Your furry friend or baby can bring trouble to your bed, especially if you cozy with them in bed often and they have fleas. Fleas are harmless to humans, but they do bite if a feathered or furry host is not around. The bites are uncomfortable and itchy. However, research shows that not everyone reacts to flea bites and that they must be really hungry to attack humans instead of pets.
You will know you have a flea infestation in your bed if you are scratching non-stop and your pets are also scratching. The fleas can take up residence in your bed if you don’t get rid of them as they’d be satisfied with the constant blood meal your body offers them. This article takes a closer look at the signs of a flea infestation and how to get rid of fleas in bed.
There are different species of fleas, but cat and dog fleas are the most common. They bite all kinds of furry and father animals. Although they bite people Trusted Source Flea Bites: What They Look Like, Symptoms and Treatment Flea bites are small, discolored bumps on your skin. They occur when fleas drink your blood and inject saliva into your bloodstream. my.clevelandclinic.org , fleas prefer to nest in fur or feathers rather than skin and hair. Since they love to live on a blood host, it is highly unlikely that fleas will take residence on your bed. However, they will live evidence that they were there. Here are some signs to watch out for;
You may not be able to see flea bites on your pets, so you have to pay attention to their behavior. If they are scratching, gnawing, orbiting their own skin, that could be a sign. Even if your pet never leaves the house, they still get a flea infestation because fleas travel into home easily on shoe soles and clothing.
Like all the other insects, fleas poop, their dirt looks like tiny black dots that are easily noticeable on beddings. They excrete while feeding, so the dirt is very easy to spot.
You may also be able to spot their eggs which are oval-shaped and clear to white in color. They look like salt or dandruff flakes. The females lay up to 8 eggs after each feeding which hatch 1 to 12 days later.
If you wake up with itchy red dots on your ankles, feet, and along your shins it could be flea bites. Fleas love to bite the lower body parts where the skin is warm and moist. Multiple flea bites will appear on a straight line on your lower limbs, and in some cases, there may be a red halo surrounding their center. If your pet sleeps next to your head, you may see red dots on your chest, neck, arms and other upper body parts.
Completely removing fleas from bed is a multi-step process and here is how it goes;
Once you are sure you have a flea infestation in your bed, wash all of your beddings in hot water. Fleas cannot survive in high heat. Machine wash all your blankets, bedsheets, and pillowcases then put them in a dryer immediately after.
If you have seen signs of fleas on your bedsheets, then they could have spread to the mattress and pillows as well. Vacuum all the pillows, mattresses and nearby carpets that could be harboring more fleas and eggs. When you are done, dispose of the vacuum filters and bags to avoid re-infestation.
If you have a moderate to heavy flea infestation, you will have to use sprays and foggers to get rid of them completely. You may also need to invest in the best insect growth regulator (IGR). Flea traps also work magic and are much safer to use around your kids and pets.
According to popular reviews, the Adams Flea & Tick Home Spray. The spray is effective against fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae and other insects like ticks, ants and bed bugs. It offers up to 7 months of flea protection and starts to kill fleas in 5 minutes.
The hotshot bedbug and flea flogger is another great option. Besides killing fleas and bed bugs, it controls lice, ticks and other insects. It contains Nylar which is a chemical that prevents fleas from developing into the biting stage.
If you have a mild infestation, you can use home remedies to get rid of fleas, like:
You can create an effective flea spray with 4 liters of vinegar, 2 liters of water, 250ml of witch hazel, and 500ml of lemon juice. You can spray the mixture on the infested areas after vacuuming thoroughly.
You can also use baking soda or salt to get rid of fleas. Lay down either baking soda or salt along with your carpets and furniture, then use a hard brush and rub it into the fabric. Vacuum your entire home thoroughly then empty the vacuum’s content in a bin outside the house. The salt acts as a dehydrating agent and gets rid of adult fleas.
Just because your fur babies don’t ever leave the house doesn’t mean you can never get a flea infestation. You can easily transfer fleas into your home by carrying them on your shoes or clothing. They infest multiple areas in the home and although they bite humans, they prefer to live on furry or feathery hosts. If you cozy up with your pets on your bed often, then you should know how to get rid of fleas from your bed.
If you have a small infestation, you can go for simple natural home remedies like salt, lemon, and baking soda, but if you have a medium to large infestation, you are better off with highly effective and immediate solutions like dedicated sprays and foggers. After getting rid of fleas in your home, you better take up prevention methods Trusted Source Preventing Fleas on Your Pets Fleas are small insects that survive by feeding on animal or human blood. Their bites can cause discomfort, itchiness, and irritation. Sometimes, fleas can infect people or pets with the germs that cause flea-borne typhus, plague, or cat scratch disease. www.cdc.gov to avoid future inconveniences.
