How American Pest Puts an End to Fall Fleas

It is difficult to get a grasp on just how difficult fleas can be to get rid of, but it is an important lesson to learn. And if we don't learn it from someone else, we end up learning it through personal experience. Today, we're going to share a true story of a flea infestation that should give you some insight into how DIY flea control can lead to a lot of frustration. It is a story of a wife, a husband, two unfortunate cats, and a ridiculous number of cat fleas. Along the way, we'll give tips on why things didn't go so well for these homeowners.
 
The wife was lying on the floor one day and her cat came over. Immediately, she saw fleas on the cat's white chin. She got up, lifted the cat into her arms and did an inspection. Mixed in the cat's fur was flea dirt, which is the feces of adult fleas.
 
This wasn't her first time dealing with fleas. She went out to the pet store and picked up some flea drops to put on the necks of the cats. Once the drops were applied, she assumed the fleas would die and the problem would be solved. They didn't. And it wasn't. The wife and her husband began to get bites, her on her ankles, and he on his neck because their two cats liked to sleep on his pillow during the day.
 
The wife took to the internet and learned that some pet owners had success giving their cats vinegar baths to kill fleas. She and her husband gave it a try. In no time, the cats looked like two drowned rats and the frazzled couple set themselves to the task of treating the rugs in the home with a vinegar spray. This may have had some effect because vinegar can kill fleas on contact, but it does nothing to destroy eggs. Once the vinegar dried, it became more of a repellent than a flea eliminator.
 
When the fleas continued to appear, springing about on the master bathroom floor and continuing to bite the couple, they turned to another DIY method. They learned that dish soap kills fleas. They gave the cats a soapy bath in dish detergent and water, and the wife combed fleas out and dropped them in a bowl of soapy water. She also sprayed the carpets with a soapy mixture. This treatment did not work to arrest fleas. They continued to see fleas. The problem with this method was that it didn't stop the cycle of flea production in the house. While you can drown fleas in soapy water and dish detergent will destroy the exoskeleton of fleas and kill them, treating rugs with soapy water just isn't effective.
 
Next, they tried diatomaceous earth. The wife sprinkled it all over the place, especially on the carpets. But, when the husband observed a flea jumping around happily amongst clumps of DE on the floor, he concluded that it wasn't getting the job done.
 
The last "natural" flea remedy they tried is actually pretty clever. They took desk lamps and plates and created flea traps. The principle of the trap is that fleas are attracted to heat. When they jump at a lamp, they fall into the shallow plate of soapy water. Unable to get out of the water because the soap breaks the surface tension, they drown. This is a great way to monitor for flea activity in a home but, sadly, it is entirely ineffective at eliminating a flea infestation. All the fleas in the home are just not going to go to the trap.
 
Done with "natural" flea remedies, they turned to flea powders and sprays. They powdered the cats, powdered the rugs, sprayed the couch and carried it out into the screened porch area, and sprayed key locations in the home. Along with this, they washed all of their bedding and any clothes that may have been used as a location for eggs. This did not solve their problem. The fleas continued to appear in the traps and they continued to bite the couple.
 
At this point, they went out and bought expensive flea collars and tried many of the above treatment ideas again. They quarantined the cats from sleeping in their bedroom and at one point, quarantined the cats to the garage. The fleas continued to appear and continued to bite!
 
What can we learn from this story? The greatest takeaway is that DIY flea products, both natural and purchased from the store, can be entirely ineffective at stopping a flea infestation. The reason is simple: they often fail to break the cycle of reproduction.
 
Cat fleas leave eggs in rugs, clothing, bedding, furniture, and other places. These egg hatch and tiny worm-like larvae come out. The larvae feed on flea dirt because they can't feed on people or pets. These larvae develop into cocooned pupa and emerge as tiny little adult fleas that are more than capable of biting any mammal living in the home. If you kill the adults and not the eggs, you'll still have fleas. If you kill all the fleas on your pets but don't address the eggs in your home, you'll still have fleas. If you kill the adult fleas in your home, more fleas can hatch later because egg casings protect fleas from many agents that kill adult fleas. You must use a product that has a residual effect to kill emerging fleas.
 
When a flea infestation breaks out in your home, consider contacting a professional. Professionals know what products and methods work to successfully eliminate fleas every time. These products are long-lasting and kill emerging fleas before they can feed and develop.
 
If you live in our DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia service area, reach out to us. When it comes to stopping pernicious pests, you can trust the team here at American Pest. Every time.