Fleas In Your Bed? Here's What You Need To Do
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Are you waking up with itchy bites on your body? If so, your first thought was probably that you have bed bugs. However, the problem may be fleas in your bed. One telltale sign is the location of these bites. Fleas target the lower portion of your body, whereas bed bugs bite all over. Luckily, you can work to prevent these pests from invading your bed by washing your sheets, cleaning your mattress, and thoroughly vacuuming your home. You can even incorporate Diatomaceous Earth to keep them at bay.
Fleas are incredibly small — just 1/8 of an inch in length. At first, it may be easy to miss a few stragglers in your bed, overlooking or dismissing a potential bite. However, these bites could lead to allergies, itching, swelling, and more. You may also notice "flea dirt" on your bedding. It looks like coffee grounds, but it's actually their excrement. You should also look for tiny white ovals in your bed. If you spot any, it's most likely flea eggs. And perhaps the most noticeable sign of all is an itching, scratching pet. Should you discover fleas in your bed, it's time to take action.
Don't allow pets in your bed
Although your fur babies make excellent snuggle companions, it's best to reserve that for other parts of the house, avoiding your bed and furniture. Otherwise, you run the risk of more fleas in the bed, on your couch, and so forth. But you can work to remove these pests by washing all bedding in hot water, including your mattress protector. You may want to repeat this process over the course of a few days, ensuring you kill all eggs. Any detergent will work, so there's no need to purchase something expensive for this task.
Next, vacuum your mattress. Look in every crack and crevice, sucking up any pest your come across. Always empty your vacuum outside, removing these bugs from your home. Once you've removed all visible fleas, use a steam cleaner to disinfect your mattress. Steam can remove fleas and their dirt, and you'll do so without any harsh chemicals. You can purchase a steam cleaner on Amazon for about $110. Although it's a bit pricey, you can use this steam cleaner to kill fleas in your carpet. However, commercial-grade steamers are more adept at handling pest infestations, so you may want to hire a professional cleaner once your bug problem has been eradicated by a pest control company.
How do fleas get inside?
If you have a dog or cat, they're probably bringing fleas inside with them. When outside, your pets are exposed to other animals, possibly those carrying fleas. Since fleas jump, they can hitch a ride indoors on your furbaby, quickly infesting your house. Fleas prefer to live on animals, which means having your pet snuggle with you invites these tiny pests to take over your sleeping space. Unlike bed bugs, fleas aren't known for borrowing inside mattresses. What they do, however, is burrow beneath your sheets, and can live comfortably there for upwards of two weeks, meaning you'll be exposed to their bites and a host of potential diseases.
According to the CDC, fleas can carry tons of different disease-carrying organisms, including murine typhus, cat scratch disease, and tapeworms. And your bed isn't the only vulnerable part of your home. Fleas like to hide in carpet fibers, laying eggs. This can quickly lead to an infestation. Fleas can also hang out under furniture, so be sure to thoroughly clean your entire space.
Unfortunately, sterilizing and organizing your house probably isn't enough to rid your home of an infestation. Seeing as 10 female fleas can produce more than 250,000 offspring within a month, one of the best ways to get rid of fleas in your home is with a professional pest removal company. Additionally, you should speak to your vet about putting your pets on preventative flea medication.