How to get rid of fleas

How to get rid of fleas
Here is a few easy techniques that you can follow to destroy those pesty little insects known as fleas.

Flea:

No, I'm not talking about the bassist from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I'm talking about the insect.

(Definition from Wikipedia)

Flea is the common name for any of the small wingless insects of the order Siphonaptera they can multpily up to 800 million fleas in just a matter of 5 days (some authorities use the name Aphaniptera because it is older, but names above family rank need not follow the ICZN rules of priority, so most taxonomists use the more familiar name). Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds. Genetic and morphological evidence indicates that they are descendants of the Scorpionfly family Boreidae, which are also flightless; accordingly it is possible that they will eventually be reclassified as a suborder within the Mecoptera. In the past, however, it was most commonly supposed that fleas had evolved from the flies (Diptera), based on similarities of the larvae. In any case, all these groups seem to represent a clade of closely related insect lineages, for which the names Mecopteroidea and Antliophora have been proposed.

Full page here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea
 
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Step 1Removing fleas from the enviroment

Removing fleas from the enviroment
Fleas live on their host, but eggs can be left both on the host and in the host's bedding. The eggs that are left on the host will fall off and accumulate in beds, clothes, carpets, cars, and anyplace that the host visits.

The first step after finding out about your infestation is to clean everything that has come into contact with the infested persons or animals in order to remove as many eggs and larvae as possible. This section will walk you through this process.

What you want to do:

1. Quarantine infested pets.

2. Collect all bedding, rugs and throws and wash them in soapy water. Soapy water is known to kill the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults.

3. Vacuum everything. All furniture, carpets, cracks in the floor, bare floors, corners, behind doors, and anywhere else that dust collects. This will pick up most of the eggs, but larvae will latch onto carpet fibers and stick around. After vacuuming, immediately dispose of the vacuum bag outside to prevent escaping of larvae

4. The remaining flea larvae can be dealt with by having the carpets steam-cleaned (the steam will kill every stage of flea except eggs). Make sure you warn the cleaners about the fleas and remove infested animals. Another process is for you to shampoo the carpet with insecticidal carpet shampoo or have a pest control professionally apply an infrared heat treatment to the carpet, which kills all stages of flea. Beware however, this type of infrared heat treatment can cost a lot.

5. Drench your pets usual resting areas with lots of soap and water to drown any fleas that may be waiting for his return.
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70 comments
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Jan 31, 2012. 12:17 PMbodie1 says:
Some years ago, a pet groomer told me that fleas cannot abide anything citrus and told me to spray air freshener, deodorizer, or anything like that as long as it was citrus scented. Especially to concentrate on crevices, like where the wall meets the floor, etc. I have hard wood floors, so I just sprayed it right on the floor. Didn't hurt anything and smelled real nice. I sprayed again every couple of days for awhile. Took care of all the fleas. This year my cat got fleas and I got flea treatment for her from the vet. I tried the spray again in the house and it worked!
Dec 9, 2011. 10:06 PMjedler says:
i use the candle in a shallow pan of dawn dish soap water and it kind of helps but i wish it helped more so i went and got the diametrious earth and put that everywhere in the house it takes a couple days to do the job but very helpful then i got a flea trap from amazon.com and it just controls the couple of eggs that have hatched after other treatments its still a work in progress i just caught 2 on me while writing this but i can already see a difference i hate these pesky creatures and cant wait to say i dont have any i hope i helped a bit... by the way everything i do its very cheap i paid only 15$ for all of the above cant go wrong with that
Nov 19, 2011. 3:54 PMicethenet says:
I found using foot powder to a powerful enemy of fleas they don't like the essential oils I powder my bed and the floor and haven't seen them since. Now for my old dog I used to have a long time ago. the vet told me that because he was allergic to the flea saliva that he had no hair on his back. so here is what we did was put 1 egg 1 cup of vegetable oil in his food bowl a good sized dog. Brittany Spaniel.
Nov 7, 2011. 2:15 AMsslalum says:
The best way to keep your house and pets clean from fleas is the natural way using a non-chemical flea control.
Learn more here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATlU2mGquK8
Aug 13, 2011. 1:16 PMrcarter- smith says:
I have used frontline,advantage, capstar tablets and my dogs have been to the parlor but after a month they got fleas again, what can i do?
Aug 3, 2011. 4:09 PMcslabber says:
Yeah, my pup just got some fleas no matter what I do they just keep coming back! It's like they're unstoppable! I am giving him a bath daily and that still doesn't help! What should I do?
Jan 21, 2011. 8:21 PMeldestbrat says:
beleive it or not irish spring bar soap is absolutely amazing!!!!!! one drop of water on a bar of soap and drop a flea in and watch it kick only two or three times!!! ni-nite!!!!!!!!! works on the animals too!!! you can lather them up and leave it on for just a minute or two and watch all the dead little buggers go down the drain! i have found that if you rinse, but not completely it also helps over the next couple of days in the killing action!!! i swear by it! i have taken a tuperware tub, and put a bar of soap in it and added water to soften the bar and at bathtime it is so much easier. i just store it under the sink out of the way. try it!! you 'll be amazed!! the salt on the carpet, the irish spring bath, and the vineger drinking water all used in conjunction takes up so much less time than going to the vet and ordering all the "right stuff" versus this preventative treatment. make these a habit and you and your pets will be so much happier!!!!
Jul 16, 2011. 9:44 AMplewis2 says:
what kind of vinger do you use white or apple cider .And do the irish soap really work because i try everything now starting tomorrow i am going to put cedar chip inside my home thank you patty
Feb 3, 2009. 9:23 AMroadrat says:
had an infestation of fleas and took laurel (bay) leaves and threw them in and around the house and in a few days no fleas. 5 days later did the whole thing again and again 5 days after that so as to get rid of new hatched ones. have not had a problem since.
Jul 15, 2011. 2:38 PMppassmore says:
you just threw these around the house and they worked because i went out and bought some i sure hope they work.is there any special place you put them.flees are bad this year i have never had flees like this before.do you just throw them on your floor around your house
Feb 7, 2009. 1:16 PMHAL 9000 says:
For cats and dogs with fleas there is a product called Capstar. It is an oral tablet that can be purchased OTC through veterinary offices. Some places sell single doses others sell six packs. It is fairly small in size which makes it easy to administer. It begins working withing 30 minutes and it kills all of the fleas which are on your pet now. It does not work as a preventative. But it is an extremely safe product. You can put a flea preventative like Frontline or Advantage on your pet at the same time to prevent a re-infestation.
May 13, 2010. 9:05 AMJosiePosie76 says:
We used that on our dogs...  Works wonders..and is FAST!
Mar 7, 2009. 3:02 PMCaseyCase says:
I hear urine works well at killing fleas. You should sprinkle liberally around the house--be certain to get the carpet, the couch and all pillows. Cats especially benefit from this natural and homeopathic anti-flea treatment!
Jul 10, 2011. 2:37 PMppassmore says:
really why does it piss them off
Jul 10, 2011. 5:46 PMCaseyCase says:
Try it and find out for yourself!
Dec 19, 2010. 9:44 AMKev13 says:
Yuk - you *are* joking, right?
Dec 30, 2007. 9:49 AMBentSlightly says:
I had fleas in one of my apartments, and i bombed and used ammonia to clean everything. Didn't work. The flea guy said that ammonia and bleach do not kill the eggs.
Jan 17, 2008. 12:10 AMsmokehill says:
While this process will probably get rid of most of the fleas, there are a lot easier solutions. If the problem stems from a pet, there are newer treatments that make all this unnecessary. Frontline and Advantix (trade names) will turn your dog's body into a flea-killing machine and, overall, is cheaper. With a 50-dog kennel, we used to go through all this, plus setting off flea foggers & dipping the dogs & cats constantly. Still we had fleas, though. With the new topical products, I haven't personally seen a flea (or felt one) in many years. For extreme cases the vets have a capsule called Capstar that the dog or cat swallows; it kills every flea within an hour or two. Anyone with a flea problem should talk to their vet, or even some smart kid in Petsmart.
Jul 1, 2011. 12:43 PMsmokehill says:
An update to my post from 3 1/2 yrs ago -

W are still using Frontline & Advantix with no bad reactions from any dogs or cats.

We have done dog rescue for many years now and have a constant population of about 35 dogs in the house since we closed the kennel. Most of the dogs rotate in and out and always come in from the shelters with fleas & ticks. Shelters don't generally treat for either one. So we obviously have a tougher flea problem than most households, but the Frontline & Advantix still do fine, even on the "permanent" dogs, those that are not really adoptable: very old dogs, ones with cancer or diabetes, etc.

Since we've had at least 150 dogs through here in the past three years, most staying at least three months to evaluate before adoption, and zero cases of adverse reaction, I believe there is an extremely low chance of those reactions occurring, and I suspect most reports that blame one of those products are just plain mistaken. My vet thinks so, too, since he only sees a couple of cases a year, out of thousands of dogs in his practice.

I have not used the brand new version of Advantix since I still have a good supply of the original, so I can't be certain of that version.

I can't be sure how long we've used Advantix & Frontline -- ever since they came out, which I think was about 14 or 15 years ago, maybe more. So far the fleas & ticks here ( a pretty rural area) have not developed any resistance to these products.
Jun 17, 2010. 11:21 AMknightie says:
Uhm sorry, I've used Frontline and Advantix and several others and they don't work here anymore. At first they killed all the fleas just like they said, but then we started having dogs have reactions to them. Bloody diarrhea, vomiting, to name a few of the reactions. So we started looking for non poisonous means. And I can PROMISE you that Frontline costs more than buying bags of DE or pretty much anything else I use and I am in charge of taking care of about 50 dogs and cats. (My family has a large property and all the kids have homes and live on it, we all have several dogs and people just keep dumping cats. So no it's not cheaper, and if it's still working for you, good, but it won't keep working forever. Critters become immune to the poisons, and it doesn't work anymore. I personally use a cedar based product, that I now sell. I sell it, 'cause it works and my dogs are no longer miserable, and neither are the cats.
Jan 5, 2011. 3:22 AMNoras Cats says:
I actually found this non-expensive flea trap - works really well - and doesn't have any chemicals or anything. Cleared every room I put it in.
I don't have the link, but its called - myfleatrap.
Has been tested by universities and stuff. Should try it out.
Jan 5, 2011. 3:24 AMNoras Cats says:
Ok, found the link: http://www.myfleatrap.com/
And the University is Kansas State University.
Jan 7, 2008. 1:44 PMzenser says:
Very good instructable... I would like to mention that to be rid of fleas in the outdoors (yard, porch, garden, etc.) the use of diatomaceous earth is helpful. The armored bodies of marine animals (known as diatoms) are very sharp and cut up the underbellies of soft-bodied insects so as to dry them out. This dessication is a quick way to get rid of fleas in a pesticide free way. Also, diatomaceous earth is very cheap to purchase and not dangerous to pets. Thanks again.
Dec 4, 2008. 1:04 PMBoz says:
Please do not use diatomaceous earth outside. While it does get rid of fleas and other pests, it also kills bees,such as honey bees. It's great for indoors. A very small amount of Diatomaceous earth is all that is needed. So slight you can barely see it. They sell little poofers to get a thin dusting. Works wonders on all those creepy crawlies.
Mar 14, 2009. 11:31 AMJason_G says:
I brought this up to an organic master gardener & nursery owner (for 28 yrs) about diatomaceous earth & honey bees and he said not to worry. He mentioned he knows bee keepers who actually use DE in their bee boxes! DE works on pests with exo-skeletons, which bees do not have. He said to avoid using the swimming pool DE period and wouldn't put the super pure blends of DE (which are more desiccating) inside a bee box. So you can safely sprinkle it around outside your home without worrying that you're harming the honey bees.
Dec 19, 2010. 9:42 AMKev13 says:
Jason_G --
I don't know who you're talking to, but bees are insects and most definitely DO have exoskeletons....
Oct 4, 2008. 9:21 AMJason_G says:
To control fleas outdoor, purchase beneficial nematodes from your local organic nursery. They come on a blue sponge. Soak the sponge in water and spray it on your lawn. They'll absolutely decimate the flea population within a week. Beneficial nematodes are completely harmless to children and pets. The eliminate fleas and other baddies that live in your yard. Can't believe they haven't been mentioned yet.
Nov 28, 2010. 12:30 PMladymargaretrose says:
I've used Sevin Dust for years on my pets and me. I know they say it's dangerous but I'm 53 and still here. May not live until tomorrow but I'm here now.
Aug 19, 2010. 10:42 AManna.bug says:
we have tryed so many things nothing at all is working and they are so bad they look like they are gonna carry the dogs away ...not really but they are bad
May 3, 2009. 9:34 AMda324 says:
I've tried Diatomaceous Earth directly on my dogs and it didn't work. I literally coated them several times but it didn't work. Frontline, nope, bombs, nope, I put off 3 fumigators and 3 bombs in my garage and they attacked me when I went out to air it out. Talk about frustrating, how do fleas live through that?I I will give the flea nematodes a shot. since I have literally tried everything on this forum with no results. I live in Florida and they're horrible. It sems every year they get a litle bit worse.
May 27, 2009. 12:41 PMjholl0829 says:
da324, Go to the laundry aisle and buy 20 mule team borax. Sprinkle it all over wherever you have a flea problem. On carpets, sweep it into the fibers with a broom or brush. Let it sit for a half-hour or more, then vacuum as usual. The fleas ingest it because it tastes sweet to them. Then, it swells up inside them and they die. You may want to repeat it every six months or so. I used to have a dog that the fleas liked. My two aunts who lived in Florida told me about this. We did it and never had another problem with fleas. Be sure to get in the cracks and crevices. (I tried the diatomaceous earth stuff too. But, it does last long and rain washes it away.
May 13, 2010. 9:03 AMJosiePosie76 says:
We had fleas so bad at our old house...  The borax was the only thing that saved us.....  Might have to do it again here in the new place...  The fleas are so bad...  it's not funny... 
Dec 28, 2007. 8:25 PMkillerjackalope says:
A handy addition is to simply take the flea drops for the back of your pets neck (do the pets first) and put a drop on any fluffy things that aren't likely to be eaten/chewed on by animals and children/drunk people like stuffed bears and the like they can drive off fleas helpfully, put a few drops in the animals bedding (use safety discretion here) and it can help.
Jan 17, 2008. 12:20 AMsmokehill says:
I'm not sure that would work too well. If I remember rightly, both Frontline & Advantix work by being absorbed into the pet's tissue and basically turning their bloodstream into a flea-killing poison. By messing up their life cycle and having a portable, furry "flea-killing machine" roaming around, the dogs quickly kill the fleas that would also be biting you, too. The dogs feel the effects first, we get the benefits indirectly, but slower. Killing fleas directly isn't hard with those insecticide foggers, but the eggs can encyst and are then impervious to all poisons until they get moist and "come alive" again, which is why spraying bleach won't kill them unless you do it repeatedly. In the old days before the new direct-application products, we used to spray our dog yards with a bleach solution once a month in the warm months, just to kill the encysted flea eggs when they "came alive."
Aug 6, 2009. 1:21 PMpaqrat says:
A warning about foggers. Apparently some (all?) of them are flammable. There was a case on the news recently here where a lady put out a fogger and forgot to turn off pilot lights. If I remember correctly firemen were able to save the house but the kitchen was a total loss. Smoke and water damage in the rest of the house.
Apr 17, 2008. 2:57 PMjakdedert says:
I was told by a vet that this is, indeed, the most effective strategy. In fact she said that if one had fleas, but no pet, the easiest way to get rid of them was to get one. That presupposes that you know just which type of flea you have, as they are host-specific. A 'cat flea' will just as soon munch on you as on a dog. Likewise, if you have 'dog fleas' it won't help to get a cat. In any case, without their specific host, fleas cannot breed, so if you don't have pets, but do have fleas, eventually they will die out...but you'll be miserable in the meantime.
Jul 2, 2009. 10:20 PMtannerr52 says:
well dont you know a bad instructable pictures when you see them...i know i do...plus its infringement! hmmm...
Jul 2, 2009. 10:43 PMtannerr52 says:
PS...i accidentally deleted that last comment...whoops!
Jun 26, 2009. 3:21 PMtannerr52 says:
(removed by author or community request)
Jul 2, 2009. 6:45 PMjackas says:
I wouldn't be saying anything if i my self haven't published one
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