Can Fleas Infest My Home During Winter?

Fleas. The most pesky of pests. These almost invisible little creatures can cause more discomfort on you, your pets, and your home than you can imagine. Fleas attach themselves to humans or animals in search of our blood in which they feed from. Fleas can also cause your family and pets harm by leaving red welt bites that are extremely itchy and sometimes painful. In addition, fleas can cover a lot of ground in short periods of time.

But can fleas enter our homes during the cold winter months? The answer is yes. Although fleas tend to lie dormant during colder seasons, they are always looking for a warm home to dwell and feast from, and our bodies and our pet’s bodies are susceptible to attracting fleas year-round.

Flea Facts You Should Know:

1. Flea bites can leave hard, red welts on both humans and pets.
2. Flea bites are uncomfortable and itchy to both humans and pets.
3. Both humans and pets can bring fleas into a home.
4. Both humans and pets can experience allergic reactions to flea bites.

Flea Threats

Humans bathe on a regular basis which makes our chance of attracting fleas outdoors much lower than our pets. Moreover, our pets can contract tapeworms and anemia from flea bites which humans are not vulnerable to.

Follow these pest control tips to prevent your home, family, and pests from being infested with fleas.

How to Get Rid of Fleas

#1 How to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs and Cats

If you have pets, keeping them on a recurring flea treatment is key to keeping fleas away from their skin and out of your home. There are many preventive flea applications that can be used for your pets.

What To Do: Collars and flea solutions can be added to pet’s skin, and they are all readily available from your veterinarian and local pet supply store. If your pet has fleas, it is also imperative that you bathe them with a flea killing shampoo.

#2 How to Treat Your Home for Fleas

The number one tool in your flea killing arsenal is your vacuum. Once fleas have established themselves in your home, they use the fibers of your carpets, rugs, and furniture to dwell and wait for oncoming victims to feed off of.

What To Do: Use a flea carpet powder that kills the life cycle of the fleas. Wash all of your pet’s bedding in a hot water cycle. Any bedding or clothing that has come in contact with fleas should also be put on the hot cycle in your washing machine.

#3 How to Treat Your Body for Fleas

Flea bites can cause severe itching, swelling, redness and can hurt like you-know-what.

What To Do: To calm the itching, use Witch Hazel, an ice pack, or even a pack of frozen peas to halt the swelling. Use rubbing alcohol to clean and properly dry out the bites. Aloe vera is also helpful for swelling and itching symptoms.

Fleas like low-hanging-fruit. They cannot jump very high at all, so your ankles are prime targets when fleas have infested your home. Use DEET mosquito repellent on socks and shoes while the infestation is in place to mitigate fleas attacking your ankles and bare skin.

Flea Infestations

If not treated timely and properly, a flea infestation can become a nuisance that can get worse quickly. Fleas reproduce at rapid rates. Hiring a professional pest control service is your best bet in fighting a flea infestation in your home or business.  Attempting to tackle a flea problem on your own could lead to much worse damage and an exasperation of the problem. Over-the-counter flea products will not control flea’s reproduction or solve the root of the flea infestation.

Lookout Pest Control, formerly Any Pest Inc., offers FREE consultations and prompt service. Since 1989, we have been servicing the entire metro-Atlanta area, and beyond, specializing in pest control, mosquito control, termite protection, and wildlife management services. Contact us for a free consultation if you suspect an infestation of Lookout Pest Control in your home or business. Lookout Pest Control can inspect, identify, and treat the problem. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Call us at 678-888-0035 or contact us online here for a free pest control inspection.