Fleas are some of the smallest pests that will ever invade your home. However, they don't let their small size stop them from causing a lot of problems for you and your family. At EnSec Pest & Lawn, we have been providing pest control in Mobile for over 20 years and know how to eliminate fleas from your home and keep them from coming back.
How To Tell If It's Fleas In Your Home
Fleas are incredibly small. When they reach full maturity, a flea only measures about 1/8 of an inch long. Even though you can see a flea with the naked eye, they are so small they are easily overlooked. Here is a look at how you can tell if you have fleas in your home:
- Bug bites on your ankles: Many people who have fleas end up with a lot of flea bites on their ankles. The main reason for this is that fleas will commonly hide in the fibers of your carpet. When you walk by, they will jump on your feet, bite your ankles, and jump off. Flea bites are tiny, red, itchy bumps.
- Restless pets: If you have a dog or cat that can't stop scratching, you should inspect their fur for fleas. Sometimes, your dog may have an allergy or skin problem, which the vet should check out. But if you see tiny black specs under their fur, then fleas are to blame for the excessive scratching.
- Flea eggs: Flea eggs look like tiny white balls. They are so small that you may actually need a magnifying glass to spot them. Usually, a flea will lay its eggs in the carpet of your home to keep them safe.
- Flea droppings: Flea droppings, or flea dirt, looks like tiny black or dark-red spots that resemble dust or dirt.
Another way to determine whether or not you have fleas in your home is to do a white sock test. To do this, you will need to put on a pair of white socks and walk around your carpet for a few minutes. Once you have stopped, look down at your socks to see if there are any fleas on them. The black bodies of the fleas will stand out against the white fabric of the socks. If you see just a couple of fleas on your socks, that is a pretty good indication that you have a flea infestation.
Why Having Fleas In Your Home Is A Health Risk
Fleas are known to carry a wide variety of diseases and viruses. They were even responsible for the deadly bubonic plague outbreak during the middle ages. Some of the other illnesses that you can catch from fleas include:
- Tungiasis
- Murine typhus
- Tularemia
Both humans and animals can also contract tapeworms if they accidentally swallow an infected flea.
Five Ways To Keep The Fleas Away
Fleas are so small they can come into your home without you even knowing it. Some of the things that you can do to keep fleas away from your house include:
- Vacuum your carpets often.
- Wash all sheets and bedding in hot water.
- Steam clean your carpets occasionally.
- Wash your dog or cat with flea shampoo.
- Keep flea repellent on your pets when they go outside.
If you want to keep fleas out of your house, you will need to try and keep them out of your yard. A professional pest control specialist can safely and effectively treat your yard to ensure that fleas stay away.
Call The Pros To Completely Eliminate The Fleas In Your Home
If you think you have a flea problem on your Mobile property, feel free to contact us today. At EnSec Pest & Lawn, we use the latest technology and techniques to eliminate fleas from your property and prevent them from returning.