It’s every homeowner’s nightmare: your beautiful carpet crawling with itchy, biting fleas. You might rush to blame the dog or the kids, but there’s no avoiding that you need to get rid of the pests- fast! Luckily for you, we’ve tracked down all the best ways to get rid of fleas as quickly as possible.
You can easily get rid of fleas in your carpet by using homemade treatments, explains one company that does pest control in Toronto (https://pestcontrolexterminate.com/toronto/). Dish soap, baking soda, salt, homemade flea spray, or rosemary are all good options. If that doesn’t work, you should turn to a reputable pest control company.
So, let’s get started on getting rid of the pesky fleas for good.
What are the signs of fleas in your carpet?
You’ll probably feel the fleas before you see them. If you’ve noticed that your beloved poodle is scratching a lot, or you have mysterious red bites all over your ankles, it’s likely you have a flea infestation.
You can confirm this by using a flashlight and a pair of socks on your carpet. Put on your socks and scuff your feet through the carpet to bring up anything from the fibers.
Other than seeing the insects, Fantastic Pest Control explains that white and brown flakes can also be signs of fleas. They could be flea eggs or flea dirt, from the pests living in your carpet for a while.
How do fleas get into the carpet?
If you have a cat or a dog, they probably picked up fleas from the park or from other animals.
But you don’t need a pet to have a flea infestation. All American Pest Control says that fleas can hitch a ride on rodents that live in your walls, or even on you!
Easy ways to get rid of fleas in your carpet
You have two options to get rid of fleas: enlist professional help or make homemade treatments for your carpet.
Professional pest control
The simplest (and most expensive) way to get rid of fleas is to call up a professional pest control company.
These companies have years of knowledge on how to eradicate fleas from your home and you can be confident that they will eliminate the infestation.
Dish soap
One of the most accessible items in your kitchen is also one of the easiest ways to get rid of fleas.
You must place a small bowl of water and dish soap close to the infected area of carpet and leave it overnight. Fleas will climb into the dish and get stuck in the soapy water.
Salt
Salt eliminates fleas by drying them out.
Erlich recommends sprinkling salt all over your carpet, leaving it for two days, then vacuuming the entire area.
Baking Soda
Baking soda works in a similar way to salt. You must combine it with vacuuming to get rid of all the fleas.
Rub the baking soda into your carpet. You can use a brush to push it even further into the fibers. Straight after, you can vacuum the carpet thoroughly to remove all the fleas.
Homemade flea spray
There are several common household ingredients that you can use to make a homemade flea spray.
A mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, water, and witch hazel is excellent at killing fleas. Combine these ingredients in this ratio:
● 500ml lemon juice
● 250ml witch hazel
● 4L vinegar
● 2L water
Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle and then vacuum your house. After you have finished vacuuming, spray the flea solution all over your carpet, doors, furniture, and windowsills.
You can make a similar spray with just lemon and water. Boil an entire sliced lemon in water and leave it overnight. The next day, follow the same instructions as above.
These natural remedies are great because they effectively kill fleas without being dangerous to humans or animals.
Rosemary
Rosemary can both treat and repel fleas.
You can make a powder by combining rosemary, rue, wormwood, peppermint, and pestle. Use a mortar and pestle to grind a fine powder and sprinkle it all over the infested areas.
Avoiding Further Infestations
Be consistent
After your initial treatment, you will need to keep an eye on your carpet for the next couple of weeks.
Terminix recommends consistently vacuuming your carpet for up to 2 weeks after treatment. This will remove flea eggs and larvae, making sure the infestation doesn’t start up again.
Anti-flea plants
If you already love houseplants, you’ll be thrilled to hear that some act as natural deterrents to fleas.
Add some pots of lavender, chrysanthemums, spearmint, or Pennyroyal to your house to make sure that the pests never return.
A Flea-Free Guarantee
You might panic when you realize that you have fleas in your carpet, but there’s no need to worry.
By following the simple steps for home remedies or bringing in a professional pest control service, you can quickly eliminate the problem.
