Genital fleas and how to get rid of them, how to wash floors

Home / Articles / Ways to get rid of fleas in a sofa

15 Feb 2018

Category: Articles

No comments

The appearance of fleas on the sofa is not a pleasant situation. This situation can happen even if it seems to you that order reigns in the apartment. The sofa is not a favorite habitat for these insects; they settle mainly under baseboards, carpets, animal bedding, and move to the sofa and bed to be closer to the food source.

Fleas on the sofa are a very unpleasant discovery.

Composition and principle of action

The active substance of the Raid aerosol is an insecticide from the pyrethroid group - cypermethrin. The synthetic insecticide is resistant to light and other external factors, which ensures its long-lasting effect. Reid anti-flea product retains its high activity for 26-28 days.

Reid tool

Cypermethrin is a complex of 8 isomers, each of which acts on a specific type of insect. This is the reason for the wide spectrum of action of the aerosol. Cypermethrin belongs to hazard class 3. Raid against fleas is of low toxicity to humans and warm-blooded animals, but is a strong poison for insects.

Interesting!
Scientists, studying the effect of insecticides on humans, noted their toxicity in children under 3 years of age. This is due to an imperfect immune system and the curiosity of children. If the rules for treating the apartment are not followed, the insecticide enters the child’s intestines. Pyrethroid metabolites have been detected in the urine of children. Insecticides reduce a child’s ability to perceive speech, and the repellents included in many preparations for treating apartments against insects negatively affect spermatogenesis and increase the risk of developing leukemia.

When it gets on the surface of an insect’s body or in its intestines, the drug blocks the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles. Muscle paralysis leads to the rapid death of adult insects and their larvae. Raid does not affect egg laying. Therefore, in order to exterminate the entire generation of fleas, it is necessary to repeat the treatment of the apartment after a while.

Since the aerosol is used to treat residential premises, the manufacturer introduced synthetic fragrances with the smell of lavender, spring greenery or orange into the composition of the Reid product. They additionally have a repellent effect on parasites.

Description of the drug Reid

The product is available in a 350 ml can. It is enough to treat an apartment of up to 50 m². Two or three bottles are enough to disinfect a private home.

The toxic substance enters the parasite's body through contact (through the chitinous layer) and intestinal (through food) routes.

Cypermethrin affects nerve cells, resulting in paralysis and then painful death. The product has a prolonged effect (the effect of use lasts up to 20 days).

Prevention

After treating the room for fleas, place sprigs of wormwood, chamomile, pine needles, peppermint, and cloves of garlic around the house. Don't forget to place a few twigs under your pet's bedding.

Maintain order in the house, clean in a timely manner, and seal cracks and cracks in the floor and walls.

Advice! When washing floors, add to the water for prevention:

essential oils;
vinegar;
decoctions or infusions of wormwood, tansy, pine needles.

Essential oils
After cleaning, place fragrant herbs in the room. Fleas have difficulty hearing and seeing; their sense of smell and touch serve as their orientation mechanism, so they will not be able to live in rooms with strong odors.

Check your pets regularly for fleas. If bloodsuckers are found, immediately take measures to destroy them.

If fleas come from the basement, you will have to use the services of exterminators to treat it.

What means to choose to fight

What is the most effective remedy for fleas in an apartment? One of the simplest weapons in the fight against fleas is a regular vacuum cleaner. It will help treat all fluffy and rough surfaces on which pest eggs are located. However, after treating the room, the “miracle of technology” should also be cleaned. Otherwise, the vacuum cleaner will become a breeding ground for future generations.

To clean the room you need to use a mop, a rag, a bucket, rubber gloves and, of course, a disinfectant. It is also necessary to protect your respiratory tract from harmful fumes. A regular respirator will help with this.

Aerosols

At home, aerosol products are often used to control fleas. To use them, you need to remove all residents, children and people from the room, spray baseboards, furniture, and beds. After which you need to close the windows and doors and leave the apartment or house like that for several hours. The most effective, and therefore popular, aerosols are:

Sinuzan is a concentrated substance with a pungent odor. Diluted according to instructions.
“Get”, a couple of such aerosols are enough to treat a one-room apartment.
"Raptor" is an odorless aerosol made by the Germans. Quite effective in fighting fleas. When using it, you can be in your home.
"Raid" is the most effective aerosol.

Solutions

Some flea killing products on the market must be diluted before use and the surfaces in the house treated with the resulting solution.

Such substances are:

"Cifox", which contains cypermethrin. 50 milliliters of the substance is enough to treat an area of 100 square meters. m.
“Get” concentrate, like an aerosol, is considered to be an effective remedy in the fight against fleas. 100 milliliters is enough to treat a large room with furniture in it.
“Executioner”, a bottle of which is diluted in half a liter of water. To treat 2 rooms you will need 20-25 bottles of the substance.
“Kukuracha” is a complex group of drugs that can be used to destroy other pests.
Tetrix gives excellent results in the fight against blood-sucking insects. The substance is sprayed into the room or rubbed into surfaces.
Spraying the home with Butox 50 is also effective.

Folk remedies

Many people use folk remedies to fight fleas. It is worth saying that they are quite effective, because they have collected the wisdom of their ancestors.

A folk remedy for fleas in an apartment does not pose a danger to humans and does not harm his body. In order to defeat the “enemy” with your own hands, you can:

Wormwood, tansy and eucalyptus in a ratio of 2:2:4 should be poured with boiling water, stirred and allowed to brew for 10 hours. The prepared solution is poured into a spray bottle, with which the room is sprayed. It will also be useful to sew small bags and fill them with the above-mentioned plants.
A solution of salt and soda taken in equal quantities gives good results. It also needs to be allowed to sit for 10 hours, and then sprayed on the floor. After 8 hours, simply vacuum up the fleas.
Garlic is an excellent folk remedy for fleas. All you have to do is peel it, cut the cloves and place it indoors. After such an “attack,” the insects will run away from your home.
For fleas in a private home, it is good to use frost. It is enough to open all the windows on a winter day when it is below -20° outside. Pests will escape from the cold.
Fleas also run away from the “aroma” of ammonia, a few drops of which are diluted in two glasses of water. This solution should be used to treat floors. Instead of ammonia, it is permissible to use bleach.
A mixture of vinegar, camphor alcohol and perfume with a floral aroma will help get rid of uninvited guests. Carpets and cracks in the room are treated with this solution.
Fleas disappear in the heat (at temperatures above 50°). However, it is not always convenient for a person to arrange a “bathhouse” in his home.

Instructions for use Raid

The flea raid, the instructions for use of which are written on the surface of the container, should be used when the apartment is not heavily infested, since the concentration of insecticides in the aerosol is low. In case of severe damage, it is better to use professional means of fighting fleas and other parasites.

Reid tool

One can of Reid is enough to treat a room once. The drug should be sprayed, placing the can 20-30 cm from the surface. It is necessary to treat areas of accumulation and possible presence of fleas until droplets of the product appear on the hard surface and until the tissues are lightly moistened. Carefully spray the areas where parasites accumulate and the area where the pet's bedding is located with an aerosol. Then you need to treat upholstered furniture, carpets, floors, walls, baseboards. To erect a “barrier”, the product must be sprayed around window frames, door frames, cracks in the floor, along the perimeter of air vents to prevent fleas from entering from basements and attics.

Important!
After drying, the raid leaves a greasy film on surfaces that prevents the rapid destruction of the insecticide. It can be removed by wet treatment with an alkaline solution. Therefore, all surfaces that apartment residents touch with their hands should be wiped with soap and soda solution and rinsed thoroughly with water. The product does not leave stains on fabric, which makes it possible to use it on upholstered furniture and carpets, but it is better to wash textiles by first soaking the products in an insecticide solution.

The room should be treated by closing the windows and doors to prevent large consumption of the drug and its weathering. The spray forms tiny droplets in the air that can enter the respiratory tract of the person doing the treatment. Therefore, you should use personal protective equipment - a respirator or a cotton-gauze bandage and goggles. Cypermethrin irritates the skin and mucous membranes, so the body must be protected from contact with Reid.

The room must remain closed for at least 2-4 hours. The same amount of time will be required to properly ventilate it.

Cypermethrin negatively affects the condition of birds and aquarium fish. Therefore, they should be removed from the premises during the period of disinsection of the apartment from fleas and other parasites. If the aquarium cannot be removed, then it is covered with glass and the compressor is turned off. During treatment, animals must be removed from the premises.

Repeated treatment is carried out a week after the first. This time is necessary for the larvae to emerge from the eggs. If necessary, the third treatment is done 21 days after the first procedure.

Flea larvae

Important!
The instructions for the product warn that the product may be dangerous for pregnant women, weakened people and small children. During treatment, they should be removed from the apartment and they will be able to return only after thorough ventilation and neutralization of drug residues.

The fight against fleas must be comprehensive, so it is necessary to eliminate fleas on the animal that carries them using special products for cats and effective drops for dogs.

Selecting a spray based on various parameters

When choosing and purchasing an effective anti-parasite spray, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:

the components of the anti-flea spray, which usually include various insecticidal substances that act on insects, must be as safe as possible and quite effective;
highly toxic preparations are only suitable for professional treatment of premises by pest control specialists; their use in an apartment will be dangerous to the health of residents, especially if there are small children or allergy sufferers;
many sprays have differences in the method of exposure and application: some can only be used in the absence of residents for a certain period of time;
It is also better to choose drugs that are not at the lowest price, since this is evidence of their poor quality, but you should also not overpay and buy too expensive products.

Sprays and aerosols for fleas in the apartment

Let's look at the most popular flea aerosols that can be used in residential areas:

Celandine C326 has an active ingredient of 0.35% permethrin, which is a harmless and non-toxic substance. This spray not only helps to destroy all insects in the house, but also acts preventively for 3 months, protecting against re-entry of fleas. The price of a 200 ml cylinder is about 200 rubles.
Beaphar is a flea spray for the home that contains piperonyl butoxide, as well as chamomile (pyrethrum) and C-methoprene extracts. After spraying the product on the surface, it is necessary to ventilate. The active substance remains active after dry and wet cleaning of all items in the room. The price of a 400 ml bottle with a nozzle is 1,500 rubles.
Combat is an aerosol against fleas in the apartment, available in 3 types: Multi spray, Superspray and Superspray Plus, the action of which is slightly different. The last 2 products destroy all crawling insects; Multispray contains tetramethrin permethrin and also kills flying ones. The first two include the insecticides imiprotrin and cyphenothrin, which are moderately toxic to humans and animals and require compliance with safety measures. The cost of each is up to 300 rubles.
Raid is used as a flea spray in an apartment or house; it has no toxic components. The active ingredient cypermethrin is one of the most harmless. Its advantage is a pleasant orange or lavender smell; the bottle of the product is designed to treat 50 square meters. m, price - within 250-300 rubles.
Raptor is a flea spray that is moderately safe for people. It contains 3 insecticidal substances that can highly effectively destroy any insects, paralyzing them: piperonyl butoxide, cypermethrin, tetramethrin. A 350 ml cylinder can treat 50 square meters. m, its price is 250 rubles.
Clean home, Dichlorvos is an inexpensive aerosol product (200-300 rubles) containing tetramethrin and cypermethrin, which are active in the fight against parasites. One bottle of spray should be enough for 80 square meters. m.
The flea remedy Executioner is rightfully one of the most powerful for fighting household pests, including blood-sucking ones. Sold in bottles (price 70-100 rubles), which may require up to 20 pieces to treat a 2-room apartment. Before use, the contents of the bottle are dissolved in water and then sprayed with a spray bottle. Butox and Deltsid are also used.

How to detect fleas?

Flea bites leave characteristic marks on the skin: typical small red dots appear on the skin, darker in the middle. If a flea bites a sleeping person, it leaves three or four dots in a row in the form of a chain. An allergic rash may appear around, especially in children; with severe allergies, there may be fever, headache, and enlarged lymph nodes. Having discovered such a skin reaction, it is necessary to take urgent measures; remember that fleas can be carriers of a number of diseases: helminthiases, as well as plague, brucellosis, and hepatitis.

A sign of the appearance of uninvited guests in your apartment can also be unusually restless behavior of pets: the dog constantly whines, chews out fur, and rubs against the bedding.

Check your pet for fleas and try to get them out first, otherwise treating the sofa will only help for a very short time.

In corners and debris you may see maggots that look like fly larvae. Excrement (small black dots) is easily visible on light-colored bedding. The presence of a parasite on the sofa can be easily determined using an ordinary white sheet of paper, placing it on the sofa, after 20-30 minutes you can see excrement, larvae or the flea itself on it, which will immediately jump off the sheet if you move it a little .

Fleas on a dog can be detected by visual inspection.

Correct use of the product

This drug is allowed for use in residential premises when processed without the help of specialists. Remember that the aerosol is most effective and will show good results only if the room has a low degree of infection. This is due to the low concentration of the active substance in the drug. In case of severe infestation, it is better to contact specialized services or use potent pesticides, which are classified as professional insecticides.

It should be remembered that parasites choose quite secluded corners for themselves and you will need to pay maximum attention to this moment. Apartment processing includes several stages, each of which will affect efficiency. Before proceeding directly to processing, it is necessary to properly prepare the room.

Signs of poisoning and first aid

Fragrances mask the unpleasant odor of insecticides, but do not assume that the product is completely safe. Individual sensitivity to the components of the Reid product can lead to poisoning. Signs of intoxication are:

muscle weakness;
dizziness;
abdominal pain;
nausea and vomiting;
headache.

Animals may experience muscle contractions, tremors of limbs, and drooling.

If signs of poisoning occur, wash with soap and soda solution. Rinse the nasal cavity and rinse the mouth. Take activated carbon or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If signs of poisoning do not go away after a few hours, you should contact a medical facility.

Remedies for poisoning

Raid is effective against fleas and other arthropods, but its effectiveness against bedbugs is somewhat lower than that of other insecticides. This is evidenced by consumer reviews.

Spray Raid against fleas, reviews of which are mostly positive, enjoys well-deserved popularity, as it has a number of advantages over other means of fighting insects.

How does an aquafumigator work?

Aquafumigator Raptor

The operating principle of the aquafumigator is quite simple:

After opening the package, you need to take out all its contents: a metal container with the active substance, a plastic container and a bag of water.
The liquid in the bag is poured into a container.
The container with the insecticide is removed from the packaging and placed in a container with water.
After which the premises should be left immediately.
When in contact with liquid, the insecticide forms a thick vapor, which is very dangerous for fleas and other parasites. Toxic vapors penetrate into all hard-to-reach places, cracks and crevices, which cannot be done with the help of other anti-parasitic agents. It is thanks to this property that aquafumigators have the maximum level of efficiency.
The duration of action of the aquafumigator is 2-3 hours. It is contraindicated to be in the room at this time. If possible, it is better not to enter the room for a longer period of time.
Before bringing children and animals into the house, the room should be thoroughly ventilated to remove odors.

Washing floors against fleas

Everyone who has ever resisted a flea infestation recommends thoroughly washing floors with special compounds.

But, in addition to the floor, you will need to walk through other places where insects may be concentrated.

If grass fleas have come to visit you, try spreading wormwood on the floor, and after two days, sweep everything up and throw it away.

Feeding on blood, fleas reproduce at an incredible rate and are extremely dangerous.

It is believed that wormwood and tansy repel insects for a long time. For anti-flea infusion you need to take:

wormwood – 2 tbsp. spoons;
tansy - 1 tbsp. spoon;
eucalyptus leaves - 1 tbsp. spoon.

Pour a glass of boiling water over the plant mixture and leave in a cool, dark place for ten hours. Pour the resulting infusion into a spray bottle and spray around the apartment, not forgetting the carpets and baseboards.

You can thoroughly rinse the floor with a strong salt solution, after scattering dry salt over the entire surface. There is no need to remove salt from the cracks.

Instead of salt, you can use vinegar: a liter per bucket of water. In addition to floors and baseboards, it is recommended to walk along the walls (1 m from the floor).

Flea remedies based on celandine, which we talked about earlier, have a good effect.

It is believed that wormwood and tansy repel fleas for a long time

NOTE! To quickly get rid of fleas, there are only three effective options:

Calling a pest control service (expensive);
Purchase of an electronic repeller (1390 rubles);
Chemicals (doubtful effect).

Benefits of flea treatment

A flea raid in an apartment is popular among the population because:

is highly effective against blood-sucking, crawling and flying insects;
packaged in convenient aerosol cans, it does not require special skills to use;
the product is already ready for use - there is no need to dilute it or calculate the required dose;
Raid has an insecticidal and repellent effect;
the product has an effect not only on individual insects, but also on the entire colony, where the parasites bring it on their body and legs. Even fleas that are in the shelter at the time of treatment die;
The product is economical and inexpensive.

There are many reviews about its benefits and effectiveness in fighting fleas. In addition to the raid, the following means have proven their effectiveness:

Raptor;
Dichlorvos;
Clean house;
Butox 50.

How to kill a flea?

There is not much variety in flea control products. The fact is that an insect can only be destroyed by direct contact of poison with the chitinous shell. This can only be achieved by placing the poison in aerosol form or in contact preparations.

Aerosol sprays are convenient to use, the product does not need to be prepared and it is sprayed in small droplets, providing better treatment (covering power) of the room. You can get rid of parasites very quickly by using sprays.
Good reviews about flea treatments in the apartment are given, first of all, for contact preparations. Powders and suspensions contain an active substance that penetrates the flea body and causes death, and it also destroys the larvae that are in the floor, in cracks, carpets and furniture. The action is much longer than that of sprays, they quickly disappear.
Dusts that are distributed over the surface become food for the larvae. The action of the drugs is based on the use of an active insecticide, which disrupts the normal functioning of the insect’s nervous system and leads to paralysis. Two types are used as poison: the pyrethroid group and organophosphorus compounds. But the concentrations of insecticides are insignificant, so their use is not dangerous for humans.

Special disinfection teams use professional products. To work with such drugs, it is necessary to use protective equipment (overalls, respirators or gas masks). The doses of the drug are significant, so you will not find them for free sale.

To treat the premises yourself, it also wouldn’t hurt to get an individual disinfestation kit (mask, disposable gloves and spray bottle).

You can buy an individual set here for 230 rubles

What fleas live in the sofa?

People easily give names to surrounding phenomena, therefore, insects that crawl out of bed at night and leave characteristic bites on the body are easily dubbed “bed fleas.” From an entomological point of view, this species does not exist; “ordinary” fleas can live in your bed or sofa:

human flea;
rat;
canine

What are fleas that live in sofas?

To quickly get rid of these insects, you need to know what fleas are like. Fleas are typical small vampires; the length of an adult individual reaches 5 mm. Young fleas are black, while adults are reddish or brownish. Insects are distinguished by their high jumping ability (up to 2 meters). Life expectancy, depending on living conditions, ranges from three months to one and a half years.

Adult fleas are brown in color

How to understand that they are fleas

Sometimes other parasites are mistaken for fleas, although it is quite easy to distinguish them. A bedbug larva can be mistaken for a flea, since adult individuals are noticeably larger and have a characteristic elongated shape. Bedbug larvae are lighter in color; bedbugs bite exclusively at night, while fleas are active at any time.

Fleas are sometimes confused with linen or head lice; they are approximately the same size, but are light in color and flattened on the upper and lower parts of the body, unlike fleas that are flattened on the sides. And getting rid of linen fleas is easier than getting rid of furniture fleas. Places of lice bites are the hairy parts of the body; fleas often bite exposed parts of the skin. It is extremely difficult to confuse a tick with a flea; a tick is an outdoor insect and can only end up on the sofa by accident. The flea differs from all other sofa parasites in its incredible jumping ability.

Lice are distinguished from fleas by their light color

Use of traditional methods of extermination

If you do not want to use chemicals, you can use folk recipes. Essential oils are very effective because they kill parasites with their scent. Most often people turn to for help:

tansy;
eucalyptus;
wormwood;
tea tree.

You should prepare decoctions from such plants and sprinkle them on the walls of the sofa; in addition, you can use dry plant branches laid out under the bed. Eucalyptus fragrance must be mixed with ammonia, then added to water and the floors washed with this solution. In addition, fleas cannot stand the smell of citrus fruits. For this reason, it is recommended to spray your sofa with orange or lemon essential oil.

Peppermint is allowed. You need to take 20 g of fresh crushed plant and spread it under the sofa. In addition, you can boil mint, infuse it and spray it on the bed. Particular attention should be paid to the mattress, since most often this is where fleas accumulate.

Turpentine and kerosene are considered effective remedies, although these substances have a pungent odor. It is necessary to use the drug based on them according to the following scheme:

pour turpentine into a bowl of hot water;
take a brush and treat the sofa;
The procedure must be repeated daily until the fleas disappear.

There is another old but effective method: you need to take tobacco and pour it on the sofa, leave it for 3-4 hours, and then vacuum it. Experts recommend using a solution of salt and soda. You need to take these food products (200 g each), add 1-2 tbsp. l. water, mix the ingredients thoroughly in a plate, and then treat the sofa, toys and other fleecy surfaces with the resulting mixture.

At the end of the procedure, you need to vacuum the disinfected areas and, if necessary, repeat the technology after 2-3 days if the fleas do not disappear.

Procedure for processing

When using Raid in a residential area, you should strictly follow the rules noted in the spray instructions:

Initially, the bottle with the product must be shaken thoroughly;
Before processing, remove all objects from the surface;
The product should be sprayed at a distance of no more than 30 cm, the surface should become slightly damp, a few seconds will be enough for this;
after applying the aerosol, you need to leave the room, open the windows and ventilate it for about half an hour;
when there are pets, they also need to be taken out to avoid poisoning the animal;
to prevent a re-invasion of parasites, it is recommended to spray window and door openings with a spray (this will prevent insects from entering the apartment from the outside);
It is also important to treat dog and cat bedding against fleas and carpets - these things become an excellent place for insects to live.

Before the procedure, you need to remove the aquarium and the cage with the parrot from the room, since a raid against fleas can lead to damage to their health. The fight against parasites should be comprehensive; it is worth treating the pet’s fur with special products.

After disinfecting a room, marks often remain on the floor and furniture. To do this, you need to prepare a soap solution: put 1 tbsp per 1 liter of water. l. soda, wash surfaces with it.

Danger of insects

Earth flea bites are far from harmless. On the contrary, they pose a great danger to humans. First of all, it is severe itching and allergic reactions. Even anaphylactic shock cannot be ruled out. Bite wounds can fester and eczema forms in their place. Infection is also possible .

In addition, fleas carry dangerous, fatal diseases . These are typhus, plague, hepatitis, encephalitis, salmonellosis. Fleas are also carriers of helminths: cucumber tapeworm, nematodes, and toxocara. Added to this is sleep disturbance due to fear of bites, the inability to invite guests, and, as a result, extreme stress.

In case of bites, you should never
scratch them to avoid infection. First, the wounds should be washed with soap and water.
Then treat with an antiseptic, for example Chlorhexidine. To eliminate swelling and itching, use antigestamines and ointments. In particularly serious cases, you should consult a doctor. For animals, flea bites are no less dangerous. Small dogs or kittens can even die from parasite bites. Animals scratch itchy areas and can cause infection.

Precautionary measures

"Raptor" is a fairly strong insecticidal agent that requires careful and very careful handling:

It can only be sprayed away from open sources of fire, food and switched on electrical appliances;
Store the can at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Heating the can above 40 degrees is life-threatening;
Do not use the spray for other purposes. “Raptor” is produced to combat different insects - the composition of all analogues is almost the same, but the concentration is different;

Make sure that children do not get to it;
Take the used canister to a special recycling center;
Remember, it cannot be burned, punctured or disassembled;
If the insecticide gets on your mucous membranes or eyes, rinse them with water. For more serious problems or illness after flea baiting, consult a doctor.

Advice! Do not use a product that is more than three years old from the date of manufacture. In this case it is absolutely useless.

Signs of appearance in the house

There are not many of them, but the signs are quite characteristic, they are difficult to misinterpret. A cat or dog begins to scratch in a specific way, the animal becomes nervous and behaves restlessly. People develop small, itchy sores or sores (sometimes painful).

When the flea population reaches a critical limit, they begin to actively move along the floor, carpeting, and upholstered furniture. Around the same time, they become noticeable on the pet’s skin and on the floor. Any of these signs requires immediate intervention.

Reviews and comments

0 Zhenya 07/30/2017 01:29 Last year there was a hot and dry summer, and there were fleas in the basement of the house. The husband picked up the necessary documents there and apparently “brought” them to the apartment on his clothes. We didn’t notice them right away, only after my son-in-law began to develop red spots and itching on his legs. At first they poisoned them with dichlorvos and washed the floor with special products, but they still appeared from somewhere. Then we decided to call disinfection specialists, although after treating the apartment we had to leave for a day to visit relatives. Quote

Where to buy Raid

The products are so popular that they can be bought even in places where they shouldn’t be. Aerosol bottles are often sold in grocery stores, hardware stores, household chemicals departments, and specialized supermarkets. If desired, the aerosol can be ordered online. There is a discount when purchasing several bottles. On average, one bottle is enough to treat a room. If there are 3 of them in the apartment, you will need the same number of aerosol bottles. Re-processing is mandatory. In general, the entire procedure for destroying parasites will require at least 4 bottles.

Despite all the disadvantages, Raid is widely used to combat bedbugs. Buyers on the forums tell us how effective the result is.

Bed fleas: what are they?

This popular nickname was given to insects that live near humans, whose blood is the main source of nutrition for small parasites. The appearance of these pests causes a lot of inconvenience and poses a danger to the health of people and domestic animals.

Fleas are small insects, the size of an adult does not exceed 3 mm. The scientific name of these parasites is translated from ancient Greek and means “pump” and “wingless”. Linen fleas belong to the order of blood-sucking insects and cannot fly. But the lack of wings does not prevent them from moving rapidly.

The locomotor system of these insects consists of 6 limbs, the hind ones are the most powerful, thanks to them the fleas are distinguished by their jumping ability. Moving in this way, the parasites easily find a victim and attach to it with the help of bristles that cover the insect’s abdomen.

The flea's powerful hind limbs allow it to make rapid jumps.

The height of a flea's jump can reach 50 cm, and its length can be up to 1.5 meters. Small pests move quickly and are almost impossible to catch.

Features of flea control

Fleas, both jumping on the floor and hiding in the pet’s bedding, directly on his fur, multiply unusually actively. Authoritative sources advise, in addition to treating animals, to use floor cleaning products for fleas. This way, parasites will not be able to move around the house, hide on the floor or in the cracks between the boards.

Otherwise, after successfully curing a dog or cat of fleas, the insects will “suddenly” appear again: all this time they have been hiding in secluded corners, waiting for the right moment for the next attack. How to clean the floor from fleas will become clear later.

Preparing for disinfestation

Before disinsection of the apartment with the drug, wet cleaning is done. Thoroughly wash floors and wipe surfaces with disinfectants. Carpets are beaten and then vacuumed.

If there are pets (cats, dogs) living in the house, the first thing to do is remove parasites from them. For this purpose, special means for animals are used. It is strictly forbidden to use Raid spray to treat an apartment, as it will cause serious harm to the health of your pet.

The TV and computer are covered with a plastic bag. Cabinet drawers are completely emptied. Bed linen is washed at high temperature, then ironed with an iron or steam generator.

Furniture is moved away from the wall. Mattresses are removed from the bed, decorative items (carpets, paintings) are removed from the wall. Food and utensils are isolated.

The cracks and ventilation are closed so that fleas do not migrate to neighbors and then return again.

Where do fleas come from?

Many people are sure that blood-sucking “jumpers” get into city apartments only with their pets. And this is a dangerous misconception.

You should know that parasites have long mastered several alternative ways of entering a human home:

insects “emigrated” to you from neighbors who keep animals at home;
fleas were brought in by mice and rats (if you live on the lower floors);
they successfully “ejected” from the puppy (kitten) that you let in for five minutes to feed;
you brought these uninvited guests yourself. This may well happen, especially to those who are in basements or non-residential buildings.

About five hundred species of fleas live in Russia, and thirty of them prefer comfortable human housing. Having reached it, they climb into the linen, cabinets, carpets and rugs, and hide in the cracks.

Feeding on blood, they reproduce at an incredible speed and are extremely dangerous: when bitten, they are quite capable of infecting hepatitis, encephalitis and two dozen other serious infectious diseases.

House fleas love to bite a person’s legs and stomach, leaving crimson blisters at the puncture site. The mark of a flea bite is visible for several days.

What are the dangers for humans and pets?

The places where fleas bite and get on the skin not only itch, but infections carried by bloodsuckers can get into the wound, including:

Plague.
Typhus.
Hepatitis.
Encephalitis.
Salmonellosis.
Worms.
Brucellosis.
Trypanosomiasis.

Rabies infection is less common if the flea has had contact with a sick animal.

Fleas jumping on the floor are known to cause an allergic reaction to the bite in some people. Then, at the site of penetration, not a small dot forms, but a large itchy spot. When scratching, wounds are formed, which acts as an open gate for any infection. In this case, treatment will no longer be possible without the use of antibiotics.

If bites come from old genital fleas, then those bitten may not have a painful reaction and the person simply does not notice it. The body of such bloodsuckers produces an anesthetic enzyme, which, upon penetration, immediately splashes into the wound and enters the bloodstream, blocking the receptors.

This allows parasites to multiply at high speed. The younger generation is easier to notice; their bite is very painful.

In clean rooms, subject to hygiene standards and rules, the risk of fleas appearing on the floor is much lower than in unsanitary conditions. Bloodsuckers need a certain environment for production; they do not live on the human body, but only use it for food.

These parasites love to settle on pets, in floor crevices, carpets, and old furniture. They enter the house through pets, on shoes, from the basement, ventilation. Together with their removal, prevention of helminthic infestation should be carried out.

Source: ParazitDoma.ru

Stages of room processing

Before treating your home for fleas, you need to rid your pets of parasites, which serve as food and transportation for them. Insects are combed out and destroyed mechanically or with special preparations (shampoos, sprays, drops), and folk remedies for fleas are used. Purchase special anti-parasite collars for your pets to prevent them from reoccurring.

Boil, wash the bedding and disinfect the animal’s sleeping area.

Disinfection of furniture and belongings

The next stage is disinfection of other possible insect habitats: upholstered furniture, carpets, fabric items, pillows, blankets, rugs. Things must be disinfected, treated with a steam generator, cleaned using folk remedies for fleas, washed, ironed, and dried in the sun for several days.

Vacuum upholstered furniture by first placing a piece of mothballs in the dust container. Don't forget to empty the vacuum cleaner's dust container after use.

After this, you can begin treating the premises against fleas using folk remedies.

Features of using Raptor aerosol

Using aerosols does not require special skills. The instructions for using Raptor against fleas state that the product will be most effective if the apartment is treated in all rooms and adjacent rooms. Preliminary dry and wet cleaning will also invariably affect the result.

It is worth understanding that the destruction of fleas in the house is a set of measures that include not only disinfestation of the premises, but also treatment of pets against parasites using products intended for cats, dogs and other animals living in the house. Often these are hamsters and guinea pigs.

Before spraying the product, it is necessary to prepare the room: cover the aquariums, remove food products, move furniture aside if it blocks access to walls or baseboards.

Rules for using the aerosol:

There should be no people or animals in the room.
The person carrying out the treatment must use a respirator and clothing that tightly covers the skin. If you do not have a respirator, you can cover your mouth and nose with a terry towel.
Open the can, shake it several times and hold it in a vertical position, spray into areas where fleas accumulate.
At the end of disinfestation, close the windows and leave the room for 1 hour.
When you return home, ventilate the rooms.
Wash objects and surfaces with which there is daily contact with soapy water. Floors, baseboards, and walls are not subjected to wet cleaning for 10 days.

Review

Fleas appeared in our house last fall, when the cat came from the dacha and brought these parasites with him. We noticed them on time, so we immediately treated the apartment with Raptor aerosol

Just in case, we even paid attention to the hallway and kitchen. No more insects were seen!

Olga, Perm

Reviews of Raptor for fleas indicate the high effectiveness of the product for killing blood-sucking parasites. However, if personal safety rules are not followed, health may deteriorate, which is manifested by dizziness, irritation of the respiratory tract, sore throat, nausea, and vomiting.

Favorite Habitats

The bed flea chooses certain secluded places as its favorite habitats. The most important aspects for the existence of insects are: warmth, low humidity.

Bed fleas can be found on woolen carpets, bedding, and other similar surfaces. There the parasites spend time between meals, lay eggs, and hide.

Bed

Fleas appear especially often in the bed if the linen is changed irregularly and the room is practically not ventilated. Lack of wet or dry cleaning, accumulation of dust, dirt, abundance of various carpets, capes - almost ideal conditions for the appearance of fleas in the bed.

Detecting the presence of insects is easy - on the laundry you can find not only the parasites themselves, but also dark grains of sand - the result of their vital activity.

Mattress

Linen fleas are often found in large numbers in household bedding that is not regularly cleaned, for example, in mattresses, bedside crannies, and under the bed. Since parasites are small in size, they can be difficult to detect.

As a rule, this becomes clear from the bites that appear on the body of household members. When treating the bedroom, it is important to disinfect the mattresses; this will help prevent the reappearance of insects.

Sofa

Fleas in the sofa are a fairly common phenomenon that is often noted by pet owners. Parasites appear there especially often if, for example, a cat or dog has chosen a sofa for relaxation.

To get rid of sofa fleas, it is important to spray this piece of furniture as thoroughly as possible, and then put bunches of aromatic herbs, such as lavender, in the laundry box.

Recommendations for identifying fleas in an apartment

Before choosing insecticidal products for fleas, you need to make sure that these are the parasites that have occupied the apartment. After all, there are certain drugs to combat different insects. According to experts, up to thirty different types of bloodsuckers can settle near a person. You can distinguish fleas from other parasites if you know their characteristic signs:

insects have yellow and brown-black color shades;
the length of the parasite ranges from 1 to 5 mm;
the beetle's body is slightly flattened on the sides and equipped with many bristles;
Due to the presence of three pairs of legs, the insect is capable of jumping over long distances.

Fleas

Their lifespan is approximately 2 years. During this time, the female can lay up to two thousand eggs. After a few weeks, mobile larvae appear, after 14 days they turn into adult insects. Household fleas most commonly found within human habitation include:

Having entered the apartment in one way or another, they cause a lot of trouble to all the inhabitants of the premises. Favorite habitats for insects are carpet, crevices, beds, soft fleecy toys, baseboards, kitchen sink, furniture, pet habitats and others. Knowing all the nooks and crannies of their placement, you can begin an effective fight at home.

Interesting! A clean sheet of white paper can be used as an indicator for identifying fleas. It should be placed on the floor and observed carefully. If after some time black moving dots appear on it, you must urgently purchase a flea control product in your apartment.

Main advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of the Raid is the cost. The inexpensive price and excellent effectiveness of the drug have made it the most popular. The substance is stable for fleas and larvae and lasts for almost a month. There are other advantages:

instant action;
ease of use;
lack of specific odor;
long-lasting effect of the product;
safety of the spray when used correctly;
has a repellent and insecticidal effect;
Sold in almost all hardware stores.

There are not many disadvantages to Reid bottles:

despite the aromatization, most people note a noticeable chemical smell in the drug;
After treatment, oily traces appear on the surfaces, which can only be removed with a soda-soap solution.

From all of the above we can conclude that flea raid helps kill blood-sucking parasites. The main thing is to ventilate the room after treatment. Despite some disadvantages, Reid is widely used in eliminating bedbugs. How effective the product is can be seen below.

https://youtu.be/cQ6xmO_H9Bs

Operating principle

Bed bug raid

The toxic composition is detrimental to the entire pest population, since Raid acts in a similar way to the spread of a virus. When a domestic bug comes into contact with a surface treated with an aerosol, the toxic composition penetrates its body and begins to have a destructive effect. Coming into contact with other individuals, the infected parasite “treats” its relatives with poison, which subsequently contributes to the destruction of the entire colony.

Before choosing a product, many consumers wonder whether Reid helps against bedbugs. Due to the ability of cypermethrin to retain its toxic properties for a long time, if the room is slightly infested with bedbugs, a repeat procedure may not be necessary. However, taking into account the fact that the product is universal and has a wide spectrum of action, if the apartment is overly infested with pests, the Raid anti-bedbug aerosol may not give a 100% result. This nuance should be taken into account when purchasing the product, giving preference to a more effective, highly specialized drug.

Analogues - Clean House, Raptor, Cucaracha, Tetrix, Medilis.

FOLK METHODS

Freezing tactics

It is clear that in this way it is possible to destroy domestic fleas only in winter, if there is severe frost outside. Everything is very simple to do: open all the windows for ventilation and leave for several hours. In extreme cold conditions, apartment fleas will die.

Ultraviolet

The destruction of flea eggs occurs under the influence of ultraviolet rays. Therefore, if you take carpets, toys and other things out into the sun, you can stop the reproduction process of these hated insects.

Soda

You don't have to do anything complicated. You need to prepare a mixture of soda and salt. After which the composition is applied to the carpet. When 12 hours have passed, use a vacuum cleaner to collect the mixture.

Tansy completely discourages fleas from visiting your home.

Power of nature

Wormwood, tansy, pine, mint, eucalyptus - these plants completely discourage fleas from visiting your home. They will help you fight fleas. They can be placed on the threshold of the house so that the apartment fleas forget their way to you and never appear. You can prepare an infusion from them (either one or several at the same time) and spray the room using a spray bottle. Such destruction of fleas is harmless to humans, of course, if you are not allergic to these plants.

Fighting bed fleas

You need to get rid of this variety by boiling bed linen and thoroughly dry-cleaning mattresses and pillows.

From the article you learned how to remove fleas from your home.

Each of the listed methods of combating indoor fleas has its own advantages and disadvantages. You yourself must evaluate your capabilities and quickly solve this problem of uninvited guests living in your home.

Preparing the premises

Proper preparation of the premises for flea treatment significantly increases the effectiveness of the event and reduces the time required to carry out all procedures. Basic recommendations:

During treatment by SES specialists, household members and their pets must leave the apartment

Spraying the insecticide and airing takes 3-5 hours. Wash pet bedding and clothing, curtains, bedspreads, bed linen and other textiles at a temperature of 60-90 degrees. Cover the aquarium with a damp towel or film, turn off the compressor until the room is ventilated. Vacuum the carpet, upholstered furniture, linoleum, paying special attention to hard-to-reach places. Treat folds of upholstered furniture with detergent. Clear the floor of toys, chairs, small furniture and other items. Pack food products in sealed bags or containers and put them in a closet. Depending on the method and insecticidal preparation, a few days after the event you will need to carry out a general cleaning of the apartment

If the first procedure does not bring the expected result, SES specialists re-treat the room

Depending on the method and insecticidal preparation, a few days after the event, you will need to carry out a general cleaning of the apartment. If the first procedure does not bring the expected result, SES specialists re-treat the room.