Guide To Getting Rid Of Fleas
Have you ever been plagued by dog fleas? Or to be more precise, has your dog ever been plagued with dog fleas? Let me tell you, it’s no fun for either of you. There are a number of things that you must do in order to get rid of the fleas and keep them from coming back. Here’s a step-by-step method to getting rid of the pesky little critters.
Before you even start, it’s a good idea to get an idea of the scope of problem you are dealing with. Most people don’t realize that the fleas living on and biting your dog (and you), are only about 5% of the total population of fleas in their various life stages that are in your dogs living space. This living space includes all areas that he normally frequents, including your yard, patio, basement, garage, car etc. If you fail to rid fleas in these other areas, or in the other life stages, then you are going to fail at getting rid of the fleas.
1 -Rid your house of fleas – first, take your dog outside so that he won’t be spreading fleas back to the areas that you have just cleaned. Second, pick up anything and everything that is on the floor in all of your living spaces, including bedrooms, bathrooms, closets ? everywhere your dog has access to fleas will exist. Wash EVERYTHING – launder your clothes, sheets, dog toys, dog bedding, blankets etc. Anything that can’t be dried, hang up to dry outside in the sunlight.
Now do a thorough cleaning of your entire house, using the vacuum on all carpeted and upholstered items, and soap and water on all hard surfaces. Steam cleaning your upholstery is a good idea if you have access to a steam cleaner. One thing to be careful of after vacuuming is to dispose of the vacuum bag so that fleas or larvae do not re-emerge and create a new infestation. Remember that surfaces in your basement, garage, and patio also need cleaning if your dog is in contact with these areas. One last place that is often forgotten about is the car – you will want to vacuum or steam clean the upholstery to get rid of fleas that have taken up residence in your vehicle. Once you have cleaned all surfaces, have a professional flea treatment done of your entire house. Make sure you and your pets don’t return until the recommended amount of time has passed.
2 – Rid your outdoor spaces of fleas – any fleas that are outside the home are a problem as well, since they will be brought back into the house again the first time you dog visits these areas. At the same time that you are having your house treated for fleas, it is a good idea to have your yard and any other outdoor space treated as well. Remember to pay special attention to dark humid places where fleas typically like to hide, such as corners, cracks, and underneath things like your patio deck.
3 – Kill the fleas on your dog – give your dog a bath with dog shampoo. Once they have dried off use a flea comb to check for any fleas that you have missed.
4 – Get rid of fleas for the next two weeks – this step is as important as the first three steps combined. There will be a number of flea eggs, larvae and pupae that were not caught by the initial treatment, so it is important to continue vacuuming (remember to dispose of the vacuum bag each time) and washing items that may contain these pre adult fleas over the next two weeks. If you don’t do this follow-up to keep fleas at bay, you will simply have an entirely new batch of fleas to deal with in one or two weeks time.
Go to My Dog Has Fleas to find out more information, including how to get rid of dog fleas.
