How to Get Rid of Fleas
Fleas are parasites that cause a real threat to your pet’s safety and your own. They have really long legs and they are great jumpers. Fleas suck the blood off animals and even if they are small, the problem they create, if they are not immediately dealt with, can be real big. Fleas can reproduce quickly and can infest your home or even kill your pet. Fleas can cause the bubonic plague (see Wikipedia: bubonic plague) and transmit various diseases such as typhus fever, tapeworm and other viruses. Not everyone knows how to get rid of fleas effectively, so the parasites just come back and multiply, causing a lot of damage.
Here are some tips on how you can get rid of fleas in the home to protect you and your pet.
- Use Botanical Dust. One of the most important tricks on how to get rid of fleas is to kill them while they are still eggs. You can kill fleas in house before they can reproduce. To do this, spread botanical dust with Borate acid throughout your home, especially on carpets. Borate acid is not harmful to your pets. Mix 4 parts of borate acid with 1 part salt then sprinkle on the carpet. Avoid staying in your house on that day and let the botanical dust settle. After 24 hours, you should wash your bed sheets carefully and vacuum your carpets exhaustively. Steam clean your carpets before applying the botanical dust. This will help get rid of the fleas because they will drown in water. As you use your vacuum, you will suck out all the fleas – eggs, larva and adults. (Also read : How To Get Rid Of Gnats Outside Your House)
- Use your Vacuum. The most reliable household equipment you can use on how to get rid of fleas is the vacuum cleaner. Vacuum places where your pet frequents as well as carpeted areas. A good tip is to sprinkle some moth flakes on your vacuum canister and on your carpets. The moth flakes will effectively kill fleas. Make sure to vacuum regularly to catch fleas. A few fleas can produce thousands in a span of a few days.
- Use Salt. Salt is a common kitchen item but it is also a great ingredient on how to get rid of fleas. Get a handful and spread it over your carpet. You should leave the salt on the carpet for at least 7 days then vacuum it off. The flea will bleed to death as the salt will scrap its body and drain it. Make sure to clean your vacuum canister and dispose of your vacuum bags after cleaning up salt crystals and dead fleas.
- Use Cedar Chips. A good trick on how to get rid of fleas out of a particular spot or from your pet is to use cedar chips. The chips give off an odor that fleas hate, which will make them get off your pet. If you put them in close proximity to your pet, it won’t be toxic to him but it will cause the parasite to jump off your pet and get away from the smell. You can vacuum your pet’s location occasionally so that you can catch the fleas. You can place cedar chips on rooms with carpets or any area in your home where you suspect the parasites thrive.
