Fleas are a pet owner’s worst nightmare. Not only do they make you and your pet miserable, but they can also spread diseases to your pet that may get transmitted to you. Many internet sources talk about home remedies that you can use to rid your pet or your home of fleas. Don’t buy into these right away. They might not be as effective as you think.
What Are Fleas And How Did They Get In My Home?
Fleas are incredibly tiny (1.5-3.3mm long) insects with no eyes and no wings. They are brown or dark-red, and they feed by sucking blood from their host with piercing mouthparts. When they feed, they inject saliva into the wound to prevent coagulation. Bites are itchy and usually cause swelling and irritation.
Fleas normally get in by hitching a ride on pets. They can jump great distances (200x their length and 80x their height!) and are able to cling to your pet as they come inside. Even if you don’t have pets, they can still get in through a screen or by jumping onto visiting pets that come inside. They can also come in on rodents or wildlife that get into the home. And even though fleas usually feed on animals, they aren’t afraid to feed on humans too.
Why Natural Remedies For Fleas Don’t Work
Some claim that certain home remedies might help kill fleas or get them off your pets. Many people claim that you can use apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, or lavender oil to kill fleas. Some even claim that rubbing dryer sheets on your pets will help. Though these home remedies might work to kill some fleas, they do not work to take care of an entire infestation. You may notice a reduction, but those fleas will come back in force if even a few are left behind to reproduce.
Apple cider vinegar is not acidic enough to penetrate a flea’s exoskeleton to kill it. If it was, it wouldn’t be safe to spray on your pet. Tea tree oil is incredibly toxic to pets if ingested. If sprayed on their fur, they may lick it off. Even diluting it isn’t a safe option. And commercial essential oils are rarely regulated, whereas most professional flea treatment options are. Diluting takes a lot of time and effort in a home kitchen, and even then, you might spray too much on your pet and make them sick.
Lavender oil may effectively repel fleas, but it won’t kill them. As soon as the oil is washed or licked off, they’ll come right back (or they’ll go after you instead!). Dryer sheets contain chemicals that are toxic to your pets. If you rub them on their fur, they might lick them off and get sick.
Because natural remedies are so risky, it’s always safer to err on the side of caution and choose professional flea treatments from trusted brands. These treatments, which are sold commercially, are subjected to testing that verifies both their safety and their efficacy.
The Only Way To Truly Get Rid Of Fleas In Your Folsom Home
If fleas are plaguing you, your home, and/or your pets, there are only a few things you can do. The first thing is to talk with your veterinarian about what treatments will work for your pet.
The other thing you need to do is call Neighborly Pest Management to help tackle the flea problem at home. Our inspection will reveal the problem areas both inside and outside your home that are attracting fleas. We’ll also provide treatments to get rid of fleas entirely from your property, which will help your pet’s flea treatments succeed. Fling the fleas and contact Neighborly Pest Management today!