If your pets seem to attract fleas like a magnet, you’re probably already looking for effective flea
drops to use this summer. Fleas are quite annoying and tackling a massive infestation is not an easy endeavor. It takes time and patience to get rid of these nasty invaders. Here are some tips to help you protect your whole family from fleas this season.
Preventive measures to keep fleas at bay
As a rule of thumb, the more you clean your house, the better because this is how you eliminate fleas’ eggs, but also adult fleas. If you’ve recently realized that you have a problem with these unwanted guests, you might want to start vacuuming your home every day to prevent an infestation.
Even if your pet, the most probable host that brought the enemies in, is only allowed partial access to your house, you should still vacuum all the rooms. Once fleas are present in one part of the house, they spread very easily, and most of the time, they do this by getting a new host or hiding in clothes, pillows, toys, or carpets.
After you vacuum, you shouldn’t leave the dirt in the vacuum bag because the flea eggs that are trapped inside are still very much alive. If they hatch inside the bag, they will find a way out and end up lodging in your carpets and furniture again, but this time, in larger numbers.
Another preventive measure is washing the bedding, blankets, and upholstery frequently. This is extremely important when you realize you are dealing with a real flea infestation. Both adult fleas and their eggs like to hide in textile materials and if the problem is severe, you should wash every item of this kind where fleas might have left their eggs.
Since pets are usually the culprits that bring these uninvited guests in, you should also bathe them regularly. The moment you start seeing fleas walking up and down your puppy’s tummy, it’s time to take action.
Using insecticides
Flea infestations are a big deal as they can make you feel totally uncomfortable in your own
home, ruining the quality time you want to spend there with your family. Moreover, their bites are extremely unpleasant for children who can’t help scratching them.
The fastest solution to protect your family from fleas, especially in the warm season when they are more active, is to use insecticides. There is a wide range of products on the market. You can opt for sprays, powders, liquid solutions, or flea bombs. No matter what product you choose, make sure you apply it according to the instructions on the label.
Natural ways to protect your family from fleas
While most insecticides you can purchase online or in stores are considered safe, there are also natural solutions you might want to use as an alternative. If the root of the flea invasion were your pets, you might be reluctant to use any chemical products on their coat or inside the house as they might ingest them.
Moreover, if your kids and the pets are inseparable, you might not feel safe to know your little ones touch the animals’ coats after they were treated with chemicals. To wipe all these worries away, you can resort to eco-friendly, home-made solutions against fleas.
These generally work well as a preventive measure or in the early stages of the ‘invasion’. If the fleas have managed to lay their eggs in many parts of your home and the problem has escalated or is about to do so, commercial products might be the only solution as their formula can effectively kill fleas in all life stages.
Hopefully, your problem is not so severe. So here are some eco-friendly solutions that can help you get rid of fleas and prevent them from conquering your home:
Apple cider vinegar
This old and affordable remedy is useful for pets that have been affected by fleas and can easily spread them to your family and house. You need to get a bottle of unfiltered apple cider vinegar and mix it with water. Then, put this mixture in a spray bottle and apply it to your furry friends’ coat.
Cats might be less willing to accept this treatment, so you might have to look for alternatives, such as slightly dipping the brush in the mixture before grooming their coat.
Rosemary
This herb can help you deal with irritating fleas before their presence becomes overwhelming. Rosemary can be used as a powder that you can obtain by grinding this natural ingredient with a coffee grinder and spreading it in various parts of your home such as corners, furniture, carpets, or pet bedding.
To enhance the solution, you can add other ingredients such as peppermint or fennel that are also among fleas’ least favorites. Alternatively, you can prepare a liquid house cleaner by boiling rosemary leaves and cleaning the floor and other surfaces with this mixture. It can also be used to clean the dog’s coat.
Salt
This is another potential remedy against fleas. Salt is known for its dehydrating effect. This is what it also does to fleas, it exterminates them by dehydration. To make it work, you need to sprinkle this inexpensive ingredient in key areas of your home where they might hide such as carpets, corners, or upholstery.
The salt should be very fine. If it isn’t you should grind it. When you sprinkle it, try to do it as evenly as possible, and to achieve this result, you can use a spice bottle. After you’ve ‘seasoned’ your home, let the salt do its job for a day or two and then vacuum all the surfaces.
Getting rid of fleas might not be the easiest thing to do for your family and home. It can take weeks to completely eliminate these creatures. Therefore, it’s always better to try to prevent an infestation, and in case it does occur, take immediate action.
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Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
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