There are millions of homes in America today that have pets as part of their family. These dogs, cats and other animals live, eat, sleep and play next to us. And yet fleas are still such a large part of their lives. Getting rid of these parasitic insects in very important to the health and safety of not only our pets, but ourselves as well. But what about home remedies? Do flea home remedies work? While some home remedies can lower the populations of fleas, none of them can completely eliminate an infestation.
Fleas are difficult to remove from your home. They are blood feeders that attack your pets. Because of this, they need to be in contact with their host to survive. While some natural remedies may make their life unpleasant, they aren’t going to just go away over a scent. Even if a home remedy kills a few adults, none of these will eliminate the eggs that they left behind. This makes removal a hard job that is really best served by your Oklahoma pest control company.
THE FLEA LIGHT
One old trick is to take a plate and fill it with soapy water. Then place a light over the plate and leave it overnight. The adult fleas will jump toward the heat of the light, land in the plate and drown. While this will kill a few fleas, it will not eliminate an infestation. Fleas lay up to fifty eggs a day and several hundred in their lifetime. Killing four or five a night will not stop them from multiplying.
Adult fleas also tend to stay near or on their host. That means that any fleas on your dog or cat will not jump to a light. They will lay eggs, and those eggs will fall off. After the larvae and pupa stage, they become adults and search for a host. This is a small window for the these fleas to fall for the light trap, but if left to choose between a light and your pet, most will choose your pet.
ESSENTIAL OILS
There are plenty of internet pages that claim that essential oils can do everything from preserve food to curing cancer. The facts just don’t hold up, though. Many claim that lemon or rosemary scents will deter fleas. They just don’t. The reason that they don’t is because fleas are not on your pet for just simple pleasure. They require your animal’s blood to survive.
Homes have had strong scents from cleaners and disinfectants for years. This has still not deterred the flea population at all. But in some cases, these scents can present another problem. Cats and especially dogs are very sensitive to smells. It’s one of the most used senses that they have for interpreting their surroundings. Excessive strong smells can be confusing and even uncomfortable for some animals. So proceed with caution!
FLEA DETERRING PLANTS
Plants that deter fleas are more of an outside solution, but some people will pot these plants and bring them inside. Some examples of these plants are catnip, citronella, lavender, chrysanthemums and eucalyptus. These plants do produce their own insect pesticides and repellants. But, these pesticides and repellants are only expelled once the plant is touched. They also have a short life and dissipate quickly. An Oklahoma exterminator is much more effective.
The repellants that these plants release are meant to simply deter insects that would eat or damage these plants from staying. They are not meant for large areas, such as would need to be for a home that is infested with fleas. And fleas don’t eat or damage plants, so it’s unlikely that they would have any effect.
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
Diatomaceous earth is actually a decent inhibitor when used with a full pesticide program. But used improperly or alone, it not only can be ineffective, it can cause other issues. Diatomaceous earth is sediment earth that has been dug up and broken into small pieces. These pieces have microscopic sharp edges and corners that cut open the exoskeleton of an insect that walks over them. This causes the insect to dry out and die.
The problem is that often people use a diatomaceous earth that is not rated for pesticidal use. This is never a good idea. The particles may be the wrong size, or other factors can stop it from working on fleas. Often home owners use way too much of it. If breathed, this earth can cause or agitate respiratory illness. It’s a much better idea to allow a trained Tulsa exterminator to apply diatomaceous earth with a full pest control program.
HOW TO REMOVE YOUR FLEA INFESTATION
There are a few ways that home owners can remove fleas. One of the best ways is to vacuum often. Fleas lay their eggs on the host, but then the eggs fall off. They spend their egg, larvae and pupa stage on the ground, and often in bedding and carpet. Vacuuming removes these insects and gets them out of the house through the garbage. Washing pet bedding often will also remove these insects.
It’s also important to visit the vet on a regular basis. As much as as Oklahoma exterminator can do for your home and yard, any fleas on the animal must be dealt with by a licensed veterinarian. They have multiple safe and inexpensive solutions for the fleas on your pet. And of course, call a reputable Tulsa pest control company. Here at TermMax Pest Control, we are trained on how to deal with these kinds of issues safely and effectively. Contact us for a free estimate. We are here to help!