Fleas are a common problem for any pet owner, whether it be dogs or cats. Since it is such a common problem there are tons of homemade ways to combat flea problems as well as products on the market to help. Many people believe that by treating their dog or cat that they have solved the problem. However, that is not the case. After feeding on the pet fleas then lay their eggs on the pet. Then when your pet rolls in the floor or jumps on the bed, these eggs are transferred to those areas, as well as any other area your pet lays on. These eggs can hatch in a matter of two days, up to two weeks, they then go into different stages (larvae stage then pupae stage), until they reach adulthood. One flea can lay up to 600 eggs at a time so its extremely easy for a small problem to turn into a huge annoyance in a matter of weeks.
There are many insecticides manufactured to treat your home. However, when a flea is in the pupae stage, these insecticides are ineffective, something that not many people realize. This is why after treatment many people complain of still having flea problems. Therefore its extremely important to not only use insecticides but to deep clean your entire house.
To begin your attack against the fleas, set aside a day where you will be able to throughly clean. If you plan on doing one room at a time, you will not have results. By only doing one room at a time you are still allowing the fleas in other rooms to travel on your dog to room you already cleaned. Begin, by vacuuming everywhere, in the small spaces your dog doesn’t get into as well as the main room areas. Also make sure to vacuum the crevices in the rooms where fleas in the pupae stage could be. When you have finished vacuuming, make sure to dispose of your vacuum bag or empty the canister into the garbage. Then place the garbage bag outside in the dumpster or trash can so you won’t have any fleas try to make an escape.
Now that you have vacuumed and rid the carpets of the majority of fleas, it is time to spray your house with an insecticide. Make sure to purchase a product that contains the ingredient IGR. Which is a insect growth regulator. Using a product without this is basically wasting money and time and completely ineffective against the fleas. Spray the entire room with the insecticide, make sure to spray in crevices, under beds, behind doors and any other area that is out of reach of your pet. After spraying the insecticide try to wait a few days before you vacuum that way the ingredients have a chance to work.
After cleaning and spraying your house, use a flea product on your dog. There are many on the market, and your veterinarian can recommend one that would be best for your dog if you have any hesitations about using some products. This step can be done before or after cleaning your house, which ever is easier for you.
Do not feel defeated if you still find fleas in your house in a few weeks. Since some fleas were in different life stages it is possible that you missed a few. Just repeat cleaning your house and spraying insecticides. It is also suggested that if your dog spends a lot of time outside to treat the outdoor areas as well with an insecticide so that the fleas cannot be carried back inside.
It is a long process of removing the fleas from your house and pet. It will require a lot of cleaning and vacuuming on your part as well as money spent for insecticides. It may take a few weeks to starting seeing results, however it will happen. Time and patience will be the key in winning the battle against fleas.
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