How Do I Get Rid Of Fleas?

Nobody likes fleas.  Your dog hates them, your cat hates them and you are not so fond of them either.  They are tiny little blood sucking parasites that really serve no purpose in life other than to annoy us.  So, how do you get rid of them?  I am glad that you asked!

First, it is important to know what not to do. 

Do not use bug bombs:  Admit it, you've used them before haven't you?  It seems like they should work, right?  Shooting toxic chemicals all over the place seems like a logical place to start to kill them off, but it is a waste of time, money and the clean air inside of your home.  Bug bombs just do not really work.  The chemicals contained in them have basically no residual and mostly consist of repellents.  What they can actually do is cause the fleas to move deeper into cracks, crevices, wall voids, etc.  This may afford you some momentary relief, but does not address the problem.  Plus, it is just plain nasty stuff that gets all over your home. 

Do not wait too long to address them:  If your pets have not been treated with flea medication, go get them treated.  You sort of have to do this.  If you do not, it is going to be really hard to get it under control later.  Do not go cheap on the flea medication.  I would recommend using Advantage or Frontline.  Fleas greatly prefer feeding on your pet than on you, so don't let them get away with it.  Treat the pets first!

Here are the things that you should do:

Get a pest control treatment:  Well, of course I am going to recommend this, but in all honesty, I have never seen a store bought product that works very well.  I have been to very few homes to treat for fleas without seeing several cans of various flea control products including bug bombs, carpet dust, aerosol cans, etc.  I bet the combined cost of what people spend by trying to avoid calling the professionals is more expensive than what it would cost to just get the home treated in the first place.  We provide Seattle pest control for fleas starting at $88.00 for example

Vacuum often:  Vacuuming does a couple of things for you.  Number one, it picks up their eggs.  Unlike some other pests that have eggs that adhere to something, flea eggs just roll right off the backs of your pets and can show up anywhere.  Vacuum often and empty the bag or container outside.  Number two, vacuuming causes the eggs that are missed to hatch quicker because of the mechanical vibrations.  If you have recently had a pest control treatment, you want those eggs to hatch quickly while the spray is fresh.

Know that fleas don't just come from pets:  A lot of people get fleas and do not have pets.  If you are experiencing this, there could be something going on in your crawl space or attic.  We have often found rodents or other wildlife (particularly raccoons) in these areas of homes that are having trouble with fleas.  These animals are usually covered in fleas and can bring the problem to you without you even knowing about it. 

Fleas can be tricky to get rid of on your own.  If you want some assistance or just need someone to get advice from, I would be happy to help.  Please contact me or post a comment below.