How to Exterminate Fleas in Your Home Without Spending Money

Fleas are small insects that are noted for their incredible jumping ability, allowing the parasite to jump more than 200 times its body length and onto an unsuspecting victim. Fleas infect by piercing the skin with tiny mouth parts, with the fleas' saliva preventing the blood from coagulating. Chemicals in the saliva can cause dermatitis on a human host, or pet animal. A household infested with fleas can escalate into a health hazard, with the fleas potentially causing tapeworm, severe irritation, and anemia to older pets or animals with a weakened immune system.

How To Exterminate Fleas In Your Home Without Spending Money

Before attacking the problem, try to lower the chance of a viral infection from occurring in your pets or other family members. Capstar is a prescription flea medication for cats and dogs. It will provide immediate relief, with the medication killing adult fleas in 30 minutes. This medication will cost you – however it is a viable solution if you want to offer instant relief to your animals before attacking the infestation in your home. Ask your veterinarian for a monthly payment plan.

A combination of dish-washing soap and lemon extract is an affordable way of controlling flea infestation on humans and animals.

1. Fill the bathtub with lukewarm water and place your pet into the tub.
2. Pour some dish-washing into your open palms, followed by a couple drops of lemon extract. The dish-washing soap will kill active fleas, as well as deodorize the animal's fur. Lemon extract acts like a deterrent offering a short term relief to the pet.
3. Scrub the animal down, making sure to vigorously massage the solution into the fur.
4. Allow the animal to sit in the bathtub full of water for 30 minutes. You can occupy your pet by playing with it in the bathtub. Sitting in the bathtub for 30 minutes will drown the fleas.

How To Prevent Eggs from Hatching in Your Home

Once you have offered relief to the animal, you will have to prevent any present eggs in your home from hatching. Different methods of extermination will have to be used on different life stages of the flea. Attacking the eggs first will ensure that any adult fleas that you've exterminated will not be replaced with a new generation of fleas.

Raid Flea Killer Plus Fogger is an effective tool in killing eggs and active fleas for 4 months. The sodium nitrate in the flea killer will dehydrate the exoskeleton of adult fleas, as well as dry out the shells of flea eggs. Sodium nitrate can potentially cause health problems in pets, especially if they are allergic. If possible, allow a trusted friend or relative to house your pets while attacking the flea infestation in your home.

For carpeted areas, use Raid Flea Killer Plus Carpet and Room Spray. Using this in conjunction with the Fogger will ensure the extermination of fleas in your home. The Raid Flea Killer Plus Carpet and Room Spray can be used on carpets, upholstery, drapes, and even on pet bedding.

Exterminate Fleas From Your Front And Backyard

Once you've got the fleas infestation under control in your house, then attack any potential flea problems in your front or backyard. If your dog plays outside, then the fleas could easily infest your household once again. If you have an outdoor cat, then consider restricting or banning outside access altogether.

A mixture of borax, diatomaceous soil, and salt will dehydrate any fleas in your yard. Before attempting to kill fleas in your yard, make sure that the forecast for the next couple of days will not include rain. This method is most effective on a yard that is relatively dry.

1. Mow down any tall glass in which the fleas can hide in, and apply a thick layer of the mixture onto any exposed areas in your lawn.
2. Use a rake to encourage the mixture to reach the deeper layers of the soil. Again – make sure that your pets are nowhere near the yard. The consumption of the mixture can cause the animal to fall ill.
3. After 5 days, use your garden hose to rinse away the solution.