How to Prevent Fleas in Your Home
Have you ever been relaxing in your home and noticed your cat or dog scratching more than usual? This might mean they have fleas. Once fleas have taken hold, they can be hard to get rid of. Successful flea prevention in your home starts by getting rid of the fleas already there and then preventing them from coming back. Here's what you can do to prevent fleas from getting in and gaining a foothold.
Fleas Can Hide in Your Home
Fleas like hiding in crevices. Their populations are more numerous in places where they can feed (like pet bedding and living rooms) and reproduce undisturbed (like lower-traffic areas or in carpeting). They also inhabit upholstery, furniture, and other common household furnishings, especially where they can stay warm. Simply put, you can find fleas almost anywhere. And just because you can't see the fleas, doesn't mean they aren't already there. Fleas can be a problem all year round, whether it's winter or summer.
Treat Your Pets for Fleas
If your pets have irritated skin or are scratching or biting their fur more than usual, they might have fleas. Run a flea comb through their fur, and you might find dark spots called "flea dirt" or even live fleas.1
If you find fleas in your home, treat all your pets, not just the ones that show signs of fleas. Give them immediate relief with a flea bath or flea spray. These treatments are powerful, so only use one method, not both.
There are several types of flea treatments you can consider. ADAMS Plus has a Flea & Tick Collar for Cats with a quick-release collar and an Flea & Tick Collar for Dogs. Or you can try a Flea & Tick Foaming Shampoo & Wash for Dogs & Puppies that kills fleas and prevents eggs from hatching for 28 days. ADAMS even makes a Flea & Tick Cleansing Shampoo especially for cats.
You may want to consider a flea and tick topical treatment for dogs or for cats. These can control reinfestation for 30 days and kill adult fleas.
Clean Your Home Thoroughly
To get rid of and prevent fleas, clean your home thoroughly. Wash everything, including pet bedding, laundry, quilts, blankets, and linens. Any materials that fleas could inhabit should be washed at least every two to three weeks, though clothes, towels, and other fabrics stored in closed drawers may not need washing.2
Once your home is cleared of clutter and your washing routine is underway, it's time to start vacuuming to prepare for your pest-control treatment. Start by vacuuming all areas that you'll treat, including carpets, bare floors, upholstery, furniture, cracks, and crevices where fleas can hide. This prepares your home by killing flea eggs and larvae and disturbing pupae so they hatch, making them easier to eliminate.3
Dispose of vacuum bags or their contents outside after every session. Vacuum at least once a week to make your home less appealing to fleas.
Use a Good Flea Treatment for Your Home and Your Yard
Use a good flea treatment on your home to make sure the fleas don't come back. ADAMS Flea & Tick Home Spray can be used on your furniture, upholstery, and carpet to kill fleas at the different stages of their life cycle: eggs, larvae, and adult fleas. Or try the ADAMS Plus Flea & Tick Indoor Fogger or the carpet spray.
When the infestation is under control, maintain a flea prevention regimen so your family can breathe easy throughout the year. You'll discover your pets are much calmer and more relaxed when they're not stressing over flea bites and itchy skin.
1. Donovan, John. "Treating and Preventing Fleas on Your Pet." Fetch by WebMD, 7 March 2019, https://pets.webmd.com/fleas-prevent-treat#1.
2. EPA. "Controlling Fleas and Ticks Around Your Home." EPA.gov, https://www.epa.gov/pets/controlling-fleas-and-ticks-around-your-home.
3. Donovan, John, https://pets.webmd.com/fleas-prevent-treat#1.
