How to get rid of fleas in house without bombing

Many people fall into the trap of the ease of using flea bombs to get rid of fleas in their homes and apartments.

But you shouldn’t.

In this guide, you’ll learn why you shouldn’t use flea bombs or bug bombs, especially in an apartment.

You’ll also learn how to get rid of fleas in your apartment without bombing safely and quickly.

Plus, there are also dos and don’ts that you must follow to ensure that you don’t come back to your apartment after the treatment. 

Let’s dive in.

Why YOU SHOULDN’T Use Flea Bombs In An Apartment?

Flea bombs and foggers require little to no effort to use. They seldom resolve, and in many cases, worsen indoor pest problems, says the University of Kentucky. 

And there are five more reasons not to use flea bombs are –

#1 – The Aerosol In The Flea Bombs Don’t Penetrate The Fleas Hiding Places

Fleas inside a home hide in the thinnest of gaps. The aerosol that flea bombs release after the explosion doesn’t penetrate those gaps.

Very little to no insecticides reaches the hiding places of fleas.

#2 – Most Flea Bombs Contain Pyrethrin

Pyrethrin is an active ingredient of flea bombs and bug bombs. It’s effective in killing flies and moths.

But when it comes to its effectiveness in killing tiny biting bugs like fleas, bed bugs, and ants, pyrethrin is a complete failure.

Fleas can detect the pyrethrin and hide in places where the aerosol can’t reach.

The same is the case with roach bombs.

 It causes the fleas to hide deeper and newer places in your home.

The spray needs to penetrate their hiding areas and physically contact fleas to have any effect on them.

Most of the time, it fails to do so.

#3 – Residual Toxicity In The Aerosol Of Flea Bombs Is Dangerous

Most flea bombs have clear instructions on their labels that it’s critical to wash and clean any furniture, utensils, or furnishings after flea bombing.

Many people either ignore those instructions or don’t read them.

The aerosol in the flea bombs deposits on these places, and when people, their children, and pets are exposed to the insecticide, they fall sick.

Also, the pyrethrin in flea bombs triggers severe reactions in asthma patients and causes respiratory ailments in people.

#4 – The Aerosol In The Flea Bombs Are Flammable

There are countless cases where the aerosol insecticide in the flea bombs caused a massive fire in apartments.

The pilot lights on stoves, furnaces, and other household appliances, which many homeowners don’t turn off while using foggers, can cause a fire.

Even lighting a cigarette a few minutes after the flea bombs is also risky and can cause dire.

#5 – Flea Bombs Or Foggers Have Limited Reach

Flea bombs spread the aerosol insecticide in the room at a limited distance. So, it fails to touch many places inside the rooms where bugs like fleas can hide.

Fleas can hide in furniture and hardwood floors when the infestation is heavy.

If the flea bombs don’t reach every corner of the room, then it goes without saying that many fleas will escape and hide elsewhere.

With many other apartment blocks nearby, using flea bombs is risky in an apartment setting. It may cause the fleas to spread in other apartments.

Hence, you must act responsibly with patience while getting rid of fleas in an apartment. 

Refrain from using flea bombs because fleas will come back after the bombing. And the worst part is that flea bombs don’t eliminate fleas from your apartment and home.

So, how to get rid of fleas in an apartment without bombing?

Let’s find it out.

6 Steps To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your Apartment Without Bombing

Fleas are parasites that infest pests and other mammals. Fleas can get inside homes either through your pets or through you.

Yes, humans can also spread fleas when they bring in the stuff inside their homes with fleas on them.

And when fleas enter your home, they can spread all over your home if you don’t get rid of them.

Fleas can also get onto your bed. And there are signs of fleas in bed that you can easily ignore if you don’t know what you’re dealing with.

Getting rid of fleas or tiny biting bugs like bed bugs is a repetitive task. 

It’s because these bugs are tiny, they multiply fast, and they hide in the thinnest of gaps and cracks that you can easily overlook.

But it’s doable. All you’ve to do is follow the six steps you’re about to find out.

Step#1 – Treat Your Pets For Fleas

Pets are the primary carriers of fleas. They bring it inside your apartment or house. 

So, the first step to eliminating fleas in your apartment is to check and treat your pet for fleas.

If your pet is scratching too often, then there are chances that your furry friend has fleas. It’ll be best if you immediately consult a vet to treat fleas in your pet.

Some homes can get fleas despite having no pets. Wildlife like opossum and raccoons can also bring in fleas inside your home. 

But when it comes to living in an apartment, you don’t face the problem of wildlife sneaking inside.

Another way that fleas can get inside homes is by latching onto humans. 

Step#2 – Wash Your Pet’s Beds

Wash all your pet beds, toys, and other washable pet accessories in hot water. Chances are fleas, larvae, and eggs must be in them.

Washing your pet accessories will get rid of them.

Step#3 – Steam Clean Your Carpet, Rugs, Bed, And Other Soft Furnishings

Vacuum cleaning doesn’t solve the problem of fleas inside a home. It can remove a few adult fleas, but it fails to remove the fleas’ pupae, larvae, and eggs.

Steam cleaning is a far better and more effective option than vacuum cleaning.

Why?

It’s because the heat from the steam cleaner is lethal for fleas. It kills adult fleas, larvae, pupae and even destroys their eggs.

So, take a steam cleaner and steam clean your carpets, rugs, bed, and other soft furnishings.

These are where fleas hide because they get their blood meals from these places.

As a follow-up step, you can use a vacuum cleaner on these items after using the steam cleaner.

Most importantly, do not forget to wash the bedsheets, pillow covers, and covers of your sofa and other soft furnishings in hot water.

Step#4 – Clean Your Floors And Furniture

Fleas can live on hardwood floors and wooden furniture. They’ll hide in the cracks and gaps on floors and furniture and wait for days till they get a host to latch onto.

Fleas can also lay and hide their eggs in these cracks. 

So, clean the floors and furniture with products that kill fleas. Many home products are right there in the apartment that you can use to eliminate fleas hiding there.

Soapy water and a mixture of white vinegar and water are two of the eleven home products that kill fleas.

You need to be methodical while cleaning your floors, especially furniture. Do not miss on the undersides of the furniture like desks and drawers. 

Also, clean the rear side of the furniture too. 

If there are any cracks and gaps on the furniture, use a quality sealant to caulk those gaps.

Step#5 – Scatter Diatomaceous Earth In Your Home And Vacuum Clean Again

Diatomaceous earth is a desiccant that penetrates the exoskeleton of the fleas and absorbs their moisture and oils that keeps them alive.

Scatter diatomaceous earth in your apartment and let it sit for thirty minutes to an hour.

It’ll kill any fleas that might have escaped your steam cleaning process. 

You can use the diatomaceous earth on your soft furnishings like sofa and mattress. 

Use a vacuum cleaner to clean your home of the diatomaceous earth you scattered. It’ll remove any fleas that the diatomaceous earth killed.

Step#6 – Keep Flea Traps Inside Your Home

Just one single flea left inside your apartment can lay eggs and cause a massive infestation within weeks.

You shouldn’t let that happen.

So, flea traps are essential to catch the fleas that might have escaped all the above steps.

Keep indoor flea traps inside your home, especially in your bedroom. The flea traps attract the hidden fleas.

And being sticky, the fleas get stuck with it when they land on the trap.

How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Fleas?

CDC recommends it takes two or more follow-up treatments and 5-10 days to get rid of fleas. 

In apartments, this duration might be less because the absence of a yard, which is a source of fleas in houses, reduces the chances of fleas coming back.

Hence, have patience and repeat the above steps twice a month to see results. 

And most importantly, be careful about the presence of fleas in your bedroom. 

It’ll be best if you follow the steps for your bedroom for 2-3 consecutive days to ensure that you don’t get flea bites.

How Would You Know That Fleas Are Gone From Your Apartment?

Three signs will tell you fleas are no longer in your apartment –

1. Your pet isn’t scratching
2. There are no flea bite marks on your body
3. There are no physical signs of fleas in your bed and soft furnishing

But remember, these signs won’t show up after one treatment. It’ll take at least a week and multiple treatments to ensure that there are no fleas in your home.

Should You Use Flea Sprays To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your Apartment?

Flea spray work only when it makes physical contact with fleas. Hence, they’re not 100% effective.

Ironically, flea sprays can make things worse by alerting the other fleas. That causes the fleas to hide deeper and, in many cases, spread in the other rooms.

So, we don’t recommend using flea sprays. 

When Should You Call A Pest Controller To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your Apartment?

Tiny biting bugs like fleas can be hard to get rid of, especially when the flea infestation is bad. 

Infestation levels increase when you overlook the signs of fleas. And by the time you find out, it’s too late.

In that scenario, you’ll need the help of a professional pest controller to get rid of fleas in your apartment or home. 

Conclusion

Flea bombs are risky. They can make the flea infestation in your home worse than it is right now. 

Plus, they don’t work in getting rid of fleas entirely from your home.

In this guide, you’ve learned the six steps to get rid of fleas in your apartment without using flea bombs. These steps are –

1. Check and treat your pets for fleas if you’ve got a pet.
2. Wash your pets’ bed and other washable accessories with hot water.
3. Steam clean your carpet, rugs, bed, couch, and other soft furnishings. Wash the pillow covers, bedsheets, and fabrics of soft furnishings in hot water.
4. Clean your floors and furniture with products that kill fleas
5. Scatter diatomaceous earth in your home and vacuum clean your apartment
6. Keep flea traps inside your apartment.

Getting rid of fleas inside an apartment is a repetitive process. You’ll need to repeat the above steps at least twice in two weeks to see the results. 

How To Murder Pests

We are Mark and Jim. We dabbled with bugs and pests for most of our lives. And we provide information and hacks that work in making your home pest free.

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