By the time you find a single flea in your pet’s fur, it could already have laid hundreds of eggs throughout your home.
Flea infestations can spiral out of control quickly, especially during spring, when droves of fleas hatching in garden beds and wooded areas will be hitching a ride back to your home on your poor, unsuspecting pet.
Infestations are more than just a nuisance. They can seriously harm your pet — and your wallet, when costly vet visits, extermination appointments, and cleaning products pile up.
Thankfully, you can protect your home and your furry friend from budding flea infestations by investing in a cleaning routine that targets fleas where they like to live. Incorporate these flea-prevention techniques into your weekly deep-clean routine to escape the hassle and cost of a flea infestation and protect your pet from the discomforts and dangers of fleas.
Your Weekly Flea-Prevention Checklist
Tick through this cleaning list every week to help keep your pet and your home flea-free.
Indoors:
☐ Vacuum. Vacuum floors, rugs, furniture, baseboards, and cracks in your floor — and roll through even those rooms that you would not normally vacuum, like the garage.
☐ Steam clean. Steam carpets, drapes, and upholstery fabrics. Hot steam and soap kill fleas in all stages of their life cycle. Double down in areas where your pets spend a lot of time.
☐ Wash. Wash bedding (including your pet’s) in hot water to drown out the possibility of an infestation.
Outdoors:
☐ Cover up. Wear long pants, long sleeves, and gloves during your next gardening session to prevent flea-sized hitchhikers from catching a ride home with you.
☐ Mow and trim vegetation. Mow the lawn and clear piles of leaves to reduce the number of places fleas can hide. Fence off your compost pile so your pet can’t bring any veggie-loving fleas inside.
☐ Declutter. Remove any clutter in your yard, especially under porches, inside storage sheds, or by play sets. Fleas like to live in areas crowded with old possessions and debris.
Pets:
☐ Inspect. Check your pet’s fur, keeping your eyes peeled for black flecks resembling pepper. These specks could be flea droppings, or “flea dirt,” and might indicate an infestation. Pay close attention to the neck and tail areas. If you find a flea, drop it into hot, soapy water so it can meet its maker.
☐ Bathe. Add apple cider vinegar to your pet’s weekly bath after the initial wash to repel fleas and give your pet’s coat a glossy finish.
Your Long-Term Steps Toward Flea Prevention
As if itching and scratching weren’t unpleasant enough for your four-legged friend, fleas can carry diseases that may seriously impact their quality of life. Perform these actions regularly to help protect your pet.
☐ Use a flea preventative. Apply Parastar Plus for Dogs or EasySpot for Cats spot-treatments once monthly year-round. The treatment provides dual protection against fleas and ticks in minutes.
☐ Get annual checkups. Fleas can carry numerous diseases, so it’s important to take your pet to the veterinarian for annual exams to stay up to date on vaccinations.
☐ Ask your veterinarian questions. Even seemingly unconnected ailments, like anemia and tapeworms, could be signs that your pet is suffering from a flea infestation. It’s important to understand the cause of any problems your vet discovers.
Start working your way through this checklist by ordering a three- or six-month supply of Parastar Plus for Dogs or Easy Spot for Cats. These treatments will begin working in minutes and protect your pet from fleas and ticks for an entire month so you can spend more time playing and less time on pest patrol.