A small insect is a big problem. How to get rid of fleas in an apartment?

Often, in an apartment or in a private house, wingless parasites such as basement, dog, human, cat or other fleas appear. Such bloodsuckers not only deteriorate the interior of the living space, but also cause harm to the health of all residents.

Scientists have proven that black fleas in an apartment carry 25 dangerous specific ailments within themselves, including such serious diseases as typhus, tularemia, salmonellosis, hepatitis B, myxomatosis, brucellosis, tick-borne encephalitis, etc.

Therefore, the question of how to permanently get rid of bed bugs or other similar bloodsuckers is currently especially relevant for residents in whose apartments or private houses these small pests have appeared.

Where do fleas come from in the house?

Fleas are very prolific: over 2 years of life, the female lays about 500 eggs, which after 2 weeks begin a full life and active reproduction. Insects need a source of food and a place to lay eggs. Therefore, they strive to penetrate the nest of a wild animal - a rabbit or a squirrel, or into a city apartment. How do they do this?

• a pet brings one or more insects from the street on its fur;
• flea eggs are carried into the apartment on the soles of shoes;
• fleas enter the apartment from neighbors;
• insects from the basement or attic can penetrate into nearby apartments

The main causes of parasites

Domestic fleas are more likely to appear in apartments in summer and autumn. Often many such bloodsuckers inhabit private houses and apartments, which are located on the first floors of apartment buildings.

Where do bed or other fleas in an apartment come from?

More often, such parasites enter the home from the following places:

• neighboring apartments;
• entrance;
• basement

Also, similar insects are carried by pets or rats.

Fleas often infest on the lower floors because there is a damp basement next to them. However, these parasites also inhabit upper living spaces if there is high humidity in the toilet or bathroom.

Thus, dampness is considered a favorable condition for the fertilization and reproduction of various fleas.

Also, such bloodsuckers populate the home due to the fact that pets carry them indoors on their skin. For example, dogs become infected with them while walking with their owner on the street or in another place.

When such blood-sucking insects are discovered on the body of their pet, a person immediately begins to disinfect it. The owner applies specific creams, shampoos, sprays to the cat or dog’s body, or gives him tablets that are purchased at a pet store or pharmacy.

However, when destroying fleas on the body of a dog or cat, the tenant does not get rid of them in his entire home. Therefore, after sanitizing the animal, it is necessary to disinfect your entire apartment or private house as quickly as possible.

Getting Rid of Fleas: 5 Steps to Insect Freedom

The difficulty in removing fleas from an apartment is that they multiply very quickly. Treating individual surfaces does not help: pupae remain in other places, which become fleas, bite a person or animal, and you have to start the fight again. Fleas live on the floor, under baseboards, in beds and other objects located at a height of no more than one and a half meters.

Start your room treatment by fighting your pet's fleas. The animal must be washed with a special shampoo, and then treated with a spray and put on an insecticidal collar.

How to get rid of fleas: treating an apartment

1. Wash all bedding and bedspreads at a temperature of 60C and above. Wash your dog bed, cat house or mattress too, and if this is not possible, throw it away.
2. Vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture. Don't forget about all the rugs and rugs that lie on the floor and hang on the walls. Immediately after cleaning, empty the contents of the vacuum cleaner into the toilet or take the tightly tied bag outside before the insects scatter.
3. Wash the floor with water and added wormwood essential oil. Insect eggs will be washed away, and they will not lay new ones on the surface with the smell of wormwood for some time. Particular care should be taken to wash corners, baseboards and the floor under furniture.
4. It is better to throw away all things that cannot be cleaned and washed. If fleas live in an old chair and lay eggs there, it will be a constant source of parasites.
5. Wash all outdoor shoes thoroughly with a sponge and detergent. Then you can be sure that there will be no flea eggs left on your soles.

Types of fleas and their habitats in the apartment

We hasten to disappoint those who think that all fleas are the same: there are more than 2 thousand species of these parasites. Representatives of approximately 30 species can become “guests” of houses and apartments. The most common are:

• Human (a parasite that is dangerous for all mammals and is particularly fertile).
• Canines and cats (migrate to animals, feeding on their blood).
• Rat and mouse (they get into the apartment if rodents have settled in basements and attics).
• Field, or herbal (carried by animals on their fur).
• Earth or basement (they live on the floor, under baseboards, in carpets, they love dust).
• Woody black ones (appear in the apartment after people visit dachas and garden plots).
• Sandy (representatives of the streets, but you can very rarely meet them at home).

A person can be bitten by any of these fleas. For active life, they all need blood and it doesn’t matter who will be the “breadwinner” - pets or people. At the same time, vampire insects do not settle on humans, on objects with a smooth surface, on bare floors or linoleum. They prefer:

• Stuffed Toys.
• Fleecy floor coverings.
• Pet bedding.
• Gaps under baseboards, parquet flooring and cracks in walls.
• Boxes with old things.
• Garbage bin and surrounding area.
• A kitchen sink, near which there is almost always high humidity.
• Closets with clothes and blankets.
• Upholstered furniture and mattresses.

Advice! You can determine that there are fleas in an apartment by a number of external signs:

• Size – from 1 to 5 mm.
• Color ranges from golden-wheat to brown-black.
• The body is vertically flattened.

The insect is difficult to catch due to sudden high jumps

If a pet lives in an apartment, then the likelihood of fleas is very high. But regular preventive actions can successfully resist the appearance of insects. If bite marks characteristic of these bloodsuckers appear on the legs or other parts of a person’s body, it is worth checking again for the presence of parasites in the house. You can do this in several ways:

• White surfaces . Place several sheets of white paper or spread a white cloth on the floor, near a cabinet, sofa or other upholstered furniture. If there are fleas in the apartment, after some time black dots will appear on light-colored surfaces.
• Damp cloth . Take a damp cloth, wipe the floor or walk over the carpet with it, and then place it in a container of clean water. If the liquid turns pale pink, then it is quite possible that there are bloodsuckers in the apartment, and the water has been colored by their feces.
• Double-sided tape . Attach adhesive tape to the places most popular with fleas: doorways, baseboards, window sills and thresholds. If there are insects in the room, after 2-3 days they can be found on the tape.
• Bright light . Fill a small container with soap solution, into which place several (3-4) floating candles. Apartment fleas (if any) will jump towards bright light, and in the morning a considerable number of them can be found in the liquid. Using the same principle, a lamp, a night light, and even a TV are used instead of candles. True, you will have to leave it on overnight (just turn off the sound), and place a baking sheet or bowl filled with water in front of it.
• Liquid honey . This method of detecting insects is quite common. Small pieces of cardboard or flat dishes are coated with a layer of sweet, sticky treats and placed in areas where fleas are likely to accumulate.

Review of effective anti-flea products for home and animals

The flea is tenacious. A powerful chitinous shell - an exoskeleton - protects it from mechanical damage and exposure to chemicals. But there are insecticides that affect the nervous system of insects, destroy the chitinous shell and bring inevitable death to them. Such products should contain the following substances:

• Pyrethrins are natural insecticides that are safe for human and animal health. The insect is paralyzed, after which it dies;
• pyrethroids (permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, etc.) are synthetic pesticides with a stronger effect than pyrethrins. Negatively affects the nervous system of domestic animals and fish;
• Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid pesticide. Analog of pyrethroids;
• Nitenpyram is a medicine taken orally. Kills fleas in a maximum of 1.5 hours. Safe for humans and animals;
• Selamectin is a semi-synthetic agent. Not used for treating pregnant and lactating animals, puppies, kittens and sick individuals;
• fipronil is a product for treating animal hair.

Symptoms of fleas in an animal

Noticing fleas on a dog or cat during a visual inspection is not so easy. With a minor infestation, insects can easily hide in thick, dark fur.

An attentive owner can determine that an animal has been attacked by bloodsuckers by the following symptoms:

• a cat or dog is constantly itching, and in different places;
• the animal often “bites” into the fur, chattering its teeth, trying to get to the irritant;
• the pet is irritated, nervous, restless;
• if fleas appeared on animals a long time ago, small white grains – eggs – can be seen on the fur;
• with severe infection, ulcers or pustules appear at the bite sites, which the animal licks until bald patches appear;
• If you run your hand over your pet’s fur in several places, you can see scattering insects and small brown dots on the skin (feces).

In addition to the above detection methods, there is another one that helps determine whether a cat or dog has fleas. It is necessary to draw a bath and immerse the pet in it up to the neck.

In an effort to avoid contact with water, fleas will move to the animal's head, where they can be easily seen.

Insecticides for flea control: which weapon to choose?

The desire to get rid of insects should not end in poisoning a person or pets. Before use, you must study the instructions, calculate the dosage and, if necessary, isolate animals and children during treatment.

Anti-flea products for home

The indoor use of organophosphorus compounds such as dichlorvos, karbofos, chlorpyrifos, chlorophos, and the like is an unjustified risk. Yes, they are effective, but at the same time very dangerous for humans.

Sprays based on dichlorvos are inexpensive, but you should focus not only on the price. What else can you find on the insecticide market:

• Sinusan is a product with a strong unpleasant odor based on chlorpyrifos. Professional exterminators work with it. Spray while wearing a respirator, safety glasses and gloves;
• Get – granular chlorpyrifos concentrate for home use. They often sell products that are not original, and therefore ineffective.

Effective pyrethroid sprays to kill fleas

Synthetic pyrethroid insecticides are conveniently used in the form of a spray or aerosol. Analogues of natural pyrethrins are not inferior to them in their insecticidal properties, but are safe for humans and pets. The undeniable advantage of aerosols is that adult insects and larvae are destroyed in one treatment.

When using a flea spray or aerosol, you must:

• clear the room of people and pets. Cover the aquarium with glass and turn off the compressor;
• close doors and windows tightly during treatment and do not open for 2-3 hours after it;
• start processing from bottom to top: floor, baseboards, interior surface of furniture, bed linen, soft toys, curtains;
• After treatment and ventilation, wash the floor and wipe all horizontal surfaces. Bed linen and toys treated with the product must be washed at a temperature of 60 C'.

Which means are trustworthy:

• Dichlorvos TM is a well-proven remedy for combating flying and crawling insects. Up to 10 ml of solution is required per 1 m2. Food and utensils must be removed during processing. A closed room is being processed that cannot be ventilated for 3 hours;
• Raptor - an aerosol based on cypermethrin destroys crawling insects. Effective, odorless, non-toxic to people and animals;
• Raid "from cockroaches from ants" destroys all crawling insects, including fleas and bedbugs;
• Combat Super Spray is a broad-spectrum aerosol. Synthetic pyrethroids cyphenothrin and imiprotin kill adult insects and eggs;
• Dr.Klaus is suitable for treating apartments, houses and local areas

Flea powders

Powders are not as easy to use as sprays. They cost less, but are not as effective. The substance is scattered in insect habitats: on the floor, baseboards, carpets. The likelihood that fleas will die is low - fleas only die if their body comes into contact with the insecticide. You should not expect an immediate effect from the use of these drugs.

The most commonly used powders are:

• Pyrethrum is a natural preparation based on chamomile extract. Effective and safe.
• Delicia - made from chlorpyrifos. The drug is effective only against cat and dog fleas.
• Phenaxin fights not only fleas, but also flies.
• Dust Clean House destroys fleas, bedbugs, cockroaches and ants.

Flea remedies: comparison table

Types of fleas

Externally, fleas vary in size and color. Mature individuals are brown in color, while young ones are black. After entering the apartment, they settle in secluded places, choosing cabinets, space under the bathroom, carpet pile, furniture upholstery, soft toys, etc.

The parasites feed on blood. In favorable conditions, the insect population grows at lightning speed. They can fully make their presence known in 4-7 days. The measures taken must be urgent.

There are many varieties of fleas, but only some of them can settle in an apartment and actively reproduce.

1. Household fleas are one of the most common species that enter homes with the help of dogs, cats, mice, and rats. Any blood (human or animal) is suitable as food. One pair of opposite-sex individuals is enough for a few days later the house to be filled with a whole swarm of parasites. It's not easy to get rid of them.
2. Earthen or basement - difficult to recognize due to their small size. The length of the body reaches 1-5 mm. Of all the places in the home, they most often choose carpets or fleecy upholstery. Unlike domestic ones, earthen parasites do not jump more than 1 meter in height. If detected early, you can get rid of insects quickly.
3. Sandy - their natural habitat is earth and sand. Insects are recognized by their light brown color. In our regions this species is rare. The danger of fleas is that they are difficult to remove at home.
4. Bed - it has not yet been reliably determined where they come from. It is difficult to see them; the length of the body does not exceed 3 mm. The color of the body is light brown. These parasites differ from their relatives in their excellent jumping ability. However, they do not have wings. An attractive environment for bed fleas is a dirty bed and furniture upholstery.

How to get rid of fleas using traditional methods?

Folk methods of fighting fleas are, first of all, the use of odors that are unpleasant to insects. Many insects, including fleas, cannot tolerate bitter wormwood, but the plant does not destroy them, but repels them.

Pyrethrium - Persian chamomile contains pyrethrins, which are harmful to fleas. But in order for the insects to die, you will have to cover the floor with fresh stems and leaves of the plant for a day.

Instead of pyrethrium, you can line the floor with fresh pine sawdust, or spray the floor, baseboards and walls with an infusion of wormwood, mint, eucalyptus or tansy.

The advantage of folk methods is that you do not need to purchase a specialized drug, but you can use improvised means. The downside is the non-guaranteed result and the danger of damaging the interior and things during the experiment to kill insects. In addition, treatment with these means must be carried out at a certain frequency: it will not be possible to eliminate the entire population at once. Below we present several even more original and even extreme ways to combat insects.

What don't fleas like? Extreme recipes:

• Rub a mixture of baking soda and salt into the carpet and leave overnight. Vacuum in the morning;
• Apply a mixture of yeast and garlic to the floors and carpets. Leave overnight;
• spray a mixture of a bucket of water and 100 ml of kerosene throughout the apartment and close the doors and windows;
• Sprinkle borax powder on the floor and carpet and leave overnight. The chemical is dangerous for children and pregnant women.

Thermal

The most interesting thing is that these are two fairly effective and efficient ways to get rid of fleas in an apartment. The problem lies in the seasonality of the work and the creation of the necessary temperature conditions.

Freezing

The method is applicable in winter, because fleas are afraid of low temperatures. It is generally accepted that the most acceptable temperature for the death of insects is from – 23 °C to – 25 °C. The fact is that at minus 10 degrees the ability of parasites to reproduce is sharply reduced, and at -15 °C the larvae will also die. Therefore, the first stage will be long-term ventilation of the room for 2-3 hours, and the second stage will be general cleaning. When “freezing out” the apartment, it doesn’t hurt to take carpets, mattresses, pillows and blankets outside, beat them thoroughly or shake them out and leave them in the cold for a while.

Heat

Just as fleas cannot tolerate frosty air, they are afraid of high temperatures and bright rays of the sun. We are talking about + 45 °C - + 50 °C. To destroy parasitic insects, it is necessary to maintain the indicated temperature for at least 25 minutes. To obtain the desired result at home, it is best to use an iron that has a steam function, or a steam generator. Instant death of the small bloodsucker occurs at plus 70 degrees.

Calling the Professionals for Flea Control

If you do not want to start a war with fleas, entrust the removal of uninvited guests from your apartment to mercenary exterminators. Their composure and extensive experience in this matter help to quickly defeat the enemy. The cost of professional flea disinfestation is higher than the cost of a can of insecticidal spray, but the specialist gives a guarantee and completes the work in the shortest possible time.

Call a specialist and tell them whether there are a lot of fleas in the apartment. This is important to choose the right drug and equipment.

Before the exterminator arrives, prepare the apartment for treatment.

• people and pets must leave the apartment during treatment;
• cover the aquarium with glass and turn off the air supply;
• remove bed linen and bedspreads, move furniture away from the walls;
• throw away old items that may contain flea colonies;
• hide food and dishes;
• prepare equipment for cleaning after disinfection.

Professional pest control

Calling a special service will require money, but only in this case the effect will really be long-lasting and guaranteed. At the first visit, the specialist will inspect, assess the situation and set a treatment time for which the room will need to be prepared.

Disinsection is carried out in one of three ways:

• fine spraying;
• hot fog;
• cold fog.

The most budget option is fine-droplet spraying. During the disinfestation process, the solution is sprayed using an electric or mechanical sprayer.

When treating with cold or hot fog, irrigation is carried out using a generator, during which fleas and their larvae die almost instantly. The difference in the methods is in the temperature of the insecticide solution. Hot fog is more effective due to the heat factor, to which insects are sensitive, but can damage furniture, clothing or room decoration.

Prevention: to avoid fleas

We tell you what to do to prevent fleas from enjoying your home.

• wet cleaning at least once a week;
• vacuum the floor, carpets, baseboards and all cracks every 5-7 days;
• for your pet, purchase a special collar or drops for the withers;
• Wash outdoor shoes periodically.

If you need a guaranteed result, call the phone number listed on the website or fill out the feedback form. The company’s specialist will advise you on the exact cost of flea extermination and book a specialist visit on a date and time convenient for you. We are ready to quickly exterminate hated insects 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

Additional measures

When wondering what to do if parasitic fleas are jumping on the floor, and there is a small child in the house and there is no way to poison the parasites with chemicals, it should be noted that there are a number of alternative and safe folk remedies.

They may not be as effective as store-bought ones, but they also have a right to exist.

In addition, herbs are good preventative methods for re-entry.

Sometimes flea treatment is carried out at home only on the floor, but fleas can remain on the animal's fur. Therefore, it is important, if you have a pet, to first poison the bloodsuckers in his home, and then in his home.

Preventive methods include wet cleaning, ventilation, disposal of garbage and uneaten food, and heat treatment of bed linen.

Animal handling

A sexual flea can live on a pet, so when treating the premises it is very important to take care of the sanitization of existing animals.

To combat parasites, you can use flea drops, a collar, special shampoos, sprays:

• Shampoos and repellent sprays, that is, products that repel fleas. They are safe because they have low toxicity, therefore they gently remove parasites from the animal’s fur. The most popular are Doctor Zoo, Mister Bruno, Hearts, Blokhnet, Bio Groom. Sprays can be used not only on the body of animals; they can be used to treat the pet’s bedding.
• Drops. They are applied to the animal’s withers so that the pet cannot lick the drug. This product does not penetrate into the blood, which suggests its safety. Of all the known drops, preference is given to Hearts, Advantage, and Frontline.
• The flea and tick collar is effective because it is on the body around the clock and protects the pet at any time of the day or night. Hearts, Bars, Bayer are known.

If the bloodsuckers are already active, re-treatment may be required after 2 weeks.

Wearing a collar will allow the animal to remain safe even if fleas accidentally re-enter the apartment.

Folk remedies

In addition to store-bought drugs, there are a lot of folk remedies for parasitic genital fleas. They do not like tansy, lavender, eucalyptus, mint, wormwood.

Natural products are safer than store-bought mixtures; they do not harm the residents of the house. It is enough to place bouquets of these herbs in the house to prevent the appearance of parasites.

Also an effective remedy for genital fleas is:

• Herbal decoction. For 500 ml of boiling water take 2 tbsp. spoons of wormwood, tansy, celandine, cloves. After standing for 12 hours, the broth is filtered and poured into a spray bottle. The house is treated with this liquid; genital crevices, carpets and other places where parasites are localized must be examined especially carefully.
• A mixture of soda and salt. Ordinary rock salt is combined with the same amount of soda. Sprinkle the powder on carpets and leave for a day. Then the surface is shaken off and vacuumed. This method is effective for eliminating fleas and their larvae that have settled in upholstered furniture or hiding in the wool of carpets.
• Pine sawdust. They are sprinkled on the surface where parasites live, and stuffed into pillows or animal bedding. Parasites leave the home on their own due to odor intolerance.
• Citrus peels. They are laid out around the apartment, and the corners can be smeared with essential oils of tangerine, orange, and lemon.

How to clean the floor from the smell of dog and dog urine

Nevo

It is possible to be indifferent to dogs. These faithful animals bring so much happiness to the house that longing and sadness immediately leave it. True, along with happiness, dogs also bring a characteristic smell. In addition, puppies, sick dogs, and ill-mannered dogs can urinate in the house, which creates additional problems in the form of an irritating pungent odor in the house. Currently, owners overcome these difficulties without making much effort.

Store products

The following special products will help you get rid of the smell of dog urine:

1. agent for eliminating organic odors. Himiline Disinfector Linea . Helps remove marks and remove pet odor. You just need to dilute the special product in a bucket of water. Treat the animal's sleeping area with special care, and you can also wash its bedding in the solution.
2. Vaportek floor cleaning liquid. Suitable for all types of flooring as it is an organic product. Spray it with a spray bottle onto the floor surface and leave it for effective interaction. Afterwards, wash the floor with clean water.
3. Nature's Miracle Pet Stain & Odor Remover . The product is suitable for treating areas where the animal sleeps. This is done in order to avoid the smell of dog in the house. To wash the floor, you need to add one cap of the product to a bucket of water.