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Fleas are small wingless insects, characterized by tube-like sucking mouth parts. These parasites exclusively feed on the blood of warm blooded animals after piercing the host skin. Based on the organism which they infect, there are various flea species, such as cat fleas, dog fleas, oriental rat fleas and human fleas. One of the interesting facts about fleas is their ability to jump for a longer distance, both vertically (18 cm) and horizontally (33 cm). This is rather an adaptive feature for not having wings. The identifying features of fleas are dark color, long hind legs and a laterally compressed body. When viewed under a microscope, you will find tiny hair and bristles covering the hard flea body. Though these wingless insects can be found in pets throughout the year, the peak seasons for flea bites are spring and summer. During these months, it is not unusual to find flea infestations in carpet, rugs and furniture. With prompt action, cleaning and coordination effort, killing fleas in carpet can be achieved effectively. How to Get Rid of Fleas in Carpet? Many times, the adult female lay eggs in pets, carpets, rugs, home furniture, cat boxes and kennels. These eggs after passing several growth stages mature into adults. In favorable climatic conditions, the growth period is as short as 3 weeks. However, in cold temperatures, the larval and pupal stages remain dormant for a year period, or until the onset of warm environmental conditions. Thus, many generations of fleas accumulate in carpets or pet bedding, resulting in a heavy infestation. Following are some of the home remedies for fleas in carpet: Quarantine Infested Pets This is the first and foremost step in controlling fleas in house. Do not forget to quarantine pets that have flea infestations and bath them with appropriate soaps. This is because, even if you succeed in getting rid of fleas from other places, those infesting in the pet will spread again. In short, it is of no use killing fleas in carpets until and unless you treat your pet first. Vacuuming the Carpet When present within the carpet fibers, they are hardly visible with our naked eye. In case you notice any flea signs in pets, make sure to examine the bedding and carpets for infestation, which are quite common. Then, vacuum clean all the carpets, pet bedding and upholstered furniture on a regular basis. Clean the vacuum bag properly before reusing it. Steam Cleaning Carpet Another method for killing fleas in carpet is giving it to professional services for steam cleaning. This step is essential for mass flea infestation, because vacuuming is not sufficient to remove flea larvae that remain adhered in the carpet fibers. For best results, you can recommend using a mixture of diatomaceous earth and water while carpet cleaning with steam. Sprinkling salt will help kill the flea eggs, while borax is effective for killing larvae and adults. Using borax for fleas in carpet is probably the best method for getting rid of fleas naturally. Available as a white powder, you can sprinkle it over the carpet and underneath it to kill stubborn fleas. While doing so, make sure you use protective glasses and dust mask to avoid eye irritation and inhalation respectively. So, this were some of the natural ways for killing fleas in carpet. With a tough and polished body, fleas are very difficult to deal with. Be it their infestation on carpets, humans or pests (cats and dogs), fleas are a nuisance, which should be treated with special pest control methods. If the above methods are not showing positives results, try using chemical aerosols or insecticidal sprays that are specifically formulated for killing fleas in carpets. For more information and discussion, check the link below: flea control west auckland
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