How to Get Rid of Fleas

Fleas: the tiny, pesky, blood sucking insects that we all could do without! Fleas can show up in a number of different places including your yard, your pets and even in your bed. There are many effective ways to get rid of fleas, wherever they happen to show up.

Remove Fleas from the Environment

It’s true that fleas are parasites, and live off their hosts – be it a human or animal. However, the flea’s eggs can fall off and land in any number of places. So when you set out to get rid of fleas, remember you’ll need to clean everything. Take the following steps:

• Wash all your clothes, bedding, carpets, and any other washable fabric that could have possible come into contact with fleas or their eggs. Wash them with a simple soap and water solution – highly effective in killing off the fleas.
• Vacuum your entire house or living space! Vacuuming will help to get rid of any trace of fleas left on the ground. Make sure you get the hard to reach spots – behind doors, under the beds, etc. for the best chance of getting rid of all the flea larvae.
• Scrub your pets’ most frequented areas with extra soap and water. Where they come in from the yard, their favorite nap spot, etc. These areas are likely to be a hot bed of activity for fleas and their eggs.

Removing Fleas from Humans

Getting rid of fleas that are already on you involves one major activity: bathing! We hope this is something you’re used to, so the instructions here should be pretty clear:

• Shower 1-2 times or more every day, washing your body profusely with regular soap (chemical soap is not typically necessary).
• Use a special flea comb to remove traces of fleas in your hair. The comb will be much more effective than simply washing hair with your hands.

Removing Fleas from Your Pets

Removing fleas from your pets is very similar to removing them from yourself. You’ll want to focus on bathing, bathing, and more bathing!

• Wash your pets with a simple soap and water solution once a day. Once again, the soap and water combination has been proven effective in getting rid of fleas; there is no need to use chemical shampoos on your pets – many of which can have serious side effects.
• Use a flea comb all over your pet’s body to further remove the fleas. This method will work to eliminate the fleas that you missed while washing. Throw all the fleas you find throughout the process into a soapy water solution when you’re finished.

Flea Control & Prevention Methods

• Vacuum and clean your home regularly, especially the hard to reach spots. Vacuuming on a regular basis will help to prevent a flea outbreak from reoccurring by getting rid of the flea’s larvae.
• Pay particular attention to wherever your pets are lounging! Whether this is their bed, a chair, or just a spot on the rug, lay down extra blankets and clean them on a daily basis until the fleas are gone.
• Continue to use the flea comb on your pets until you’re not finding any more fleas on them; this is the only way to ensure your pets are completely flea-free.