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They are annoying, irritating, and hard to get rid of once the infestation starts in your home.
They are most active during the summer and may lay dormant for months until a new host comes along.
There are many commercial products available in stores but the question is, do they really work? Is it really safe to use on your pet? Flea shampoos and dips only work for a day or two while the toxic gas released by flea collars may be harmful to you and your pet, the same goes for pesticides and other harmful insecticides.
There are, however, safe and natural ways to deal with your flea problem which will be beneficial both to your pet and the environment.
To get rid of fleas in the house, we must first look at the cause of the problem, which is of course, your pet.
Since a flea's main meal is your pet's blood, what easier way to get rid of them but by treating them from the inside.
You can do this by using vinegar water therapy.
Add a little apple cider vinegar to your pet's water and gradually increase it as they get used to the taste.
You may also use the vinegar water to bath your pet.
The fleas will soon die and fall off.
But treating your pet is just the start.
A flea's life cycle has 4 stages, about 50% of which are eggs, and only a measly 5% are adults which are usually on your dog.
The next step now is to get rid of the fleas in the house itself.
Flea eggs, larvae and pupa are mostly found in moldings, cracks and crevices in places where your pets usually stay.
A good way to get rid of them is again, the vinegar-water solution.
Just add some soda and wash the whole house with it, or just the places where the infestation is worst.
Here's a simple trick you may also like to try.
Place a pie pan or dish with water in an infested area and place a few drops of liquid detergent in it.
Next, place a candle in the middle of the plate and leave it overnight.
You may also substitute a night light for the candle.
Just make sure your children and pets are safely tucked away when you try this at home.
Yet another way to get rid of these pests is by sprinkling the entire area with table salt, particularly on carpets.
Leave it for four to five days and vacuum it clean.
This kills the fleas by dehydrates their larvae.
Now that that's done and over with, you won't have fleas in the house anymore, right? Wrong.
After keeping your pet and your home flea-free, there is still a possibility for these pests to return.
You need to exterminate the whole population, or at least, those found in immediate locations, so you need to work on the outdoors next.
The outdoors include your porch, lawn, garden, backyard, and the likes, since these are the places which are easily accessible to your pets and are probable breeding grounds to these parasites.
Using the vinegar-water solution and the salt may not be advisable especially in the garden, and the tin pan trick may not work just as well.
A good solution though is to use predatory nematodes like cutworms that attack insect larvae.
These are available in plant nurseries and may even benefit your garden.
Growing natural insect repelling plants like Citronella grass, Catnip, Marigolds, Rosemary bushes or Gliricidia trees, may also help.
Another solution is using Diatomaceous earth.
It can be used by dusting or sprinkling it on affected areas in or around your house.
Diatomite is a compound usually found in kitty litter.
Its absorbing property dehydrates the exoskeleton of insects and effectively kills them.
Diatomite is non-toxic, but wearing a face mask is a good idea to prevent inhalation of the fine dust.
It may also be used as a spray for wide areas and is also effective against other pests like ants, cockroaches and termites, as well as bugs and aphids.
You just need to reapply it after it rains.
Now you are virtually flea free! Just remember, it is still best to prevent flea infections from the start.
Keep your pets clean and healthy and live the life of a carefree pet lover with out the pesky fleas.
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