If a flea infestation is not driving you insane, then it is not noticeably severe. Fleas are annoying little creatures that happily make your their host every chance they get. Ordinarily, fleas live on cats and dogs. All the same, they do not shy from making you their candidate if you have infested pets at home.
Highly infested pets drop fleas all over the house. As such, the tiny suckers make your carpet fibers and couch upholstery their hiding place. They also sneak into cracks and crevices. These are safe havens for laying eggs, hatching and multiplying in numbers.
Once the situation gets here, it becomes very difficult to contain Therefore, you have to find elimination ways that are effective and less toxic for you and your family members. This is where a vacuum cleaner comes in handy.
Also read:
Vacuuming Fleas with Bagless Vacuums
Generally, there are two types of vacuums: bagged and bagless vacuums. Bagged vacuums deposit dirt in a removable and disposable bag after vacuuming. The bag requires replacement once it is full.
A bagless vacuum has a container that holds dirt temporarily. You can empty the dirt any time after vacuuming. You do not have to wait until the container is full.
A powerful bagless vacuum cleaner can help eliminate fleas successfully. But still, you have to do things right to get the situation under control.
How to Vacuum Fleas with a Bagless Vacuum
If the infestation is all over your house, you have to vacuum everything you can. This is the only way to destroy most of the culprits.
Important note: If your pet is the cause of the infestation, you better begin by treating it. An effective pest control product can help deal with the problem to a great extent. Keep your pet out of the infested room temporarily. This protects it protects it from a second infestation.
Step 1: Vacuum One Room at a Time
The best way is to begin by is vacuuming one area at a time. This can be your sitting room, kitchen or any other room that needs the most help.
Begin in one area of the room as you move to rest of the sections. If the entire room is covered with a carpet, consider vacuum the rest of the items from a different room or the outside.
Step 2: Vacuum Bare Sections of the Floor
If your room has an area rug that only covers a small section, vacuum the bare floor. Emphasize on cracks and corners because they are potential flea hiding places.
You can use a crevice tool to suction fleas out of hard to reach areas.
A more effective strategy is spreading diatomaceous earth into the cracks and vacuuming it out together with the fleas.
Step 3: Vacuuming the Carpet
A carpet is one of the favorite hideouts for fleas. The dense fibers provide them with a suitable environment for laying and hatching eggs. Further, the larvae are able to grow into adults unnoticed.
As such, your carpet may be hosting thousands of fleas, eggs and larvae. This means you have to be extra careful when vacuuming, to avoid missing a single section.
Begin from one section of the carpet as you move to the rest of the sections. This might take time because you have to be thorough. If there are objects on the carpet move and vacuum them as well.
Step 4: Vacuum the Furniture
Furniture upholstery also serves as a comfortable shelter for fleas. They sneak into the cushion and couch covers and thrive unnoticeably.
Your best bet is to use a vacuum with an upholstery attachment. Be keen to pull the fleas out of the covers and couch corners as well.
Step 5: Repeat the Process in All the Rooms
Repeat the process in all the rooms while vacuuming everything that you can. This will eliminate a lot of fleas. Make sure that you don’t leave a single section unattended.
Step 6: Repeat the Process for Several Days
Vacuuming fleas for one day is effective but it does not eliminate all of them. There are still many that remain hidden in various places in your house.
Further, remnant unhatched eggs and larvae continue to advance into the respective stages of life. Hence, you have to continue vacuuming the room for at least one week in the days to follow.
Since a busy schedule might deny you the time and energy, a robotic vacuum comes in handy. You can schedule it to get the job done while you are away.
What Happens when you Vacuum Fleas?
Vacuuming fleas with a bagless vacuum injures them to death. The rapid air that circulates inside a vacuum and the functioning components such as the roller brush create little to no room for survival.
If a few fleas happen to survive the vacuuming process and end up alive in the dirt container, they die as a result of starvation and the harshness of the environment.
Can a Fleas Crawl Out of a Vacuum?
The chance for fleas crawling out of a vacuum is non-existent. Firstly, most die even before they get to the dirt container. Secondly, the ones that stay alive are usually in very poor condition.
As a result, you do not have to worry about the insects crawling back. However, it is important to empty the container after vacuuming.
Alternative Methods for Eliminating Fleas
If the fleas’ infestation challenge persists even after vacuuming severally, it is time to invest in alternative measures for elimination.
Diatomaceous earth: A reliable and non-toxic technique is the application of diatomaceous earth. The powder is high effective at killing fleas several hours after application.
Spread a generous amount on the infested areas and let it sit for at least 7 hours. Finish up by vacuuming.
Washing upholstery covers: You can wash upholstery covers in the hot water setting after vacuuming. Hot water is effective at killing fleas and destroying their eggs.
Use Precor: This is an insect growth regulator that prevents flea reproduction by destroying the eggs as well as larvae. The insecticide is best for use with vacuuming.
Seek professional help: Sometimes you might try all the possible home measures and continue to experience a recurring flea problem. In this case, it is best to call professional handlers for a quotation.
Can you vacuum your Pets?
There is no doubt that cats and dogs are the most likely sources of fleas at home. As a result, you might feel the temptation to vacuum them as you get rid of fleas from the house.
However, keep off the idea because it can traumatize your animals. It is best that you treat them with a reputable pesticide.
