The winter is starting to thaw and those fabulous bug nuisances will be emerging from their slumbers. So start now to keep some of the pesky insects away.
Fleas will start to show up more and more around your home and in your yard. Eggs might start hatching in the yard. Dogs or wild animals might trek through your yard and leave some for your dog or cat. An infestation of fleas can be tough to get rid of on your own and might need a professional company. But the best news is that fleas can kept away, and gotten rid of, through some easy home practices. The bonus to doing these things around the house will also keep your home feeling great.
Tips On How To Get Rid of Fleas
1. Clean Your House & Vacuum Often: Cleaning and vacuuming frequently to help remove flea populations already in existence and discourage egg laying. If you have a pet which appears to have fleas cleaning will help to prevent the spread of fleas throughout the house. One trick is to put a flea collar in your vacuum bag to kill any fleas that you might suck up during a cleaning. If you have an easy dispose cylinder (instead of a bag) you should dispose of vacuum refuse promptly outside. A clean house feels really great when you come home from work, or a vacation so that is a plus to preventing fleas.
2. Keep Your Lawn Groomed: Mowing, trimming bushes, monkey grasses, and all around lawn maintenance will prevent hiding spots and food sources for rodents and animals that will have fleas. Their staying out of your yard will help prevent the introduction of fleas to your yard. Plus, a good lawn feels really great.
3. Pay Attention to Rodents: Living up in the mountains we have some unusual wildlife that other areas of the country generally does not have to deal with. Be aware of any rodent life happening around your home. Taking precautions, canning trash properly & cleaning up the yard, to avoid inviting mice, rats, raccoons, etc. to your house will help to keep fleas away. If you become aware of a problem that feels outside your scope of comfort feel free to contact us.
4. Clean Your Pets: Living up in the mountains our pets have opportunities to come across wildlife that isn’t possible in other areas of the country. If you have your dog or cat outside and unattended then make plans to bathe them regularly with a flea shampoo & brush them with a flea comb. A flea collar will help prevent them from getting fleas as well as the bathing and combing. If they are outside without a fence then consider keeping them on a leash or tether so that they stay within your ‘flea safe zone’. Protecting your pet from finding fleas will help to keep fleas out of your house. The other bonus is that your pet is not going to be scratching all the time. So annoying when the dogs are scratching all the time.
5. Wash & Dry Fleas Out: You’ve tried out all these other methods and nothing has worked? No problem, there are a few more tricks up your sleeve. If you have a decent idea where the fleas are most active at (areas of the house, carpeted rooms, etc.) then put together a pan or dish of soapy water. Fleas will be attracted to the soapy water and will essentially drown when they get trapped by the concoction. Dry out the air of a room with a dehumidifier. Fleas will thrive in a higher humidity area. Dropping a rooms humidity level will dry out the fleas and their eggs. Using some of the flea prevention powders you can find kill off fleas by drying them out, so it’s a regular practice to killing off fleas.
One thing to note is that doing one or all of these things once will not give you the long term results you, and we, hope for. Making these practices a regular part of your life will make fleas almost a non-factor in your life. Plus you, your house, and your pets will look fabulous working to prevent fleas.