Fleas are notoriously hard to eliminate and must be removed as soon as possible to stop them from breeding and spreading throughout your home. These bloodsucking pests can lay hundreds of flea eggs, and without proper treatment, you risk dealing with a flea infestation that gets worse over time.
You’ll get to explore DIY methods of tackling a flea infestation, but we highly recommend getting the help of a professional pest control company.
Professional flea control is especially important for targeting hidden areas and destroying flea eggs and larvae that can be missed during surface cleaning.
Signs of Fleas in Your House
Fleas are small, irritating parasites that are literally out for blood. Hence, their taste for our four-legged friends. Fleas get to latch on to a host with thick fur and that has little ability to get rid of them. They also love human hosts as they get to hide out in beds, blankets, and carpets and wait for an opportunity to bite.
The most common signs of a Flea Infestation include:
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- Red bumps or itchy bites on the skin
- Excess scratching in pets
- Tiny black droppings in fur or furniture
- Visible flea eggs near pet areas or soft furnishings
Note: Flea eggs can take up to a year to hatch. So if they are not spotted and eliminated, you risk another infestation.
Bites and Scratching
If you find yourself or your pets itching and scratching more than usual, you might have a flea infestation on your hands. There are the classic red, inflamed bite marks that appear on your skin. They might not swell up to a significant size, but they are certainly not nice to look at!
Note: In some people, flea bites can even trigger hives — a skin reaction that causes raised welts and intense itching.
Droppings
Flea droppings (sometimes called dirt) are dark little specks that look like someone decided to sprinkle some pepper throughout your home. They are often found in your pet’s fur or on your furniture. If you suspect fleas, try using a damp paper towel: if the specks turn red, it’s flea dirt.
Flea Eggs
Another classic sign of a flea invasion is the white colored flea eggs that are often found near furniture and in places where your pets tend to hang out. Without steam cleaning, vacuuming, or professional pest control, these eggs may hatch weeks or even months later.
How to Rid Your Home of Nasty Fleas
If you want to rid your house of fleas, here are a few doable flea treatments that the general public can use to control a flea infestation in the home.
Vacuum
While it won’t eliminate fleas completely, it helps to interrupt the life cycle of fleas by removing flea eggs and perhaps a few visible adults. A vacuum is great to use on carpets, floors, and mattresses.
Hot Water and Detergent
This is a good strategy to use for killing fleas. You could use hot water and detergent to clean your bedding and your pet’s bedding. Once that is complete, we suggest that you dry it with a hair dryer at the highest setting.
Flea Treatments for Pets
There is a wide variety of flea treatments out there, like flea collars, sprays, and tablets to choose from. If you’re unsure of the best option, you could visit your local vet for some advice.
How to Prevent Future Flea Infestations
You’ll need a well-rounded approach to prevent future flea infestations, including cleaning inside your home, your yard, and your pets’ living environment.
Regular Vacuuming
Vacuum often, especially on soft furnishings, under furniture, and along baseboards. This helps remove fleas in all life stages — from eggs to adult fleas.
Yard Maintenance
Ensure grass is short, trim overgrown plants, and minimise wet, shady areas as these are the conditions that fleas thrive in. You could also think of getting pet-safe insecticides to eliminate and deter fleas.
Flea Control for Pets
Do regular check-ups on your pets with a flea comb and clean their bedding frequently. Make sure to clean their beds and areas where they sleep on a regular basis. Limit time spent outdoors during flea season in the UK (spring through early autumn) to prevent contact with wild animals that may carry fleas.
Professional Flea Extermination in Sunderland
If the flea infestation in your home is especially bad, pest control is your best option. Pest control companies have years of experience and access to equipment that makes flea extermination fast, effective and ensures your home is not vulnerable to future infestations.
Why Northern Pest Solutions?
Need Help With Pest Control in Sunderland?
Since 1992, Northern Pest Solutions has been ridding homes and businesses in Sunderland get rid of fleas for good. We’ll eliminate any pest infestation from your home or place of work—and make sure they stay gone.
Thorough, Quick Elimination
Our experience and knowledge of best practices have enabled us to find the root cause of your flea problem and destroy it for good. It provides faster results and a better quality of life for you and your pets.
Modern, Standard-Grade Equipment
We have access to proven, highly effective equipment and products that allow us to destroy fleas on contact at every stage of their lifecycle. Even in the hardest to reach places like cracks and crevices, our standard-grade equipment is able to reach them.
3 Stage Process
Here are 3 steps we perform to ensure that any pest infestations have been completely removed from your property.
1. undertake the eradication process
2. initial check that action has been successful
3. final check that the infestation has been removed
pest control accreditation
Get your free, no-obligation quote today:
Tel: 0782 823 0669 / 0191 597 1805
Email: info@northernpestsolutions.co.uk
Office Hours: Mon–Sun: 7:30 AM – 6:30 PM
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