Squash Pest Control - Flea Control
Squash Pest Control – Flea Control
Nobody wants to wake up in the morning, and discover their home has been overrun by fleas. These pesky critters are one of the most unpleasant nuisance insects you can possibly attract to your home, and if you discover there’s a flea infestation in your home, you will want to act as soon as possible.
At Squash Pest Control in Pierce County, WA, we’ve seen our fair share of flea infestations, and one thing we can tell you is those things can spread. Since fleas have rapid mating and reproductive habits, a handful of fleas can multiply practically overnight, making it nearly impossible to get rid of them.
What attracts fleas?
Fleas are usually attracted to areas that are high in moisture and shade, which is why a common reason for flea infestations is a poorly maintained yard. When you neglect to mow your lawn and prune your yard, you create the ideal setting for a flea infestation, which will then latch unto your pets, as well as your family. Not only that, but tall grass and an unkempt backyard can also easily attract other undesirable wildlife, such as snakes, squirrels, and so on. So take care of your yard!
Other reasons for your flea infestation might be the presence of other wildlife, such as rats, deer, and other stray wildlife, which are usually breeding grounds for fleas.
But the number one thing that attracts fleas is a warm-blooded victim, in this case, you or your pet, and unfortunately, there’s no way you can remove that.
How to identify a flea infestation:
Unfortunately, since fleas are tiny pinhead-sized insects, it can be difficult to identify a flea infestation. Usually, you can see them as multiple, dot-sized insects on your pet’s fur, or might witness the fleas hopping around on your furniture, curtains, or in some other place in your home.
A flea bite will feel similar to another insect bite, and you will probably feel it immediately, even if you can’t really see the flea.
Another sign of a flea infestation is seeing your pet scratching more, or behaving more erratically. That may be a strong sign of a flea infestation in your home.
Are fleas dangerous?
Actually, yes. Despite their minute size, fleas are some of the most unpleasant pests that could crawl into your home. Through their bites, fleas can spread a host of serious diseases, such as tularemia, tungiasis, murine typhus, and several others.
They can cause serious problems both for you and your pets, which is why you want to act fast if you suspect a flea infestation.
How to get rid of fleas:
It’s a common misconception that fleas can be eradicated in one fell swoop, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. While popular flea extermination methods might be able to squash adult flea populations, they will have little to no effect on flea larvae. Often, these will survive the initial round of treatment, and go on to mature into fully-fledged fleas that continue the reproductive cycle.
This is why, if your Pierce County, WA home has fallen prey to a nasty flea infestation, we recommend calling a professional, and letting them decide the appropriate course of treatment.
Pest control will usually use:
- Strong, special vacuums to absorb the flea eggs, as well as the fleas themselves;
- Flea control products and harsh chemicals can also be effective in destroying flea populations;
- Growth regulators act to inhibit the flea’s natural development and thus stop the fleas from reproducing.
The idea is, there is a solution for your flea troubles, but to get that, you need to call Squash Pest Control today, and schedule an initial visit!
How To Remove Fleas
Fleas are one of the most gnarly, undesirable house guests that we can think of. While other wild critters may be more or less harmless, once fleas get a foot in the door, you won’t hear the end of it. Both you and your pets will suffer at the hands of these pesky critters, so today, we focus on getting rid of fleas from your home for good.
How can you remove fleas from the home?
Unfortunately, fleas being the small and many types, as opposed to big and few, they’re difficult to spot, and even more difficult to remove. Common wildlife removal methods like trapping are inefficient against these pests, so we’ll need to figure out a way to pest-proof your home.
Fleas are typically less than an inch long, so it’s unlikely you’ll even see them. However, it’s worth mentioning that they’re brown and long in the body, with thick hind legs. They live primarily inside the fur of animals, where they lay their eggs, which allows them to multiply quickly. While in the wild, a flea won’t live more than 100 days or so, indoors conditions may prolong their lifespan – so bad news for homeowners!
- Use home remedies.
There are a number of home remedies typically recommended for getting rid of fleas from your home. One of the best among these is baking soda. Baking soda is an alkaline substance that will kill fleas, and make your home unpleasant for them. So a good way to deter fleas from bothering you is to rub the baking soda into your carpets, pet beds, and similar items that may attract fleas. Afterward, make sure you vacuum the carpet thoroughly after leaving the soda to sit for a day or two (which is also a good way to deter fleas in itself).
Other popular home remedies against fleas include salt and lemon. While salt is used similarly (and for much the same reasons) to baking soda, lemon juice actually works best as a spray. Simply boil some lemon slices, and allow them to cool, then spray over the affected area.
- Call a pest removal company.
Hiring a professional pest removal service might prove to be your smartest choice yet in the war against fleas. Pest removal companies are equipped with professional-grade equipment, and even more importantly, with experience in combating flea invasions. This means they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t, and so won’t waste time on irrelevant or inefficient removal methods. While some argue that calling a pest removal company is unnecessarily pricey, these pests are very tricky to remove on your own (and in the long term), so in our opinion, it’s well worth the cost.
Not only that, but a professional pest removal company can advise you on future prevention techniques, identifying what attracted the pests to your home in the first place, and preventing future invasions.
- Hire steam cleaning services.
Steam cleaning is also a deeply efficient move against fleas. The mixing of strong soap and high heat served to efficiently and rapidly remove the offending invaders, as well as their eggs. Because otherwise, removing the mature fleas is pointless. Steam cleaning your furniture, rugs, and pet beds is well worth it, if you’re dealing with a flea infestation, and are at your wits’ end.
- Wash, wash, wash.
As an alternative to steam cleaning, you may wanna try cleaning all of your bedding, including that of your pet in hot water and strong detergent. If you can get your hand on special, targeted flea detergent, even better.
Hot, soapy water, like steam cleaning, will kill not only the adult fleas themselves but also their nests and eggs, so as to avoid future infestations. While you’re washing your bedding, you may also want to thoroughly vacuum your mattresses (and that of your pet), to make sure you eliminate any last hiding place.
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