How to Get Rid of Fleas Forever

Fleas spread disease, make you and your pets uncomfortable and are difficult to eliminate. The parasites feed on dogs and cats, but will also attack people, resulting in red itchy bumps around the shins and ankles. The FDA claims that one flea can bite you or your pet as many as 400 times in a day and produce hundreds of eggs. Because fleas produce so many eggs in such a short amount of time, and because these eggs can lay dormant for months before hatching, getting rid of fleas means being persistent.

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum
• Lawn Mower
• Nematodes or Lawn Pesticides
• Flea Bombs
• Flea Comb
• Pet Flea Control Products

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Instructions

• 1

  Clean your yard and mow your lawn. Pets and people track fleas indoors so keeping outdoor areas free of flea infestations is integral to getting rid of the parasites for good. Fleas thrive in overgrown environments. To eliminate fleas, you must keep your grass trimmed enough to let the sun shine all the way to the earth.

• 2

  Treat your yard with products that kill fleas. Nematodes are one choice. Spray these parasitic organisms onto your lawn and they will destroy any flea larvae present. Hire a lawn care company to treat your yard for you if you're unsure of which products to choose.

• 3

  Launder pet bedding. Dispose of old pet materials in cases of severe infestation and purchase new bedding to replace them.

• 4

  Vacuum your house. Pay special attention to areas frequented by your pet. Throw away the vacuum cleaner bag after each use.

• 5

  "Bomb" your house with flea bombs. These products disperse pesticides through the air to eliminate fleas. You and your pets will need to leave the house until the pesticides dissipate.

• 6

  Apply flea control products to your pets. These range from topical "spot" treatments that you apply to your pet to oral medications that kill fleas. Your veterinarian can advice you on which products to choose or avoid. Combing your pets with a flea comb will also help.