How to Treat Fleas in Your Car

There is nothing so disgusting like failing to enjoy the most fantastic moments that you yearned for when you hadn’t bought your car just because of mere fleas. Does it please you? You have to worry no more, you have got the solution.

In most cases, we perceive these fleas as insects that only infest animals like dogs and cats but here comes the surprise when the same fleas deny us of our comfort in our comfort cars since we have the same blood they suck from the animals.

 In order to regain your comfort in your car, the fleas have to be done away with. For the treatment process, I would prefer you use the following; flea powders, vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner, flea sprayers, and boric acid.

The following are simple steps that will comfortably allow you to completely remove the fleas from your luxurious car.

Step 1: Treatment of the surrounding

Since the fleas stay the surrounding that is mostly occupied by domestic animals like cats, dog pets, it should be treated first. This can be done using the sprays and even the powdery pesticide especially the kennels.

This will lower the number of fleas that are likely to infest the car. The most appropriate and effective chemical, in this case, would be the boric acid. This has the capability of killing the fleas together with their eggs.

Step 2: Treatment of the pet

Pets are playful animals that select that they play in with less care. Since the pets are the animals that we can barely stay in their presence, we can barely exclude them from our vehicles when we drive.

Due to this fact, the pets have to be treated properly to avoid transfer of the fleas from the surrounding to the car. You can use the insecticides when treating the pet considering the dangers of the pesticide to the pet or shampoos.

Step 3: Empty the car

Ensure that your car is empty by removing all the removable items such as carpets, bed of the pet, mats, and blankets and place them outside near the car. This enables you to move freely and access all the places of the cars. 

Step 4:  Dress up

Bearing in mind that the treatment process can involve the use of chemicals like the insecticides which can be dangerous to human health, you should dress appropriately to protect your body. Ensure that the whole of your body is covered from the insecticides.

You can use clothes like an apron, long-sleeved shirts, head protectors like cape and gumboots on your legs. You can also have gloves that can be disposed of for your arms and glasses to protect your eyes.

Step 5: Vacuum treatment

Use a vacuum to clean all the interior parts of the Subaru car taking more time cleaning the floor and the sides of the vehicle. Take your time to clean the seats especially underneath.

 Do not forget the items you removed from your car because they form part of it. Get down to them and clean them too. The cleaning can also be done through steam cleaning.

Step 5: Application of the powdery insecticide

Apply the powdery insecticide using powder applicator. Fill in the insecticide into the powder applicator. With the lid tightly closed, shake the applicator gently to settle down the powder. Apply the powder by squeezing the applicator.

Maintain its tip to the targeted areas of the car as close as possible to ensure the effectiveness of the powder. Do not forget their areas of hibernation such as cracks, under the seats and the crevices.

 As I have mentioned in the previous step, extend the same treatment to the other items removed from the car. Treat them on all sides.

Step 6: Mist application

Having in mind that powders are vulnerable to any movement, the vapor-like application is to ensure that the insecticide powder sticks to the parts of the car for further treatment of the vehicle from the flea.

In a slow motion, apply the mist on the surfaces in the same way you applied the powder. Apply the same treatment to the other items on the ground. You can use insect spray.

Step 7: Further the treatment effect

Our main aim is to deliver a total treatment of the car from the fleas. For the treatment to take its proper effect, ensure that all the doors and the window remain tightly closed for a period between 30-40 minutes.

You then have the windows and the doors open for air circulation of the car and also to dry after which you bring back and fix the items that you removed from the car.

Step 8:  Maintenance of the treatment

In order to ensure that your car is free from the fleas, the treatment stages number 5, 6 and 7 have to be repeated between the period of one to one and a half weeks.  This enables that eradication of the newly hatched flees.

In order to maintain the fleas-free car, you should consider the following prevention measures.

  • Treat your pet regularly to reduce the chances fleas that may have infested it to the car after treatment.
  • Never allow any infested pet into the car.
  • Employ a constant use of repellants to keep the fleas off your stunning Subaru car
  • Maintain a regular steam and vacuum treatment of the car to do away with the eggs that may find their way to the car. This should be appropriate after every one and a half weeks.
  • Occasionally, take your pet for a walk instead of a drive.
  • Take caution of the places you park your car. Avoid places that are suspected of flea infestation, that is, the dusty places.

Final Words

There is nothing as shameful as being distracted by fleas from a luxurious drive heading to enjoy your moments with a friend or a fiancé. Get rid of the unnecessary shame. With the above clear step, I bet you will be that lucky one to have the best control of these monstrous blood-thirsty fleas. When you are not using your car, you can get a car cover for Subaru to ensure your car is in good condition all the time.

How to Keep Fleas from Biting You

What a nuisance it can be when your house is infested with fleas! We all know those tiny insects that commonly cling to furry pets such as dogs or cats. If you keep a dog or cat in your home, fleas are something you should expect.

The important thing is to detect the insects as early as possible on your pet’s body and take immediate action to get rid of them. The couple of fleas you see here and there may represent only a small portion of the whole population that includes eggs, larvae, pupae and adult fleas.

Normally, fleas do not use humans as hosts, but they may disturb us by giving us insanely itchy bites. You may be wondering how to keep fleas from biting you and we are going to deal with that concern in this article.

Recognize flea bites

Before trying to prevent fleas from biting you, let’s take a moment to identify what flea bites look like because they are very easily confused with bug or mosquito bites. Flea bites often appear on the lower parts of the body, such as the ankles, feet, or legs because those parts are within their jumping range. Red bumps emerge with a red halo surrounding the core. The bites usually group up or line up rather than being in a cluster like mosquito bites.

Basically, flea bites cause you to feel crazily itchy and the bites, then heal naturally after a few days. Nevertheless, some cases may get worse if the victim has sensitive skin. As soon as you get bitten by fleas, you will feel like scratching and this often leads to infection. So how to keep fleas from biting you? The answer is simply to wipe them out or repel them from approaching your living environment. Find ways to get rid of fleas and you will no longer be disturbed by them.

Treat fleas from the source

Fleas usually start off on your pet, and from there they spread all over the house. Fleas cannot fly, but they attach themselves to the host’s body and travel along with the host. You’ve got to treat fleas on your dog or cat first if you want to resolve the question “how to keep fleas from biting you”. There are many flea treatment products for pets on the market. You may try flea shampoos, flea combs or flea sprays. Natural non-toxic products are preferable to chemical ones.

Start by shampooing the pet with a dedicated flea killing product and then comb their hair to get the rest of the eggs and adult fleas off their body. This method won’t eradicate all the fleas at once so it should be repeated every few days until the pet is free of fleas. Pet bedding should be washed in hot water to remove all flea eggs or larvae that reside in the fabric. There is no point in trying to treat fleas on your pet if there are still insects in the bedding ready to cling to the host’s body again.

Outdoor cleaning up

how to keep feas from biting you

Once you find fleas on your pet, you should expect that they could be hiding in any shady moist places both indoors and out. As a result, you may get bitten anywhere, at any time. How can you keep fleas from biting you outdoors? You’ve got to remove the favorable habitat that fleas are breeding and growing in. Fallen leaves, rotten logs or moist stacks of firewood are perfect residences for fleas.

If you hang out in the garden or approach those places, you will be at high risk of being bitten by fleas. Spend some time and effort on cleaning up the garden by collecting fallen leaves, removing weeds, mowing the lawn, leveling and covering stacks of firewood from rain. These measures will not only help to get your garden in shape but will prevent fleas or other types of destructive insects from breeding there. You will then not have to worry about being annoyed by flea bites every time you go outdoors.

Indoor tidying and vacuuming

Anywhere in the house that pets frequent could be a place for fleas to breed. Carpets, rugs, upholstery, the basement, and mattresses could be easily invaded by them. What you have to do is to wash portable items in hot water and dry them up at a temperature over 95°F. This is a good way to kill fleas and their eggs.

If you cannot wash bulky items, vacuuming well can do the job. Vacuum cleaners will suck up all the dirt and fleas, but you need to make sure that the vacuum bag is sealed and discarded as soon as the task has been done. Otherwise, flea eggs may hatch inside the bag and sneak into the house again. Washing and vacuuming need to be repeated several times a week to get rid of fleas completely.

Using flea traps

Fleas are a type of insect that are attracted by the color white and by light. If you want to trap them, simply put a tray of soapy water and a light bulb hung over the tray at night. The light from the trap will draw fleas into the tray and they will end their lives in the soapy water. This method will help to reduce the adult flea population only so it should be used together with other measures to achieve the ultimate goal of completely eliminating the insects from your home.

Growing flea repellent plants

how to keep fleas from biting you

There are plants such as lavender, mint or rosemary which give off a pleasant scent, but the scent is disliked by fleas. If you plant them in the garden or place some in pots in the house, they will be effective at repelling fleas. The insect may be less tempted to invade your living space due to the scent released from the plants. This way may repel fleas from entering the house, but those already in the house may continue biting you. There is one trick you can try; and that is to eat more garlic. Fleas may not want to get close to your body if you smell of garlic. Consequently, you will not get flea bites.

Applying flea foggers

We have just mentioned several natural ways to fight against fleas. They all work, but they do take time and effort. Should you want a quicker measure to put fleas to an end, flea foggers are an option. Foggers are chemical products that are comprised of ingredients that are poisonous to insects in general and to fleas in particular. However, caution should be taken when using them because adverse effects to humans and pets may occur if they are inhaled or if there is skin contact with the poison. It’s important to keep children and pets away from the treated areas and to protect yourself with safety gadgets such as gloves, clothes, masks or glasses.

Do some research or consult professionals for the right choice of flea fogger because there are hundreds of advertised products and you may not know which one is best for your house. Once you have selected the best flea fogger, read the instructions carefully before applying it. Usually you need to close the doors and windows and leave the room for a few hours to allow the chemicals to take effect. You can then open the doors and windows to let fresh air in and to blow out any poisonous residual. Vacuuming the house and cleaning up is necessary after fogging to ensure that no hazardous chemicals are lingering in the house as well as to remove any dead insects.

We hope this answers the question  for you of how to keep fleas from biting you. We hope these methods we’ve suggested for wiping out or repelling fleas from your living environment are useful. If there are no fleas in your home, you will be safe from the worry of flea bites. Take good care of your pets and pay attention to signs of flea attacks early on to prevent the insect from infesting your house.

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton

Best Flea Treatment for Carpet

You don’t want your pets bringing fleas into your home, because they can bring disease to your family. Fleas don’t only suck blood from the warm-blooded host pet, but they also lay their eggs on your carpets and furniture because they imitate the feel of a host pet’s fur. The good news for home owners is that getting fleas out of carpets eliminates up to 95 percent of the flea infestation. Let’s have a look at some of the best flea treatment for carpet, which are both non-toxic and simple.

Cleaning Methods

Flea females lay an average of 45 eggs per day within 36 to 48 hours of mating. The eggs are not glued together, but are spread widely over a large area of carpet. Therefore, physical methods like vacuuming and steam cleaning help remove the eggs from carpets and kill any adult fleas too.

Vacuum

best flea treatment for carpet

Vacuum your carpet intensively using the nozzle attachment to suck up fleas at all stages of life, including eggs, larvae, pupae and adults as well as all of the nastiness coming with fleas like their feces. However, make sure to use the vacuum extension tool to get into the carpet corners, underneath the furniture, and along the baseboards. Go over the entire surface area of carpet thoroughly several times. Vacuum again daily for a period of 10 – 14 days for extreme infestations. Once you have completed the vacuuming, take the cleaner outside and empty the contents into a bag and tie it tightly. Discard it immediately to prevent the fleas from getting out and coming back into your home or garden.

Steam

Fleas at all life stages cannot survive temperatures above 95 degrees, so steam cleaning should be taken advantage of as one of the best flea treatments for your carpet. Keep in mind that you have to follow instructions on the steam equipment carefully to prevent injury to yourself. Alternatively, you could consider hiring a steam cleaning professional for your own safety.

The above cleaning solutions are highly recommended for pet and home owners who are seeking safe and effective measures to deal with unwanted fleas in their carpets.

Ingredient mixing method

Ingredient mixing is a method of making up natural, safe substances to kill or control the flea population. While toxic sprays or chemicals may eliminate fleas faster and more completely than the following mixes, they could expose owners and pets to adverse effects. We’re going to share a couple of simple, safe, and effective methods that you can easily make at home.

Vinegar 

There are many ways to kill fleas that are cheap, effective and homemade, one of which is taking advantage of vinegar. Simply mix water with vinegar in a ratio of 1:1 in a spray bottle and shake it. Then spray the entire carpet. Fleas dislike the smell of vinegar. This method is best for light infestations.

Lemon

best flea treatment for carpet

Instead of using vinegar, you may create a flea repellent out of lemon. The recipe is simple. You just need to boil half a chopped fresh lemon in a pot of water, and leave the pot overnight. After that, the water mixed with boiled lemon is ready to be poured into a spray bottle. For more coverage or heavy infestations you may require more lemons for the solution while for smaller coverage or low infestations you can compromise with fewer lemons. The solution can be used to target carpets, rugs, upholstery or any shady corners where fleas are likely to be. The natural, fresh smell of lemon makes your living room more pleasant while repelling the invasion of fleas as they can hardly stand it.

Baking Soda and Salt 

Baking soda or salt alone can be used to treat fleas. However, combining the two substances makes an even more powerful tool. You just mix baking soda and salt together in an equal ratio and get it ready to sprinkle on the flea infested areas. To help the ingredients penetrate right down into rug or carpet surface, use a broom to spread them over and rub them in. Baking soda will cause the fleas to evacuate their nest while the salt will dehydrate them to death. This method is effective for treating eggs, larvae and adult fleas. The everyday household ingredients are readily available and have a relatively low cost. It takes about twelve hours for the mixture to finish its job of fighting off the fleas so remember to allow adequate time once you have spread it on the surface. To prevent fleas from escaping by jumping to other rooms, sprinkle some baking soda and salt at the threshold or entrance. Simply put, completely surround the areas you plan to treat for fleas with the substances to leave them no way of escape. Once the treatment is done, vacuuming thoroughly will sweep away all the fleas, their offspring and the dirt. A one-time treatment will not remove all the fleas as their eggs and hidden population are still out there. Therefore, you will need to apply this on a regular basis until no further signs of fleas are detected.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth or DE is a kind of fine white powder with many uses, one of which is killing fleas. The substance is safe for humans and animals, but poisonous to insects. The mechanism that DE brings death to fleas is dehydration. As fleas come into contact with the substance, the hard outer shell that protects their inner body gets broken, which results in their death soon after as the water in their body is absorbed by the DE. It is best to use DE for carpets by sprinkling it onto the carpet surface. The fine powder can penetrate easily into the carpet fibers and get to the fleas. Although DE is non-toxic, you need to use food grade DE and wear gloves and a mask while dealing with it. Pets and kids should be kept away from the treated areas as well. Vacuuming is ideal for clearing the DE off once it has completed the mission of killing fleas.

Flea Traps

Flea trap is another good option to reduce the flea population. You can certainly make one by yourself at home instead of spending money on one. The idea behind a flea trap is to attract fleas to the trap with a light and a white color. Once there, they are trapped with no way back. One simple trap is to have a white tray or bowl of soapy water and a lamp or light shining on it. Place the trap in the infested areas and light it up at night while darkening the surroundings. Fleas will be attracted by the light of the trap and will jump into the soapy water that leaves them with no way back. The trap works with adult fleas only, but it is good enough to contribute to the overall effort of eradicating fleas in the house.

In short, there are a number of ways to address a flea infestation. Selecting the best flea treatment for your carpet is now up to you. We hope you will consider all the above-mentioned options before making your choice. You can also use Google and search “flea control in California” for more necessary information. Look around your home now for any signs of fleas and take necessary action as soon as possible to ensure that they will not have a chance to cause any nuisance or harm to you, your family, and your pets.

Youdon’t want your pets bringing fleas into your home, because they can bringdisease to your family. Fleas don’t only suck blood from the warm-blooded hostpet, but they also lay their eggs on your carpets and furniture because they imitatethe feel of a host pet’s fur. The good news for home owners is that getting fleasout of carpets eliminates up to 95 percent of the flea infestation. Let’s havea look at some of the best flea treatment for carpet, which are both non-toxicand simple.

Cleaning methods

Fleafemales lay an average of 45 eggs per day within 36 to 48 hours of mating. Theeggs are not glued together, but are spread widely over a large area of carpet.Therefore, physical methods like vacuuming and steam cleaning help remove theeggs from carpets and kill any adult fleas too.

Vacuum

Vacuumyour carpet intensively using the nozzle attachment to suck up fleas at allstages of life, including eggs, larvae, pupae and adults as well as all of thenastiness coming with fleas like their feces. However, make sure to use the vacuumextension tool to get into the carpet corners, underneath the furniture, and alongthe baseboards.  Go over the entiresurface area of carpet thoroughly several times. Vacuum again daily  for a period of 10 – 14 days for extremeinfestations. Once you have completed the vacuuming, take the cleaner outsideand empty the contents into a bag and tie it tightly. Discard it immediately toprevent the fleas from getting out and coming back into your home or garden.

Steam

Fleasat all life stages cannot survive temperatures above 95 degrees, so steamcleaning should be taken advantage of as one of the best flea treatmentsfor your carpet.  Keep in mind that youhave to follow instructions on the steam equipment carefully to prevent injuryto yourself. Alternatively, you could consider hiring a steam cleaning professionalfor your own safety.

Theabove cleaning solutions are highly recommended for pet and home owners who areseeking safe and effective measures to deal with unwanted fleas in theircarpets.

Ingredient mixing method

Ingredientmixing is a method of making up natural, safe substances to kill or control theflea population. While toxic sprays or chemicals may eliminate fleas faster andmore completely than the following mixes, they could expose owners and pets toadverse effects. We’re going to share a couple of simple, safe, and effectivemethods that you can easily make at home.

Vinegar

Thereare many ways to kill fleas that are cheap, effective and homemade, one of whichis taking advantage of vinegar. Simply mix water with vinegar in a ratio of 1:1in a spray bottle and shake it. Then spray the entire carpet. Fleas dislike thesmell of vinegar. This method is best for light infestations.

Lemon

Instead of usingvinegar, you may create a flea repellent out of lemon. The recipe is simple.You just need to boil half a chopped fresh lemon in a pot of water, and leavethe pot overnight. After that, the water mixed with boiled lemon is ready to bepoured into a spray bottle. For more coverage or heavy infestations you mayrequire more lemons for the solution while for smaller coverage or low infestationsyou can compromise with fewer lemons. The solution can be used to targetcarpets, rugs, upholstery or any shady corners where fleas are likely to be. Thenatural, fresh smell of lemon makes your living room more pleasant while repellingthe invasion of fleas as they can hardly stand it.

Baking Soda and Salt

Baking soda orsalt alone can be used to treat fleas. However, combining the two substancesmakes an even more powerful tool. You just mix baking soda and salt together inan equal ratio and get it ready to sprinkle on the flea infested areas. To helpthe ingredients penetrate right down into rug or carpet surface, use a broom tospread them over and rub them in. Baking soda will cause the fleas to evacuatetheir nest while the salt will dehydrate them to death. This method iseffective for treating eggs, larvae and adult fleas. The everyday household ingredientsare readily available and have a relatively low cost. It takes about twelvehours for the mixture to finish its job of fighting off the fleas so rememberto allow adequate time once you have spread it on the surface. To prevent fleasfrom escaping by jumping to other rooms, sprinkle some baking soda and salt atthe threshold or entrance. Simply put, completely surround the areas you planto treat for fleas with the substances to leave them no way of escape. Once thetreatment is done, vacuuming thoroughly will sweep away all the fleas, their offspringand the dirt. A one-time treatment will not remove all the fleas as their eggsand hidden population are still out there. Therefore, you will need to applythis on a regular basis until no further signs of fleas are detected.  

 

DiatomaceousEarth

DiatomaceousEarth or DE is a kind of fine white powder with many uses, one of which iskilling fleas. The substance is safe for humans and animals, but poisonous toinsects. The mechanism that DE brings death to fleas is dehydration. As fleas comeinto contact with the substance, the hard outer shell that protects their innerbody gets broken, which results in their death soon after as the water in theirbody is absorbed by the DE. It is best to use DE for carpets by sprinkling itonto the carpet surface. The fine powder can penetrate easily into the carpetfibers and get to the fleas. Although DE is non-toxic, you need to use foodgrade DE and wear gloves and a mask while dealing with it. Pets and kids shouldbe kept away from the treated areas as well. Vacuuming is ideal for clearing theDE off once it has completed the mission of killing fleas.     

Flea Traps

Flea trap is another good option to reduce the flea population. You cancertainly make one by yourself at home instead of spending money on one. Theidea behind a flea trap is to attract fleas to the trap with a light and a whitecolor. Once there, they are trapped with no way back. One simple trap is to  have a white tray or bowl of soapy water and alamp or light shining on it. Place the trap in the infested areas and light itup at night while darkening the surroundings. Fleas will be attracted by thelight of the trap and will jump into the soapy water that leaves them with noway back. The trap works with adult fleas only, but it is good enough tocontribute to the overall effort of eradicating fleas in the house.

 

In short, there are a number of ways toaddress a flea infestation. Selecting the best flea treatment for your carpetis now up to you. We hope you will consider all the above-mentioned optionsbefore making your choice. Look around your home now for any signs of fleas andtake necessary action as soon as possible to ensure that they will not have a chanceto cause any nuisance or harm to you, your family, and your pets. 

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton

Can Fleas Live in Human Hair?

If you own a cat or dog, it is very likely that you will see some parasites on their body. A common parasite that take refuge on furry animals and sucks their blood are fleas. Fleas are tiny, dark brown wingless creatures that go through four stages in their life cycle namely, egg, larvae, pupae and adult. Their preferred habitats are warm shady places and the furry coats of dogs or cats. However, one question arises here: “Can fleas live in human hair?” The conditions in hair are almost the same as in a pet’s fur. If they can, there comes a concern how to get rid of fleas in human hair. Keep reading and you will find out the answer.

First, we are going to deal with the question, “Can fleas live in human hair?” It is said that there are more than 2000 species of fleas, only one of which feasts on humans. The place on the human body that has the best conditions for them is our hair where they can hide themselves. There is not much difference between human fleas and other kinds of fleas but the one distinguishing point is that these ones have fewer mouth bristles.

Sometimes, cat or dog fleas may reside on your hair even though we humans are not their favorite hosts. This happens when you play with your pets and whether it is on purpose or accidental, fleas find their way to your hair. Human blood may not be what interests those fleas but they use your hair as a means of transport to help them travel somewhere or to get closer to their favorite host – which is another dog or cat.

There would be nothing much to worry about if fleas were just in your hair, but they don’t simply stay there. Instead, fleas will bite the rest of your body, leaving red lumps which are terribly itchy bites. There is then the danger of contracting the diseases that these insects carry. Those of you who are allergic to flea saliva may even get infections from flea bites. This is the reason that we need to know how to get rid of fleas in human hair.

Now that we know that the answer to the question “Can fleas live in human hair?” is yes, we can proceed to the next step which is finding ways to eradicate fleas. The remedies to treat fleas in our hair should be absolutely safe as far as our well-being is concerned. It is not “how to get rid of fleas in human hair by all means possible” but “how to get rid of fleas in human hair safely”. We cannot treat fleas in our hair with all kinds of chemicals that target and kill fleas because, while they may be effective, they may have an adverse effect on our health. Therefore, natural and non-toxic methods should be the solutions to the question, “how to get rid of fleas in human hair”. Let’s look at some of the safe remedies to cure you of fleas.

Shampoo

Can fleas live in human hair

Look for shampoos that have been specifically produced to treat lice or hair-mites. Those products are ideal for removing fleas from your hair as well. The procedure is quite simple. Wet your hair with warm water and apply the shampoo to every root of hair and to your scalp. It will take about ten minutes for the fleas to be killed so leave the shampoo on your hair for a sufficient amount of time before trying to rinse it off. Any remaining dead fleas that have not been washed off by the water can be removed with the help of a comb with thick teeth. Move the comb along the hair from scalp to the ends so that dead fleas and their eggs are removed altogether.

Baking soda

Housewives will be familiar with this substance as it is present in almost every home due to its multiple uses. As the name suggests, baking soda can be used for baking purpose, but also for whitening teeth, neutralizing odors, and cleaning sinks or kitchenware.  Baking soda is also the answer to the question of how to get rid of fleas in human hair. Just create a paste by mixing some baking soda with a little water. Wet your hair with warm water, then spread the paste through your hair and leave it there for ten minutes. Once the allowed time for the paste to take effect is over, you can rinse it off with water without having to apply shampoo. Any fleas will be killed by the baking soda and any irritation that flea bites on your head have caused you will be soothed as well. Baking soda is useful in so many different ways, so don’t hesitate to keep some of this amazing substance in your pantry.

Apple cider vinegar

Can fleas live in human hair

Another way to remove fleas from your hair is with another pantry staple- apple cider vinegar. How does this liquid kill fleas? The secret lies in the acidity of the vinegar which acts as a poison to fleas and their offspring while doing no harm to humans. Mix some apple cider vinegar with a little water and use it to wet your hair thoroughly. Cover your head with a towel and leave the vinegar on for at least fifteen minutes for the mixture to do its job of killing fleas. After that, you may rinse and dry your hair. Try this if your hair is infested with fleas and you will see how effective it is.

Comprehensive flea treatment in the house

We’ve seen that it is a big “yes” to the question that “Can fleas live in human hair?” so it is high time you did something to control fleas in your house before they really find their way into your hair. This is a preventive measure but its even more important than just using the remedies. Your pets are the first thing you should think of when trying to control fleas in your house. Help your pets get rid of fleas by using such products as flea shampoos and flea combs. It’s best to use natural, non-toxic products to protect them from any adverse effects.

Next, have a plan to kill any fleas in your house. The places which are a perfect habitat for fleas are under carpets, rugs, sofas and even your bed. Washing removable items in hot water or drying them at high temperatures is highly recommended to de-flea them. Alternatively, vacuuming is an excellent way to fight fleas as it will suck up fleas at all stages of their life cycle- adult fleas, larvae or eggs. However, remember to dispose of the vacuum bag right away to prevent any hatched eggs from invading the house again.

So, now you know the answer to the question, “Can fleas live in human hair?” It’s bad luck if you or any family members are attacked by the bloodsuckers but now you also know that there are a number of remedies that are both simple and safe to use to treat fleas in your hair. Nevertheless, no cure is better than prevention. By taking care of your living space, keeping your house neat and clean, or watching out for any fleas on your pets to promptly treat them, there will be no chance for the pesky insects to invade your hair.

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton

How to Tell if Your Cat Has Fleas

Fleas are common parasites that often find ways to stick to your beloved furry pets, especially dogs or cats. They feed on their host’s blood, lay eggs and in this way spread over the pet’s body. Their tiny body size plus the dark brown color make it easy for them to mingle with the habitat. If you raise a dog or cat as a pet, you should expect to find fleas on them at some point. They may bite and leave itchy and painful spots on your pet’s body and this can be really annoying for the poor animal. For those of you who own a cat, you will find this article especially useful as it focuses on the question of how to tell if your cat has fleas.

A cat that is free of fleas will behave differently from a cat that is being attacked by fleas. Thus, in order to answer the question, “How to tell if your cat has fleas”, we will look for the differences in behavior of your cat when its body is full of pesky parasites. Early flea detection is necessary in order for you to take action quickly because fleas multiply in number very fast. The sooner you know that there is a flea infestation, the quicker you will be able to take action to treat it. Otherwise, fleas may not just disturb your cat but your own well-being as well.

Scratching

How to tell if your cat has fleas

Fleas often bite their host and their bites become terribly itchy. The itchy bites will cause the pet to feel like scratching. “How to tell if your cat has fleas” is answered by watching out if your cat is scratching its body to relieve itself of the crazy itchiness. Sometimes, your kitty will even bite itself for the purpose of catching fleas and getting rid of itchy irritation. These are symptoms you can easily notice and know that your pet is being troubled by fleas.

Excessive grooming

Cats are graceful in the way that they gently groom their fur. We may find it normal as they do it quite often. However, it is abnormal if your cat keeps grooming itself all the time and that is one way to tell that your cat has fleas. The pet is being irritated by flea bites and it is trying to soothe the pain and itchiness by licking their body. You may pay attention to areas on their body that fleas are most likely to be found. If the cat keeps licking its armpits, groin, legs or tail then this is probably where the fleas are.

Avoiding certain places

Animals are intelligent in their own way. If you keep an eye on your cats, you will notice some of the places where they often hang out. Let’s take the carpet, sofa or somewhere in the garden for example. Those places could be the areas which are populated with fleas and cause them a lot of itchiness or discomfort everytime they go there. As a result, cats will frequent these places less often than usual. If you notice this sudden avoidance, it is a clue that your cat probably has fleas.

Signs of anemia

If your cat is heavily infested by fleas, there is a high chance that it could be suffering from anemia. Some symptoms of anemia you need to remember are lethargy or fatigue, muscle loss and pale gums. In other words, your cat will not be as active as usual so a check by your vet is advisable to see if it has anemia or not.

Hair loss

Hair loss may result from many reasons, one being continuous scratching and biting. Flea bites could be the cause of all of this or flea saliva could be the source of an allergy to sensitive cats and they react by scratching excessively. This ultimately results in patches of hair loss.

Double check with a flea comb

How to tell if your cat has fleas

In order to know for sure that your kitty is infested with fleas, comb through its fur with a flea or lice comb. Start combing its coat from head to tail and pay attention to places that fleas are very likely to be hiding such as the armpit, groin, neck or ear. The tiny dark brown parasites are easy to detected while combing. It is a good idea to have a dish of soapy water nearby so that you can dip the comb into it to kill any fleas you remove with the comb. Even you find no fleas but your cat’s body is full of red spots or irritated skin, the chances are that fleas are the cause. This evidence alone is clear enough to conclude that there are fleas on your cat.  

As you can tell, it is not difficult to find the answer to the question, “How to tell if your cat has fleas?” To recap, watch out for abnormal behaviour in your cat; check for excessive scratching or grooming; notice whether the cat no longer hangs out in places it used to frequent. Also, check for signs of anemia or hair loss on parts of its body. If you want to have a closer look at its fur, comb the hair and check it for fleas.

As soon as you know that your cat is being troubled by fleas, prompt action must be taken to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, the few fleas you see on your cat are probably just the tip of the iceberg. If you do not treat the problem promptly, your entire home could soon have a flea infestation.

Cats are more sensitive than dogs are so addressing fleas on a cat’s body needs greater care and patience. A flea comb is one of the methods you can use to remove fleas from your cat. If you intend to treat fleas with a comb, you will have to keep doing it until no more fleas can be found on your pet’s body.

Another method is to purchase a flea collar or buy special flea medication from your vet. Professional help from a vet is essential if your own efforts at curing your cat of fleas fail. It is also important to wash your pet’s bedding in very hot soapy water, as well as vacuum any carpets, rugs or other places in the house that are infested with fleas in order to create a healthy living environment. Keep your house spotlessly clean to get rid of flea eggs, larvae or adult fleas altogether.

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton

Does Vinegar Kill Fleas?

If your pets or your house is infested with fleas, you’re probably desperate to find a solution to combat the invasion. There is a wide range of flea controlling products available on the market but finding one which is safe to use for your pet or family is the concern. Flea sprays and flea bombs may help to put things in order quickly but they are poisonous chemical products that may affect the environment and the well-being of your pets or your family if they come into contact with them.

If you really want a non-toxic natural remedy to treat fleas, we recommend that you try vinegar. Perhaps you’re wondering, “Does vinegar really kill fleas?” Many may doubt whether this common liquid which is found in almost every kitchen or pantry can really put an end to a flea’s life. Let’s find out together.

Vinegar properties

Vinegar has been in use for thousands of years thanks to its various health benefits. The liquid is not simply a combination of acetic acid and water but contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber and other beneficial compounds depending on the source of the materials or the organic substances that have been used to create the vinegar.

Products which are high in sugar such as fruit, rice, or barley are ideal materials to use to produce vinegar which is beneficial to our well-being in so many ways. It helps to control blood glucose levels that are typically a problem for diabetes patients. Vinegar is also effective in controlling high cholesterol, helping with weight loss, promoting heart health or preventing infections.

Now we come back to our question, “Does vinegar kill fleas?” What are the properties of vinegar that enable it to repel fleas? The answer is its acidic nature.  Some argue that vinegar just repels fleas rather than kills them due the unpleasant smell that fleas can hardly stand. Others state that vinegar does kill fleas if the insects come into contact with the liquid because of the fact that the acidity of the vinegar causes the exoskeletons of the pests to become corroded or dehydrated, causing them to die.

Put simply, vinegar does kill fleas in these ways, or at the very least it makes the habitat no longer favorable for them to survive in. This means that the answer to the question, “Does vinegar kill fleas?” is “Yes!” Now that we know this, let’s find out how we can use vinegar to fight against fleas.

Vinegar could be utilized in many ways to treat fleas and we will go through those methods one by one.

Spraying

The formula for a spray bottle mixture to treat fleas is one part of vinegar mixed with one part of water. Therefore, if you have a bottle, fill it halfway with vinegar and then to the top with water. Among all the different types of vinegar, apple cider vinegar is your best choice. Now that you have the mixture, spray it on the flea-infested areas of your home such as carpets, rugs, under sofas or on pet bedding. It can be sprayed onto your pets’ fur as well. Those fleas coming into contact with the vinegar will be killed while others will be repelled by the smell.

Mixing with pet water

Does vinegar kill fleas

You may know that fleas feed on your pets’ blood, and that is the reason why they stay as parasites on the host’s body. If we can make the host’s blood no longer edible for fleas, they will have no reason to cling to the pet. Vinegar will help out here. By simply adding some vinegar to your pets’ drinking water their blood will become more acidic and fleas will not want to feast on it. 

Of course, if your pets realize that the water tastes strongly of vinegar, they will not want to drink it. Thus, you need to be careful to add just a little bit of vinegar into the drinking water so that they won’t notice anything strange. Obviously, the vinegar in the drinking water will not kill the fleas, but it will keep them away from your pets. A word of warning though- do not try this method for cats as the water will be too acidic for them.

Soaking in vinegar

Should you have carpets, rugs, or bedding which are infested with fleas, soak them in water mixed with vinegar and all fleas and their off-spring will be killed. It may take a few hours for the mixture to take effect so make sure you allow sufficient time for the items to soak in the vinegar mixture.

Pet bathing with vinegar

There are flea shampoo products that are effective for controlling fleas on your pets’ bodies. However, a cheaper method is to try bathing your pets with vinegar. Wet their fur, shampoo their body, adding some vinegar to the shampoo. Rub it all over their body so that the fur is well coated. Allow the mixture to stay on your pet for 10 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.

Does vinegar kill fleas

 Alternatively, you may choose to bath your pets with shampoo and then add some vinegar to the rinse water. A vinegar rinse is effective in repelling fleas as the smell is so unpleasant for them. You should do this on a regular basis until no more fleas are noticed on the pets. One thing to note here is that some cats and dogs have more sensitive skin and may be allergic to the vinegar. Do look out for this. If your pets are allergic to vinegar, you will have to find other natural remedies such as tea tree oil. Although the answer to the question, “Does vinegar kill fleas?” is “Yes”, we are obviously not going to use this method if it’s harming our pets.

All things being taken into consideration, vinegar has been proven to be a cheap natural and effective remedy to treat fleas. You may still be wondering “Does vinegar kill fleas?” but you can be assured that once vinegar had been applied to control fleas, the results will be positive. To recap: as we’ve seen, there are many ways you can use vinegar to combat fleas. Spray a mixture of vinegar and water onto flea-infested places; add a few drops of vinegar to your pet’s drinking water; soak bedding, carpets and rugs in vinegar; bath the pets troubled by fleas with vinegar or rinse their fur with the liquid to repel the parasites.

Whichever method you use remember to keep a close watch on your pet for any adverse reactions. If your pets show any type of sensitivity to the acidity of the vinegar, look for other ways to get rid of the fleas. There are many other natural non-toxic ingredients you can use instead of vinegar.

The key here is not to always be needing to kill fleas but to make your pets and environment one that fleas don’t like to be in. Fleas will not want to live in a clean and tidy place with few undisturbed places to hide and to breed. Fleas like to live in unmowed grass, among uncleared fallen leaves or in wet stacks of firewood. Indoors, they like dark, dirty, undisturbed spaces. When pets hang out in those places, fleas jump up to stick onto this host’s body and travel here and there in your house. Therefore, try stop the source of fleas by cleaning up your living environment regularly and also cleaning the flea transporter – your pet.

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton

How to Treat Sand Flea Bites

There are a variety of different types of fleas among which sand fleas are different from the rest because they are arthropods – the most environmentally adaptable survivors on planet Earth. Sand fleas are crustaceans possessing five to seven pairs of legs and two pairs of antenna. The name gives a clue about their favorite habitats which is the sand around beaches, rivers, lakes and even deserts.

While their body color may range from whitish to brownish, sand fleas’ body size also varies greatly. Some can be seen with the naked eye while others are only visible under a magnifying lens. Sand fleas are active in the evening, at night and early dawn, which means that if you hang out on the beach at that time, you are highly at risk of being bitten by the pesky crustaceans. Despite their small body size, their bites are especially painful and itchy. Should you want to know how to treat sand flea bites, keep reading through the rest of this article.

Types of sand flea bites and symptoms

treat sand flea bites

Before starting to treat sand flea bites, you need to learn to identify sand flea bites first. Typically, there are two types of bites caused by sand fleas. The first one is very similar to that of mosquitos. They appear as red spots and bumps which quickly vanish after one or two days, provided they are not scratched. This type of sand flea bite occurs when the bloodsucking arthropod sucks blood and then moves to another host after injecting a toxin to prevent blood clotting. This process enables them to suck out some blood and then move to the next host without getting stuck.

The second type of sand flea bite tends to be more severe as they result from sand fleas burrowing themselves into the host’s skin to lay their eggs. They may stay there until the eggs hatch. This causes the host severe pain and discomfort. A black spot surrounded by a swollen area is a sign that breeding sand fleas are taking refuge there. The pain may get worse and the site will not heal until proper treatment has been executed. The bites could become so painful that walking is difficult.

Both types of sand flea bites are itchy, painful and may result in fever or infection. The more allergic you are to external invaders, the more severe reactions you may experience. Most often you’ll get bitten on the ankles, feet or legs because they are about 25cm off the ground, which is the height that sand fleas can jump. Upper body bites are less common unless you lie or sit on the beach. So, how to treat sand flea bites?

Sand flea bites treatments

There are several approaches to deal with sand flea bites. They range from soothing the area to seeking a doctor’s help or preventing the bites from happening in the first place. We’ll first have a look at soothing methods.

Apply lotion or cream

When you have been bitten by sand fleas, the very first symptom is usually itching. You will be tempted to scratch the spot to relieve the irritation; however, this is not a wise thing to do. As you scratch the bites, it may cause the bites to be opened up and infection may occur.

So how should you treat sand flea bites when they are so itchy and you cannot scratch? Application of soothing lotions or creams is one method. Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream, which can be easily found in your local pharmacy are good choices to apply to bitten areas for relief from the itching. The package instructions should be read carefully to check how much to apply, how often to apply it and where not to use it.

Basically, the eyes and mouth are parts of the body that should not have contact with any chemicals so you must be careful not to touch those parts with your hands after rubbing lotion on the bitten areas. Remember to wash your hands well after using the cream or lotion. For children under 10 years old, and also pregnant women or breast feeding moms, you should consult with a doctor to know whether the medicine is safe to use or not.

Baking soda and water

treat sand flea bites

A mixture of baking soda and water can be used to treat sand flea bites. A cup of baking soda can be poured into a bathtub of cool water. Soak your entire body or just the bitten parts in the tub for about half an hour. Another way to utilize baking soda is to mix it with water in a 3:1 ratio. Stir the mixture well. As soon as it forms a paste, it can be spread onto the itchy areas of skin. Keep the paste on the skin for 30 minutes before washing off with cool water.

Oatmeal bath

The antioxidants in oatmeal can also help to soothe flea bites quite well. Add one or two cups of oatmeal to a warm tub of water and then use this to soak the affected areas. The irritation and itchy feeling should feel relieved within an hour of soaking. It’s important to note that hot water should not be used as it just worsens the irritation.

Aloe Vera and essential oils

treat sand flea bites

Aloe Vera functions as a soothing agent for irritated skin the same way that some essential oils do. Both can be purchased from your local drug store and applied directly to the sand flea bites. However, instructions to apply the appropriate dosage should be strictly followed to get the best results without suffering any side effects. It’s a good idea to seek a doctor’s advice regarding essential oil varieties such as lavender, tea tree, or cedar if you are pregnant. To check first for allergies or sensitivity, a patch test should be performed on a small area of unaffected skin before applying to the whole area.

Medical help

If you have a swollen area with a black spot in the center, it is probably the sign of a severe bite caused by female sand fleas burrowing into the skin to lay eggs. For this kind of bite, soothing methods will not help to cure it. Hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion may lessen the symptoms but in case either of the options do not work, you need to visit a doctor right away. The doctor will usually remove the sand flea and will probably recommend that you use antihistamine cream to reduce the irritation due to an allergic reaction. Strictly follow your doctor’s instructions to obtain the best results.

No matter how effective the remedies for sand flea bites are, it is best not to get bitten at all in the first place. The following prevention measures will give you some ideas about this.

Avoid hanging out on the beach at dawn and dusk

Cooler weather activates sand flea activities. Therefore, if you want to enjoy beach sight-seeing in the evening or at dawn, it is highly likely that you will get bitten. Rainy days are also favorable for the bloodsuckers, so be careful if you go to the beach during those type of days. It is advisable to visit the beach once the sun has risen and the weather is warm and dry. You may still get bitten, but the chances will be much less.

Use insect repellents

If you still want to enjoy the beach at dawn or dusk regardless of sand fleas, try spraying insect repellent on your feet, ankles, and legs before you go. Sand fleas will be discouraged from approaching to bite you as the chemical smell of the repellents will deter them from getting closer. Remember to take the insect repellent with you and to re-apply after swimming.

Protect your feet, ankles, and legs

Sand fleas can jump about 25cm high, so covering your ankles, feet and legs can be a good protective measure to keep you safe from sand fleas. Pants, sandals or shoes can be worn for beach walking. Have a towel or blanket beneath you when you want to lie down on the beach.

To Sum Up

We hope these tips have given you some ideas about what to do if you get bitten, and how to prevent sand flea bites. The main things to remember are to not scratch no matter how itchy they are, and to seek a doctor’s help if the bite is suspected to be a severe one with female sand fleas burrowing into the skin. Prevention measures are always preferable to treatment ones. Equip yourself with insect repellents or avoid the sand fleas’ active time and you should be able to enjoy your time at the beach without worrying about sand flea bites.

How to Treat Fleas in Yard?

According to the Wikipedia definition, fleas are small brown insects that are about 3mm long when mature. They don’t have wings, but possess hind legs for jumping, and have chewing mouthparts which are useful for piercing the skin of their hosts and feeding on their blood. They love to take refuge in warm, shady places. Too much exposure to the sun or water will kill them.

“How to treat fleas in yard?” is a common question, if you have pets like dogs or cats. Because it is very likely that there are fleas residing in your pets’ warm fur. To make it worse, they may jump elsewhere and spread over the house into blankets, carpets, and even clothes. As long as your pets play around the yard or sleep there, fleas will also take the opportunity to invade the yard.

Should you notice fleas indoors, it is fairly easy to do something about it as the space is small and manageable. In case of the yard, fleas are more difficult to identify as the area is larger and fleas have more room to hide. Despite this, it is not impossible to deal with fleas in the yard. You may need to invest a little more time and effort on this task, but if you are determined enough to get rid of a flea infestation, it is absolutely worth trying and the results will be rewarding. We will now go into more detail about how to treat fleas in yard safely and effectively.

Locate fleas in the yard

how to treat fleas in yard

Before you get started with the question “how to treat fleas in yard?”, you will need to locate the areas where fleas are most likely to be hiding. The yard is spacious and fleas will not spread equally everywhere. Remember that they love to stay in warm and moist places which are not directly exposed to sunlight. Pets are the favorite host of fleas. Check out where pets frequently play in the yard and those will be the places that are probably most densely populated by fleas. Shady, grassy areas, the compost heap or piles of leaves are the most likely residence of the bloodsuckers.

A recommended trick is to wear white socks while you are searching for fleas in the yard. They may try to attach to you by clinging to the white socks and their tiny brown or black bodies will be easy to see against the white of the socks. It is very important to note that trying to treat fleas in the yard must come after you have figured out where they are, otherwise it will be a waste of time and effort to try to treat the entire yard.

Prepare the yard for treatment

how to treat fleas in yard

You’ve first got to make sure that your pets are free of fleas before thinking of dealing with fleas in your yard. The reason is simple. If your pets still have fleas, sooner or later they will spread those insects over the yard again and your time and effort will have been wasted. Once pets have been treated for fleas, keep them out of the yard. Keep your children away too, while you are busy. You can now start mowing the grass, removing weeds and debris, stacking wood that is lying around and clearing away any piles of fallen leaves. The yard should be kept tidy and free of too many overhanging branches so that the sun can reach the ground and there are fewer places for fleas to hide.

It is not necessary to treat the entire garden area. Instead, focus on the places where your pets often hang out. Cleaning and arranging things neatly will be adequate to get rid of a certain number of fleas. In order to eradicate them completely, insecticides are your best option when getting rid of fleas in your garden.

Apply insecticides to the yard

Toxic chemicals will kill fleas right away, but you need to be careful to select insecticides that are high quality and safe for human and pets. Read the manual or follow the instructions on the label to use the chemicals safely. Protect yourself by wearing a mask, gloves and protective clothing while spraying flea-concentrated areas.

You may prefer to use organic pesticides that are more environmentally friendly and safer. You can source these using the Internet or local suppliers. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is one of these non-toxic treatments for fleas in your yard. You could use a spreading tool to spread the fine dust in areas where you suspect fleas are living. However, bear in mind that DE will not work on rainy days or in wet weather.

Flood the yard

how to treat fleas in yard

Fleas prosper in moist places, but cannot survive in flooded areas. Mature fleas can be killed with insecticides and water will finish the rest of the task of clearing their eggs and larvae. After mowing your lawn, you may pump in water to flood the entire yard. This will not only kill the fleas but also wash away all the feces. Rainy days could help you with this as natural water from the sky will help to clean and get rid of all flea offspring. For sunny or dry seasons, you’ll have to flood the yard yourself.

Utilize nematodes

Nematodes are natural enemies of fleas. They are microscopic worms that are harmless to humans, animals, and plants. Feeding on flea larvae while not being able to resist direct sun exposure, nematodes could be sprayed in any shady spaces where fleas are noticed. Treating fleas in your yard is safe and effective with nematodes.

Cedar wood chips

This is another natural option to consider to help you with treating fleas in your yard. They cannot stand the scent of cedar wood chips. Sprinkle these chips over the areas that fleas are around. Cedar wood chips could be turned into a finer sawdust and sprinkled next to neighboring fences to prevent potential fleas from entering your yard.

Professional treatment

If you have no time to deal with fleas in the yard yourself or not successful after applying some of the treatment options above, professional help from the companies specializing in insect control is your next option. It will cost you some money, but you will certainly save time and effort. You will also usually obtain satisfactory results, and you’ll no longer need to worry about fleas. Next time you notice a flea infestation in your yard, just pick up the phone and call for the professionals. They will come and eradicate them safely.

Prevention of fleas in your yard

Whatever you do to treat fleas in your yard, it’s best if they have no chance to invade your living space in the first place. There are several things you can do the stop them from frequenting your yard.

First, remove any moist conditions of the yard by watering correctly- neither too much nor too little. Of course, flooding the lawn may kill flea eggs and larvae, but doing that too often will harm your lawn as well. Therefore, correct watering will help the lawn grow while keeping it dry enough to deter fleas from hiding or breeding.

Second, mow the lawn regularly, and trim or prune the shrubs and trees to expose the soil to more sunlight. Fleas will have no place to hide and will not be able to survive under the heat of the sun.

Third, plant lavender or pennyroyal, which is a member of the mint family. Both of these things are disliked by fleas. They are natural remedies to keep fleas away. One note of caution: pennyroyal is poisonous to cats if ingested, so if you have cats, then rather choose another method of flea prevention.

You should now have a better idea of how to treat fleas in yard. Remember to start treating for fleas as soon as you notice the first one. This will prevent the infestation from getting out of hand. You can absolutely do it yourself if you’re not too busy, otherwise you can always call in the experts. Thanks for reading!

About indoor gardening read more at Comfy Home Corner.

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton

How To Get Rid of Fleas with Baking Soda

Flea infestations are a common nightmare for each and every pet owner. It has been estimated that about 90% of pets can be attacked by fleas which can then invade your entire home just in a short time. Generally, many people will use chemicals to treat this problem; however, most of these products are fairly expensive and not good for your health or the planet. There are, however, several less toxic substances that can help you deal with the worry of a flea infestation. Today we’ll explain to you how to get rid of fleas with baking soda, a well-known home remedy.

How to get rid of fleas with baking soda on pets

The source of fleas will usually be your dogs or cats, so you need to start with them in order to deal with the problem at the root. A mixture of baking soda and water is a good remedy for the itching caused by fleas. Pets can be treated with a paste made from 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a little water to prevent itching and scratching. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a little water and apply the thin paste onto the flea bites. Use a cotton ball to apply this mixture to the affected areas. Leave it on for 5 minutes, then rinse it off with cool water. Do not use baking soda on broken skin or open wounds.

In case your pet is itching all over and you desire to get rid of all the fleas, you can give your pet a bath with half to one cup of baking soda mixed into its bath water. Wash your pet with the mixture, beginning at the neck, and working your way to the tail. Keep the mixture on your pet for a few minutes before rinsing. As you rinse, you can clean away any dead fleas. Use a clean towel to dry your pet. Next, utilize a flea comb to remove any fleas that may remain on your pet. Keep fleas from invading your home again by keeping your pet indoors or by using nontoxic, preventative flea control products like a flea collar

How to get rid of fleas with baking soda and salt on carpets

The carpets in your house are places where these annoying insects like to hide and multiply. As we all know, baking soda and salt, these common kitchen ingredients, are not only safe and healthy for pets and babies but are inexpensive as well. Why don’t we take advantage of them instead of spending a fortune on toxic exterminatory products? More importantly, this natural remedy allows you to not only get rid of adult fleas, but also their eggs and larvae.

To get started, you’ll need the following: a box of baking soda, salt, a vacuum cleaner and a good stiff broom.

First, remove as much furniture as you can give yourself a free space to work on the entire carpet. In addition, remove your pets and children far from the treated areas because baking soda and salt can cause irritation to open wounds on their skin.

Second, mix an equal portion of baking soda and salt. A reasonable starting quantity is one cup of baking soda and one cup of salt. Mix enough to cover every inch of your carpet, as well as under the furniture, in the corners of the room, on upholstered furnishings and so on. Another way to do it is to use the baking soda and salt separately. In this method, freely sprinkle salt on the carpet from left to right so as to cover all areas. Next, sprinkle baking soda as you did the salt, however, the amount of baking soda can be less than of salt since soda is easier to spread. Besides, a large amount of soda may lead to trouble with sweeping it with the broom.

Third, take a broom and sweep the carpet vigorously. This ensures that the baking soda and salt mix completely with each other. Moreover, doing this is a way to help these effective products go deep inside every carpet fiber and then choke the fleas to death. During this period, these pesky insects will try their utmost to get away from the treatment, so you will probably see them jumping on your feet and legs. It is therefore highly recommended that you protect these parts with a pair of socks or slippers.

Fourth, leave your mixture in the carpets for at least 12 hours or longer, depending on how serious the level of infestation is. A good time to do it is if you’re going away for the weekend or on holiday.

Last but not least, vacuum all treated areas thoroughly to remove all the dying and dead fleas. Just one remaining flea egg lurking deep in the carpet fibers can result in a huge problem in the long run. Therefore, make sure you regularly vacuum your home and repeat the whole process twice a week until the problem has been resolved.

How to get rid of fleas with baking soda and vinegar

Did you know that a combination of baking soda and vinegar is also a highly effective flea remedy? Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 measuring cup
  • 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup warm water
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 5 drops essential oil
  • 1 spray bottle

Step by step to mix all the ingredients:

  • Place ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of baking soda into the measuring cup.
  • Add 5 drops of essential oil.
  • Slowly pour ½ cup of warm water into the cup.
  • Gently pour 1 cup of cider vinegar into the cup. You will see a hissing and foaming reaction.
  • Pour your mixture into the spray bottle and shake. 

How to spray it onto your pets and infested areas:

  • Make sure that your pets are not allergic to the essential oils before spraying. Spray your pets down from a distance of 6 inches away. Avoid the area of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Rub it into their coats with your fingertips.
  • Directly apply this mixture onto floors and places where fleas would hide.
  • Store the remainder in the fridge.

To sum up

Before you turn to toxic chemical products for solutions to your flea problems, do remember to always try natural remedies like these ones first. They will save you a lot of money and health issues. They are also friendlier to the environment. We do hope that after reading this information, you have more insight into how to get rid of fleas with baking soda and how to apply it correctly.

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton

How to Get Rid of Fleas with Salt

Fleas are pesky parasites that feed on human or animals’ blood. They often hide in moist and shady places such as carpets, rugs, and even beds. If you own a dog or a cat as a pet, you may find yourself searching for ways to cure your pets from fleas. Their bites are especially itchy and may transmit infectious diseases if not properly treated.

Therefore, any signs of fleas in your house or on your pets should be taken seriously and remedies should be utilized to eradicate the nuisance. There are multiple choices when it comes to killing fleas. Chemical products such as flea foggers or flea bombs are an immediate solution that is quite effective for flea infestations. However, the downside of this measure is the toxic chemicals that can adversely affect human and animal health if breathed in.

When dealing with fleas on pets, flea shampoos, flea combs or herbal sprays are among some of the other popular options. Those products are safe for your pets and are usually effective as well. Nevertheless, if you are still looking for a natural and cheap option to kill fleas, let’s look closer at how to get rid of fleas with salt. This simple cooking additive is found in every kitchen, but it is also an amazing option in the fight against fleas and it comes at a relatively low cost.

Flea’s life cycle

First, you should be aware that a flea’s life cycle consists of four stages, namely egg, larvae, pupae and mature fleas. Thus, you are not dealing with adult fleas alone, but their whole life cycle because if they’re not all removed completely, the potential adult fleas will soon develop from any stage of the cycle. Salt works because fleas thrive best in moist and shady environments. Salt will dehydrate the moisture and ultimately desiccate the fleas to death.

Where to start?

To begin treating your flea infestation using salt, you need to identify the places in your house that are infested with fleas. Although fleas will eventually spread all over the house, there will be some areas where they prefer to hide. If your pets are full of fleas, the fleas will travel wherever your pets go. It could be outdoors in the yard or indoors under tables, carpets, rugs, sofas, pet bedding and even in your bed if you let your pets sleep with you. Now you’ve got to treat the source of the fleas, namely your pets, before treating the rest of the infested areas.

De-flea your pet with salt

Flea shampoos are a good option to kill fleas hiding in pets’ fur. Alternatively, salt baths can also help to remove fleas. A proportion of one part of salt with ten parts of water is ideal for pet bathing. Soak your pet’s whole body in the water, but be careful to keep their eyes and ears clear. In case of heavy infestations, directly rub salt into your pet’s fur, leave for about two hours before brushing off the salt and bathing it in warm water. If your pets have any open injuries, don’t try to apply salt as it will sting. A single salt treatment may not remove all the fleas, and you may need to repeat the treatment a few days later.

Indoor flea treatment with salt

For removable and washable items in the house that are infested with fleas, such as pet blankets, high heat can help to kill the fleas. A hot water temperature of above 95 degrees Celsius is ideal to get the job well done.

What about bulky furniture and items that cannot be washed? The answer is to sprinkle salt over the infested item. Fine salt will penetrate better than coarse salt. When you are in a room trying to remove the fleas, make sure you have some salt sprinkled in front of the threshold or in the passage leading into the room. The reason is that when you try to kill fleas in one room, it is very likely that they will jump into the other.

Therefore, in order to surround them in one room for treatment, make sure you block all the exits with salt. Leave the salt spread over the carpets, rugs or floors for about 12 hours and then vacuum thoroughly. Salt acts as a drying agent and will dehydrate the environment. Those fleas that eat some salt will be desiccated as well. After that time, vacuum the room thoroughly, seal the vacuum bag, and discard it properly, otherwise eggs or larvae in it may hatch and start the whole infestation again.

Salt treatment for larvae

Salt is most effective in killing mature fleas as their bodies are exposed to the substance and the chances that they will eat the salt are pretty high. However, flea larvae can still survive in a salty habitat for a long time – they can go for up to a year without having to consume food.

Eggs are laid every day and will turn into larvae within two days or two weeks depending on the living conditions such as moisture or temperature. It may take weeks or months for larvae to make up cocoons and finally grow into mature fleas. During this larval stage, salt may have little effect on them. If you are still concerned about how to get rid of fleas with salt, the only way is to repeat the treatment – sprinkle salt then vacuum on a regular basis. This will kill adult fleas as they emerge, and gradually the cycle will end.

Outdoor treatment of fleas with salt is not very effective as the moisture content outdoors tends to be high and salt gets dissolved quickly. For outdoor treatment, you’ll need to look for methods such sprays or flea foggers. Removing all leaves and debris lying around, and keeping the lawn short also helps.

To sum up

We hope you have gained some new ideas on how to get rid of fleas with salt. For those of you who love safe and natural methods to fight against insect infestations, salt is such a good choice. In comparison with pesticides or flea bombs, it may require a little more effort for you to completely get rid of fleas. However, in return you can protect yourself, your family and pets from harmful chemicals, as well as save yourself some money.

One key point that we want to emphasize here, is that no matter how effective the measures you take to eradicate fleas are, it is best to prevent them from gaining a foothold in the first place. The saying, “Prevention is better than cure” is true in this case as well. The best preventive measure is to keep your living space neat and clean. If your yard and house are clean, pets will have a safe playground to hang out in and there’ll be less chance of their being bitten by fleas.

Watch your pets to see straight away if they have any sign of itchy spots and take prompt action as soon as you spot a few fleas on them. Early detection and immediate prevention measures will stop fleas from multiplying in number and spreading all over the house. Don’t panic if you see a few fleas around, but just take it as a reminder to clean up your house and garden and get everything in order.

Thanks for reading!

Richard Clayton