How to quickly get rid of fleas in the house and not get poisoned yourself

Enemy specifics

Fleas multiply quickly and it is enough for one individual to appear so that in a short period of time there is a massive spread of blood-sucking insects. A flea can live alone for a long time, without a permanent place of residence in the form of skin.

The flea has a flattened body 5-7 mm long. There are many hairs and antennae on it, with the help of which it clings to skin and clothing. The color of fleas may vary in shade. It is usually maroon or black in color.

Fleas can jump to great heights. Three pairs of legs allow this trick to be performed. Sometimes jumps reach 2 meters in height.

Fleas leave bites on the body of animals and humans that cause severe itching. By biting, the flea sucks out blood, but before that it lets its saliva under the skin. It blocks blood clotting and the insect can feed without worrying that the blood will stop flowing. Such bites can provoke allergic reactions or even infection, since fleas are carriers of infectious diseases.

Meeting the bouncy “neighbors”

Unwelcome guests are signaled by painful bloody flea bites on a person. Most often they bite the legs, since the insects live on the floor and cannot fly. The flea is ideally built for a parasitic lifestyle. This is a small insect, barely visible to the eye, protected by “armor”.

Powerful hind legs help to nimbly jump half a meter in length and 30 cm in height. The body of the insect is streamlined and flat with small hooks to make it more convenient to cling and linger on wool and fabric. It is for this reason that silk was valued in ancient times, as it did not allow parasites to cling to it.

There are more than 2000 species of insects in nature. Among the variety of blood lovers, there are “vegetarians” who parasitize green plants, feeding on sap and causing a lot of inconvenience to gardeners. Due to their small size—the largest individuals have a body length of 0.5 cm—fleas easily penetrate a person’s home and “settle in” well there. Household fleas love to parasitize dogs, cats, birds, and rodents. Most often they hide in upholstered furniture, behind the baseboard, near the radiator, in the pile of the carpet, soft toys, under the sink. Animal bedding is an excellent “nursery” for breeding offspring.

Small parasites live in a variety of environments. For example, grass or earth fleas, as the name implies, like to hide in bushes and grass, waiting for their prey. Linen fleas thrive on cotton and linen fabrics. In fact, these are the same parasites, and the common name indicates only the habitat. The most common fleas are red and black. This is the same species, but only at a different stage of development. Redheads are younger individuals that will later acquire a darker color.

A flea needs favorable conditions. The ambient temperature should be around 17-26°C. At −15°C, parasites try to leave the room, which does not allow them to lay eggs and raise larvae. Humidity - no more than 70%, otherwise the offspring will die. Fleas actively reproduce in summer and autumn. In winter they prefer to live in the fur of a warm-blooded animal.

Where do they come from?

Fleas in an apartment can appear from several sources:

1. From pets.
2. From common corridors, basement and entrance.
3. From transport.
4. From dysfunctional neighbors.

Pets can bring fleas into the house from outside. But today this is no longer the most common cause of insects. Most often, owners of cats and dogs promptly treat their pets for parasites. These can be collars, drops or sprays.

Public places are more dangerous. A flea can jump on clothes on a bus or subway. Fleas cling to long clothing and hide in folds and pockets. Driveways and corridors can be infested with fleas, so when entering an apartment, you should take off your outdoor shoes. Just like cockroaches, fleas can enter the house through ventilation hatches and any accessible cracks that are not visible to humans. Once in the apartment, they choose secluded places, these can be baseboards, the back walls of furniture and even the bed.

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Apartments with a bad reputation, where unscrupulous people live, are also considered a risk group. Usually in such housing there is an abundance of dirt and unpleasant odors, and as a result, cockroaches, fleas and other parasites too.

Parasite Habitats

To effectively and quickly destroy parasites, it is important to know its favorite habitats and breeding places:

• Animal bedding, cracks in wood floors and baseboards, behind carpets in places where your pet likes to rest.
• Heaps of uncollected trash in the closet or on the mezzanine.
• Garbage in hard-to-reach corners.
• Carpets and under them (how to get rid of genital fleas in carpets and rugs using pharmaceutical preparations and folk remedies, read more in this article).
• Parasites rarely appear on clothes, but in the secluded corners of closets it is quite possible to find a source of infection.

Important. Pet hair often accumulates under cabinets and upholstered furniture. If it is not cleaned regularly, it is an ideal breeding ground for fleas.

Any dark, warm place in the house can be infested with fleas. Since these blood-sucking insects can live for a long time without food, up to two months, and their larvae are viable for a year, even old other people’s things stored in a niche or on the mezzanine can serve as a breeding ground for parasites in the apartment.

Are there fleas in the house?

The first evidence of the presence of insects will be bites. Small redness in the form of dots on the legs and arms indicate the presence of fleas in the apartment. The bites are closely spaced and very itchy. But, even without detecting obvious traces, you can conduct a series of experiments that will confirm or refute the proximity to fleas.

After collecting dust after cleaning, you need to dissolve it in water. If the liquid turns pink, it means there are fleas in the apartment. The color of the water is due to the fact that flea feces contain remnants of eaten blood.

Sweet water or honey will attract fleas. The container with honey can be left overnight on the floor. In the morning, trapped individuals will definitely be found in it. If the plate is clean, then there are no fleas in the house.

Why are fleas dangerous?

Blood-sucking insects are dangerous because they become carriers of serious diseases. Of particular concern are rat fleas, which during bites drink infected blood and then transmit the infection to subsequent victims. Shustriki can transport viral and infectious diseases:

They can cause particular harm to fragile children's bodies, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Therefore, when parasites appear in an apartment, you should urgently take disinfestation measures.

How to get rid

Pest control should begin immediately upon detection. Apartments and houses where there are large numbers of fleas are difficult to treat.

First of all, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of infection from animals. They need to be carefully examined and additionally treated with anti-flea drops or shampoos. During emergency measures, to prevent the animal from becoming infected again, it must be moved out of the apartment to relatives or friends.

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Next, you can start cleaning the apartment. She must be thorough. You need to vacuum and wash all secluded places and corners: cabinets, baseboards, crevices. Bed linen and curtains need to be washed. Carpets and any woven coverings should be taken outside and beaten. Washing should take place at high temperatures. All boxes and drawers with small items should be placed higher. House slippers also need to be thoroughly cleaned.

To effectively combat fleas, you can notify your neighbors so that they also take preventive measures. If parasites have settled in the basement of the house, then you need to contact the management company. They are obliged to send specialists who will process the basement and garbage chute.

After general cleaning, you can go to the hardware store. The modern market offers a huge selection of insect control products. You can trust the seller's advice or read reviews before purchasing. When using sprays, powders and gels against fleas, it is important to follow the instructions and precautions: wear gloves, face mask and closed windows.

The apartment must be treated in the absence of children and animals. A day is the period for which it is better to leave your home. Afterwards it is necessary to ventilate the apartment. After about 3 days, you can start wet cleaning again. A positive result will be visible from the flea corpses.

If the chosen remedy and the step-by-step scheme are carried out correctly, the fleas should disappear. This measure is not always effective. In this case, you need to contact specialized companies that disinfect apartments.

Often people never manage to get rid of fleas. They poison them, some time passes, and the parasites appear again. The reason is neighbors and flooded basements. There are cases when you have to change your place of residence. But such cases are extremely rare.

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What to do?

Two weeks for the egg to develop, a little more in the larval stage, and now, after quite a bit of time, an adult comes into life, which can live up to one and a half years. Although in practice, of course, they live for about two to three months, but these months will seem like an eternity until you figure out how to get them out.

These insects can be destroyed only by gradually implementing the following points:

• identification of places of accumulation;
• providing protection until absolute destruction;
• carrying out general cleaning and washing of things;
• insecticide treatment.

It doesn’t matter why fleas appeared at home, the main thing is to start exterminating them immediately and prevent their possible appearance again.

Traditional methods

In the fight against any problem, be it a disease or insects, there is always an alternative method called traditional recipes. They are time-tested, but you can never be 100% sure of their effectiveness. Still, it's worth a try.

Wormwood can help in the fight against fleas. The branches are laid out on shelves with shoes, in corners and near the front door. The method really works, fleas die from the smell of wormwood. The disadvantages include the specific aroma of the plant, which can irritate household members.

In the cold season, you can resort to freezing the apartment. Fleas do not like the cold, although they happily live in humid environments. That is why they often inhabit basement floors.

Tansy tincture, another enemy of fleas. After brewing tansy flowers with boiling water, you need to make a strong tincture. Use the resulting solution to wipe the baseboards, cracks and cabinet joints. The product acts as a repellent; the fleas will not die, but will leave the apartment.

Fighting fleas with insecticides: which product to choose?

Traditional anti-flea products for home use

For many decades, people have used products containing organophosphorus compounds such as dichlorvos, chlorpyrifos, chlorophos, karbofos and others to kill fleas in the house. Although these drugs are quite effective, they are still toxic not only to pests, but also to humans, so their use in residential areas is not recommended. Despite this, many people still use them - and for good reasons. For example, the undoubted advantage of dichlorvos is its price. Thus, the domestic spray Mr. Volt “Dichlorvos” odorless costs only 85 rubles. In addition to dichlorvos, there are other effective insecticides. The most common are the following:

Sinuzan

Sinuzan is a chlorpyrifos-based product that has a strong unpleasant odor. When using such a chemical, be sure to wear respirators, goggles and gloves. The drug is quite expensive and, as a rule, is used by professional exterminators.

Price: 11,500 rub.

Liquid Get

“Get” is a chlorpyrifos concentrate in granules for home use, which, unfortunately, is very often counterfeited and confused with the now discontinued “Gett” aerosol with a similar composition. The non-original Get is known as “Master 250” and is not very effective.

Price: 980 rub.

Best Pyrethroid Sprays to Kill Fleas

Pyrethroid insecticides are more modern means of controlling insect pests than organophosphates. To eliminate fleas, pyrethridine aerosol sprays are most often used. They contain synthetic analogues of natural pyrethrins, which are no less effective than pyrethrins and are acceptable for the health of humans and domestic animals. Let's look at what proven products you can use:

Fumigator Raptor Instant liquidation system

But be careful: if aerosols of this brand are considered effective, then the Raptor aquafumigator against various insects (including fleas) for 459 rubles. collects opposing reviews. The principle of its operation is that insecticidal water vapor is sprayed into the air, which should kill all pests in the room. Some users say that this principle of operation is ideal for getting rid of insects, while others find it useless. Who to believe is your choice.

Price: 459 rub.

Aerosol Combat Super Spray

Aerosol “Combat Super Spray” is another broad-spectrum pyrethroid. It is based on synthetic pyrethroids cyphenothrin and imiprotin, which complement each other’s actions. The manufacturer promises that the spray effectively destroys cockroaches and their clutches, bedbugs, fleas, woodworms, skin beetles, ticks, spiders, ants, moth larvae” - and positive reviews are proof of this. A large volume of 500 ml will last for a long time - the spray justifies its price.

Price: 440 rub.

Aerosol DR. KLAUS

“Aerosol against ants and other insects Dr.Klaus” is an option for those who are looking for a budget product for treating a house, apartment or area around the house against fleas and so that it will last for a long time. This spray for 300 rubles (600 ml) is also suitable for killing various crawling insects: fleas, ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, skin beetles and others. Those who have already tested this chemical share that for the best effect, the treatment will need to be repeated - follow the instructions.

Price: 295 rub.

Aerosol Raid

Aerosol “Raid” is one of the most famous pyrethroid drugs in the world. The main active ingredient is cypermethrin (and other pyrethroids). There are different aerosols in Reid's line, but which one to choose against fleas? “Raid from cockroaches from ants” has proven itself well , which promises to cope with any crawling insects in the house, including fleas and bedbugs - and this at a price of only 250 rubles (300 ml).

Price: 250 rub.

Aerosol Raptor

Aerosol “Raptor” is a line of products for killing crawling insects from a German manufacturer based on cypermethrin. They are quite effective, odorless, and most importantly, non-toxic to people and animals. By applying one of these products to the contaminated surface, you can continue to do your business and no longer worry about household pests.

Price: 138 rub.

Dichlorvos Neo

“Dichlorvos TM” is a universal remedy for combating flying and crawling insects. Despite its name, this is a pyrethroid agent; it contains pyrethroids such as cypermethrin, permethrin, deltamethrin.

Price: 80 rub.

When using this spray, keep the following points in mind:

• about 10 ml of solution is needed per square meter;
• Windows and doors must be closed during processing. Ventilation should be carried out only after two to three hours.

Although “Dichlorvos TM” is safe for human health, you should not treat food, dishes and linen with the product. You should not use more than 300 ml of the product in one day. If the substance gets on the body, the area should be thoroughly washed with soap and water. Pregnant and lactating women should not treat the premises.

Remember that the use of insecticides must be carried out taking into account the following rules:

• 1. All residents and animals must be removed from the premises. If there are fish in the apartment, then cover the aquarium with glass and turn off the compressor.
  2. You should start using the spray from the main habitats of pests: floors, baseboards, interior surfaces of furniture, bedding and toys.
  3. Doors and windows must be closed, ventilation can only be done after a few hours.
  4. After airing, wet cleaning should be done, and bedding and toys treated with products should be washed in hot water.

The advantage of aerosols is that almost all adult parasites and their larvae can be destroyed in one go.

Fighting fleas with insecticidal powders

Working with powders is not as easy as with aerosol products. Such products must be scattered in the expected habitats of fleas and places - namely on the floor and carpets. This must be done carefully, because... the powder can destroy a flea only if it gets directly onto the insect’s body.

The most popular flea powders are:

Delicia

Delicia is a chlorpyrifos-based powder against insect pests. The product is aimed at killing not all fleas, but only cat and dog fleas. Thus, the powder is suitable just in case fleas appear at home due to your pets walking outside.

Price: 309 rub.

• Pyrethrum is a natural preparation made from chamomile extracts. Although the composition of the substance is very simple, it works very effectively.

In general, the cost of powder products is much lower than aerosol products, but they also act more slowly.

Comparison table of flea products

Precautionary measures

To prevent the appearance of parasites, you need to clean your apartment more often and ventilate the rooms. Of course, these are general and familiar tips, but they really help. The condition of the house is also the responsibility and consciousness of the residents. The basement serves as a breeding ground for fleas. It is necessary to inform utility services more often and require disinfection of the basement and waste disposal chute, if it is located in the house.

It seems that parasites attacking residential premises are a thing of the past. In fact, the problem remains relevant today. Simple rules and tips will help you avoid an unpleasant neighborhood with fleas in your apartment.

What substances are included in effective anti-flea products for the home and for animals?

There are many products on the modern market that promise to get rid of fleas in a house or apartment and cure animals. But not all of them actually work. Fleas, like any other arthropods, have a powerful chitinous shell - an exoskeleton. In order to kill them, you need to use insecticides, which can destroy this chitinous coating and attack the fleas' nervous system. In order not to make a mistake with the product, look for the following ingredients in the composition of the product:

• Pyrethrins are natural insecticides that affect the nervous system, causing paralysis and then death of insects. Products based on pyrethrins are safe for human and animal health, so they can be used to remove fleas from a cat or dog.
• pyrethroids are substances that are found in almost all flea products. Pyrethroids (including permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin and other compounds) are synthetic pesticides similar to pyrethrins, but have a stronger effect. When using pyrethroid-based products, animals must be removed from the premises, as they can negatively affect their nervous system.
• Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid pesticide with effects similar to pyrethroids.
• Nitenpyram is a substance for internal use that kills parasites in just an hour. The product is absolutely safe for the health of people and animals. However, there are also difficulties, since not all pets will want to eat the medicine.
• Selamectin is a semi-synthetic flea repellent. Products based on it are not recommended for use on small puppies, kittens and weakened animals.
• Fipronil is an effective product that can be used to treat animal fur against fleas.

Heat treatment of the room to kill fleas

Fleas, like any other living beings, can only live within certain temperature ranges. And if the temperature in their habitats goes beyond optimal limits, the insects will die. Therefore there are only 2 options:

• freezing - total ventilation of the room in severe frost (below -20 degrees). The method is quite effective, but it also has its disadvantages, including the possibility of damage to pipes by frost. If there is a possibility of such a problem, it is better not to save money and call professionals.

How long do fleas live?

The most comfortable conditions for living and breeding of fleas are:

• Air temperature from +18 to +24 degrees.
• Relative humidity of 60% or more.
• No drafts.
• The presence of secluded places where you can hide.
• Proximity of food - people or warm-blooded animals.

How long fleas live at different stages directly depends primarily on temperature, humidity and their fluctuations. Depending on the conditions:

• The eggs are carried by the female for 2 to 10 days.
• The larval stage lasts from 8 days to 7 months.
• Pupae develop from 5 days to 8 months.
• An adult lives from 3 months to 1.5 years.

Over the entire life cycle, one flea can lay up to 400 eggs, so even under seemingly unfavorable conditions, fleas still reproduce very quickly.

Varieties of the flea family

Science knows more than 2 thousand representatives of this blood-sucking order. Only a few of them choose residential premises as a habitat:

• Felines (any cat can have fleas, especially an outdoor one).
• Human (type of basement fleas).
• Furniture cracks.
• Rat (they carry the plague and are therefore especially dangerous).
• Canine (enter the home on the pet’s fur, as is the case with cats).
• Earthen (in very dusty or abandoned buildings).
• Bed (this species does not exist in nature; all representatives that live in bed linen are collected in it).