Flea Treatments: How to Treat Your Home and Yard for Fleas · Kinship

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How to Treat Your Home and Yard for Fleas

Unfortunately, it happens, and you have to deal with it.

by Kari Paul
December 5, 2024
Man doing laundry with his cat nearby.
Alba Vitta / Stocksy

In This Article:

Why Does My Home Have Fleas? How To Get Rid of Fleas in the House Vet Recommended Flea Treatments How To Get Rid of Fleas in the Yard When to Consult a Pest Control Professional

Maybe it began with spotting some tiny, itchy bumps on your legs or arms. Or you noticed your pet scratching more often than usual. Then — the horror. Tiny bugs hopping around your carpets and furniture. 

Although we love our pets, they can sometimes attract unwanted house guests in the form of fleas. These small flightless insects live parasitically off of humans, and our pets, causing headaches (and itchy skin) for all involved. Flea infestations, unfortunately, can happen to anyone, particularly during warm seasons or if you live in a climate that is humid year-round. But don’t lose hope — with a thorough approach, you can vanquish the pests from your home. 

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Why does my home have fleas?

Before you jump to conclusions and blame your pet for bringing home fleas (we know you wouldn’t!), you should understand there are a number of causes for flea infestations. There are more than 2,500 flea species globally, including three hundred in the United States. Dogs and cats are very susceptible to fleas, but other common causes of flea infestations include fleas entering the home from outside in search of food. 

Fleas are blood-sucking creatures, and feed primarily on animals, so treating your cat or dog should be your first priority when addressing an infestation. Talk to your vet about prescription or over-the-counter treatment to get these parasites under control and give your pet some relief from the itching. With this two-pronged approach — giving your pet treatment while ridding the environment of fleas so they cannot become reinfected — you should be out of the woods in no time. 

You may also notice fleas are more prevalent during certain times of year. That is because the insect can only hatch from its pupae (cocoon) under specific conditions of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 75 to 85 percent humidity. If you live in a region that is warm year-round, fleas may be more prevalent. 

Although in most cases fleas infestations are simply annoying, they can also in rare cases lead to more severe health issues, as fleas are carriers of pathogens like cat scratch disease, tapeworms, or even (rarely) plague — so be sure to get the infestation under control as quickly as possible. 

How to get rid of fleas in the house

Once you’ve begun treating your pet for fleas, you need to address the infestation in your home. Ridding your home of fleas can include DIY solutions, over-the-counter sprays, and various cleaning methods. 

Before you undertake this process, it’s important to understand the lifecycle of the flea to get to the heart of the issue. A flea’s full lifecycle includes the egg, larvae, pupae, and adults and can take anywhere from a few weeks to months. In cleaning, the goal is to get rid of fleas at all stages — including the eggs — to avoid another round of infestation in a few weeks or months. 

Vacuume your living space.

The first and most important step of flea house treatment is to vacuum all surfaces. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the benefits of vacuuming “cannot be overemphasized as a means of flea control.” That’s because vacuuming addresses all phases of the flea life cycle, eliminating eggs, pupae, larvae, and adults. Further, vacuuming can remove the pests from deep in the carpet, better exposing them to pesticides applied in subsequent steps of removal, making such processes more effective. 

Wash all bedding and clothing.

Fleas prefer to feed on animals, and will congregate in areas your pet frequents. Be sure to wash all of your pet’s belongings in hot water to kill any eggs laid by fleas. This includes beds, clothing, blankets and toys. You should also wash your own clothes and bedding to remove any additional traces of fleas.  

Mop with vinegar.

Vinegar is a natural deterrent for insects, including fleas. Mix a ratio of one part water to three parts vinegar. Mop all tile or vinyl surfaces with the mixture once a week until the infestation is under control. Added benefit of vinegar: This same mixture can be sprayed on fabric surfaces like your couch to address fleas there. 

Use over-the-counter flea treatments.

You can buy a variety of brands of flea and tick spray over the counter at most grocery and pet stores. Be sure the spray you choose includes an insect growth regulator (IGR), an insecticide that mimics insect hormones to deliberately disrupt the way insects grow and reproduce. Most of these sprays are pet-friendly, since fleas most often accompany pets, but do check the label to be sure the product you choose is non-toxic. 

Steam cleaning

If you’d like to avoid pesticides and chemicals entirely, steam-cleaning is a solid option. Don’t forget to vacuum. (Remember, that is the first and most important step!)Then steam-clean every surface of the house — both carpets and tiles — on a high-heat setting. 

Most effective flea treatments for the home

After you’ve vacuumed the carpet, scoured the floorboards, and washed all affected bedding, clothing, and toys, it’s time for more intensive home treatment. Treatments vary in effectiveness, and safety for your pets, so be sure to do your research. 

Beware of foggers and bombs for fleas.

Also called “bug bombs,” foggers are pesticide products that, when activated, release a cloud of insecticide into the atmosphere that ultimately falls onto all surfaces in the room, ostensibly to treat the entire infestation at once. Although this may seem like an easier fix than spraying surfaces individually, the cans are highly flammable, and the fog can cause illness for humans and pets. It is not advised today to use foggers, but if you use them be sure to remove all pets and people from the premises before doing so.  

Be cautious with flea traps.

Flea traps can be purchased or DIY-ed, and rely on a combination of heat and light to attract the pests onto a sticky material that traps them. To make your own, put a small light, like a desk lamp, over a dish of soapy water. As the fleas follow the source of warmth, they will become trapped. Experts say this is not a comprehensive means of addressing a flea problem, but could be used in conjunction with other methods. 

How to get rid of fleas in the yard

Fleas often accompany our pets from the outdoors and into our house. So to get rid of fleas for good, you have to get to the root of the problem: outdoor areas your pet frequents. “Complete protection against fleas means not only treating your pet but also your home and your yard,” says holistic veterinarian Aja Senestraro. “In addition to using a safe and effective flea control product on your pet, do simple things like washing pet bedding, keeping the yard clear, and keeping the grass short to get rid of fleas.” 

Here is how to address the outdoor components of the infestation.

Address overgrowth.

Fleas tend to camp out in dark areas outside, including overgrowth and fallen leaves. To keep these pests at bay, be sure to keep your grass short by regularly mowing the lawn, and clean fallen plants and debris frequently. 

Beware insecticides.

Experts warn to use caution when spraying insecticides outdoors to address flea infestations, especially if you have pets. Senestraro recommends reading labels carefully when choosing a spray for the yard. Many are harmful to pets, and even more may harm other insects like bees. 

“Permethrin, bifenthrin, or any other active ingredient that ends with -thrin (all in this same family of drugs) are very toxic to cats,” she says. “Sprays that contain these -thrin ingredients, along with fipronil and esfenvalerate, are highly toxic to bees. Another concern is that pesticides sprayed in your yard can end up in rivers and streams, and many are highly toxic to fish and other aquatic animals.”

Use beneficial nematodes.

To avoid using any chemicals toxic to pets and insects, Senestraro recommends beneficial nematodes — microscopic worms that can be purchased in spray form. These worms live as parasites on fleas, causing them to die and naturally culling the population (and preventing infestations of your home). Sprays containing beneficial nematodes can be purchased at many garden stores, and online. 

Citation: Reducing Poisonings from Flea & Tick Control Treatments

When to consult a pest control professional

Although for many mild to moderate flea infestations, these measures should prove effective, if you are struggling to get your flea issue under control after weeks or months, do not hesitate to call an expert. Check local listings for exterminators, which range from an average of $70 to 400.  

References

Kari Paul holding two kittens

Kari Paul

Kari Paul is a writer whose work has been published in the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, and New York Magazine. She has had an endless march of more than 20 foster kittens, cats, and dogs over the last few years and always cries when they leave.