Using heat is one of the many ways of getting rid of fleas in your home. But what temperatures do fleas die? Well, this is the right place to find your answers.
Fleas die if exposed to a temperature above 35° C (95°F) and temperatures below 8°C (46.4°F). If it is the immature adults, they die from temperatures as low as 13°C (55.4°F). Fleas cannot also survive the frozen winter temperatures. Those that do so hide under the fur of warm-blooded animals.
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There are lots of things to know when controlling fleas with temperature. Join me in this article as we discuss them and the various options you can apply.
Details: At What Temperatures Do Fleas Die?
Most fleas are unable to survive in hot climates but thrive in warmer and humid climates. If temperatures exceed 35°C (95 °F), then it will be hard to find fleas in such an environment.
- This is why most fleas will seek refuge indoors or hide under animal fur for survival.
- For effective elimination, temperatures of above 103°F and maintain a humidity of below 75 %. Within a period of 48 hours, your house will be free from fleas.
High temperatures are very effective when eliminating fleas. They kill adults, young and also eggs of the fleas.
- It’s as easy as it sounds because you have to learn the best way to apply it. Some machines are even capable of causing harmful and you may need someone to guide you.
- You can use heat gadgets like a washing machine, steam cleaner, or a bed bug warming tent. The heat from these machines is very effective but there are some technicalities involved.
To kill the fleas, you have to regulate the humidity alongside the heat so that the fleas can die quickly.
Related: Getting Rid of Fleas in your House
How to Kill Fleas with Temperature
1. Direct Light
This is the most natural and the easiest way to get rid of fleas in your area. But this method is best applied for fleas control outdoors.
- The target areas are the fleas breeding site mainly the grass. Fleas thrive on the lawn because of the warmth and the humidity.
- When you cut off the branches and attend the lawn, there is sufficient sunlight on the lawn making it unfavorable for the fleas. The sole purpose of doing this is to create an unfavorable environment for the breeding of fleas.
As you practice this remember to keep the lawn dry and keep away any kind of trash where the fleas can hide.
2. Washing and Drying
You can use this head application method to get rid of fleas from your fabric and clothes. In this method, you subject fleas in the fabric to high temperatures in the washing and drying machine.
- It is good to adjust the machine to the highest temperature setting for effectiveness.
- The combination of high temperatures and surfactants helps in killing the fleas. Additionally, you can enhance its performance by extending the washing time on the machine.
- The same case applies when you are using the dryer. After the wash taking the fabric through a heated dryer minimizes that chance for any fleas to survive.
The good thing with the dryer is that it also takes away the moisture from the fabric suffocating and burning the fleas to death.
When setting the dryer, maximum temperatures are suitable to kill any of the remaining fleas in your fabric. It will be hard for the fleas and their eggs to survive the extreme temperatures from the hot water in the wash and also from the dryer.
Related: Can Fleas Drown in Water?
3. Bed Bug Heaters
These heaters are designed for bed bugs but they can also work well in controlling fleas. They can produce heat of up to 120° C so as to kill the bedbugs. Fleas cannot survive that kind of temperature.
- These machines are found in different sizes and shapes but their working is the same. To kill the fleas, you will have to turn on the heater for several hours.
- It produces high temperatures with a dry climate that kills the bugs and also the fleas. This heater is only designed to work on one item at a time this is the item where it is placed on.
You can use it on carpets, clothes, and other items that are infested by fleas.
Be prepared to meet its high buying cost.
4. Steam Cleaning
With steam cleaning, you use high-temperature steam of about 200°C which is enough to kill all the leas hiding in your home.
- You can use the steam cleaner on carpets, curtains, clothes, furniture among other infested household items.
- However, if you are DIYer, you need to exercise caution to avoid scolding by the high-temperature steam. If you have challenges with this, you can ask for help from an expert.
- If you want to maximize its efficiency, you will need to go slowly as you steam the room. Sometimes you may miss a spot and doing it repeatedly will also help you cover it and achieve better results.
Unlike vacuum cleaners, steamers are much more effective when it comes to dealing with eggs and larvae. They are also able to penetrate even in those hard-to-reach areas like under the furniture and also on tough fiber.
5. Professional Heat Treatment
If you can’t do the heating by yourself, you can also contact a professional for fleas’ elimination. The good thing with the professionals is, they have the necessary equipment to perform all kinds of heat treatment in your room.
- Though most professionals with heat treatment do it for bed bugs, the same process is applicable to fleas.
- If you get an expert, they will not only kill the eggs and the fleas, they are also able to leave your house clean and dry.
Though it may cost you the service, you do not need money to buy the heat machines. As with the professionals, they know the key areas to work on to give you excellent services.
One thing you can be sure of is that if you want a good job done, do as the expert tells you. It may take time before having it done but it’s worthwhile.
Related: Where do Fleas Come From?
Summary
At what temperatures do fleas die? To kill fleas, you will have to expose them to the high heat of above 95°C and humidity below 75 %.
- Most of these fleas will hardly survive an outdoor environment and prefer hiding in furry pets and also fabrics and carpets in our houses.
To get rid of them in the houses, you can use various heat machines and systems. But if you are nervous about using this system for the first time, you can contact a professional to do the job for you.