation,” says Bryant.
Wash pet bedding on hot water. That includes throw rugs, sheets, blankets, pillow covers, and beds your pet uses, says Bryant. Repeat for several weeks until you’re sure the issue has resolved.

As a last resort, consider flea sprays and powders. Sprays applied to surfaces such as carpet can be used for bad infestations, but they must remain on a surface for a given time. Dusts can be used in crevices. Also, remember you’re using a chemical, so follow the directions carefully, says Benson.

Re-treat in 10 to 14 days. That’s essential because of the flea life cycle. Fleas protected in eggs and cocoons won’t get a lethal dose from your first treatment because of their protective covering, says Benson. Avoid using foggers, which do not work well because they emit a lot of insecticide, which settles like dew on all surfaces yet doesn’t penetrate deeply into areas such as carpet fibers, says Benson.
Forget about essential oils, sonic devices, or other home remedies. There’s no science that say these methods work, says Benson.
Consider hiring a pest control professional. If you don’t feel like dealing with this yourself or if you’ve treated areas twice and still are having issues, hire a pro who may be able to sleuth out areas you missed, both indoors and out, says Benson.

Indoor Flea Prevention
Follow these steps for keeping your home flea-free:
Keep your pet on year-round flea protection. “Fleas are a problem all year in the South,” says Bryant.
Brush your pet with a flea comb regularly. This fine-toothed comb can help you spot any invaders, says Benson.
Wash pet bedding regularly, says Bryant.
Seal off areas where squirrels and other wildlife can come indoors to nest inside walls, attics, or crawlspaces, says Benson.
Reduce indoor clutter. It makes it easier to catch or treat a potential flea (or any other pest) infestation, says Benson.

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