Apple cider vinegar Apple cider vinegar is an effective way to ensure that there are no fleas on your hard surfaces. Wash your floors and wipe your countertops and tables with a solution of apple cider vinegar and water, to get rid of fleas [source: Home Remedy Care].
Will a steam mop kill fleas at all stages? Steam mops should kill fleas living on hardwood floors, tile and linoleum. However, keep in mind, these aren't the primary locations where fleas live. That said, it's possible for them to develop in cracks and crevices on these floor types, or near baseboards.
Fleas have exoskeletons that allow them to float in water, explains Dr. Reeder. “Dawn (and other soaps like it) creates a kind of surfactant, or surface tension, that will compromise the exoskeleton and make adult fleas sink,” he says. So essentially, the soap drowns the fleas.
Washing up liquid
All you have to do is fill a plate or bowl with a mixture of warm water and washing up liquid and place it in the rooms of your house which receive the most flea activity. The water and washing up liquid solutions act as a glue, trapping the fleas due to the high viscosity of the solution.
You will want to disinfect surfaces, and hot water can help to do just that. You may choose to use additional disinfectants, but hot water is phenomenal at killing fleas.
Many pet parents choose to use an environmental insect growth regulator to stop fleas from developing. Sprays with IGR, such as Sentry Home household flea and tick spray for pets, are great for killing flea eggs in your home.
Some of the best ways to get rid of fleas at home include cleaning bedding, vacuuming regularly, and wiping down floors and skirting boards to help destroy fleas at each stage of their lifecycle.
When it has a host, an adult flea can live about 100 days. But how long can they live without a host? Those fleas typically live only one to two weeks. The entire lifespan of a flea, from egg to adulthood, can last a few weeks or even a few months.
Using apple cider vinegar to get rid of fleas
It seems like people use it for everything, but it actually works. I added two cups to her bath water and scrubbed her down with Dawn dish soap, and her fleas dispersed into the bath water. Although fleas can swim, the suds and vinegar kill them.
That's because the acid in vinegar is not strong enough to penetrate the shell of flea eggs or larvae. And while adult fleas may not prefer a dog covered in apple cider vinegar, they certainly won't jump off of their food source and die in response to a spritz.
The reason why vinegar is so effective in getting rid of fleas is because fleas and ticks cannot stand the smell of it. After using the vinegar rinse, do not towel dry the pet; instead let it air dry.
Wood, linoleum, and tile floors generally do not require treatment for fleas. Linoleum and tile floors are easily vacuumed and cleaned with appropriate cleaners to kill or remove any fleas present. Wood floors with cracks can prove to be difficult to treat.
Fleas in Cracks & Crevices
If you don't have carpet, your floors could still be infested with fleas. Fleas and their eggs can squeeze into tiny spaces including the cracks in your hardwood or tile flooring. They can also be found hiding in crevices near and on baseboards.
They suggest applying salt to the ground, and then thoroughly spraying it down with water. Alternatively, sea water can be used. As the saltwater dries, moisture is removed from the area, which ultimately desiccates and kills any fleas.
Getting rid of fleas is a difficult process due to the long lifecycle of a flea. Moderate to severe infestations will take months to control and require a four-step process for complete elimination: Sanitation. Thoroughly clean areas where fleas frequently breed.
Fleas cannot fly, but they move by jumping from object to object. It can take up to 3 months to break a total flea life cycle by using monthly flea treatments. For indoor flea control, vacuuming all floors, carpets, baseboards, pet bedding and furniture will help remove adult fleas and eggs.
Fleas that are dying often come to the coat surface and move around excessively – making them more visible.
Flea eggs are small, oval white specks that resemble a grain of salt. You'll find flea eggs in any and all places that your cat or dog frequents—beds, bedding, crates, couches, chairs, carpeting, floor cracks or crevices, and corners. Flea eggs can survive for approximately 10 days before hatching.
"Steam cleaning will kill fleas in the environment. It's a useful technique for eliminating fleas deep within carpets, as well as other hard-to-reach areas, such as in and around furniture. Steam cleaners, and other water-based carpet cleaners, are more effective than vacuums at removing debris.
It feels as if every time you walk across your carpet or sit down on your couch, more bites appear. While you can hop in the shower every time you're in a flea-infested area of your home, doing so will only get rid of those fleas on your skin.
Baking Soda
It is excellent at absorbing smells and has been suggested by some online pet sites for use as a flea killer because it “may” dry out flea eggs and larvae. But there is no evidence that using baking soda to kill fleas is effective at all.