Fleas can be a hassle to get rid of. This article will show you a few ways to get fleas out of your carpet. Read on!
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Vacuum Cleaning
Vacuuming seems like such a simple solution yet it is probably the best way to get rid of fleas in carpet. It not only eliminates all the adult fleas it sucks up, the vacuum also removes flea eggs, larvae and some pupae.
As mentioned above, killing just the adult fleas is a shabby solution since you’ll soon have a new generation of bloodsuckers to deal with. So vacuuming allows you to really hit them where it hurts. It allows sucks up all the nastiness that comes with fleas – i.e. that disgusting pre-digested blood feces that looks like coarse ground black pepper. Not only is removing this crap much much more sanitary for you, it also removes the main food source of flea larvae (yes, they eat this stuff). Lastly, the vibrations from the vacuum can stimulate flea pupae to leave their cocoon, which makes it easier to suck them up into the vacuum. Because the cocoon is resistant to insecticides and often spun around the base of the carpet fibers – they can be very difficult to kill or remove. Enticing them out of it is the best way to deal with them.How to do it: Start at one end of the room and vacuum in strips so you can cover the entire carpet. Give some extra time and attention to the corners of the room as well as any dark, humid areas (i.e. under furniture) and places that you pet likes to hang around. When you’re done vacuuming, take it outside before you remove the bags to prevent any fleas from getting back in your house. Try to vacuum every day for at least 2 weeks. Source: PestHacks
Using Chemical, Natural, and Other Treatments
- Liberally sprinkle salt on the carpet going from left to right in order to cover each and every area of the room. Note that you will need a lot of salt depending on the size and number of rooms you have. Make sure you have an adequate supply of both the ingredients.
- Now apply baking soda liberally from one end of the room to other as explained above. You will not need as much soda as salt since it is easier to spread and it is also a hassle to sweep large quantities with a broom. (This brings us to the next step.)
- Take a broom and sweep the carpet thoroughly. Doing so helps ensure that the soda and salt mix completely with one another. The broom also ensures that both the products get deep inside the carpet fibers in order to kill all of the fleas in the carpet.
- Depending on the extent of the infestation, you might want to leave both products in the carpet for at least 12 hours. The salt can be a bit abrasive to the pet’s skin and fur, so make sure to keep your pet away from the room being treated.
- The salt and baking soda both work by dehydrating the fleas in the carpet as well as their eggs. During this period these pests will try to get away from the treatment, so you might notice them jumping on your feet and legs. Hence, you need to protect these parts with a pair of socks or slippers.
- The baking soda and salt method of removing fleas in the carpet must be repeated once every week until all of the fleas are eliminated. Source: FleaBites
Using Diatomaceous Earth to Get Rid of Fleas
- Mix 1 part baking soda with 1 part diatomaceous earth (50/50 mixture). This solution will not be effective if it is wet so keep it dry.
- Apply the flea powder to your carpet, furniture and other areas in thin to moderate layers.
- Allow the powder to remain on your carpet for at least 24 hours to make sure all eggs, larva, pupa and adults are eliminated.
- Use a vacuum to suck up the powder. Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic and safe for ingestion. However, any fine powder has the potential to irritate your eyes, nose or throat. You should wrap a shirt around your face during application and removal just to be safe.
- Vacuum vibrations can cause dormant eggs to hatch. Carefully discard the contents of your vacuum canister when finished. It is best to do this outside into a seal-able trash bag.
- Repeat as necessary. Source: Instructables
