Fleas infestation can be such a cumbersome task to get rid of, especially if you have no idea which method would work for you. Often, fleabites are irritating and may lead to serious sickness if not attended to in time. Could you be having a similar problem in your area?
Well, in this article we ask ourselves; what can kill fleas instantly? Simple! You can use, dish soap, white vinegar/apple cider vinegar, diatomaceous earth, or a commercial sentry flea shampoo.
Further, you may opt to go for rubbing alcohol or make a mixture of baking soda and salt, which works amazingly well. Alternatively, commercial fleas sprays such as Adams spray, are recommended if other alternatives are not available. For your personal safety, wear protective gear when undertaking the fleas’ extermination process.
What Can Kill Fleas Instantly?
1. Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is manufactured using water and isopropyl alcohol at a given standard ratio. In most cases, rubbing alcohol comes in two variables (70% isopropyl or over 70% isopropyl). Each concentration has a given degree of killing action. Therefore, proper administration should be considered.
The 30% water and 70% isopropyl is the best-suited rubbing alcohol for instant killing as it contains agitated ions that also add to disinfection upon use. Moreover, the solvent penetrates the flea’s shell effectively before killing action began.
By choosing to use over 83% isopropyl alcohol concentration, you will lose “rubbing power” drastically, while the anti-flea killing and anti-bacteria capacity are lost – this is attributed further by the low water factor.
As a desiccant, rubbing alcohol kills fleas (instantly upon contact) by dissolving and eating away the exoskeleton (outer shell). Further, the solvent dehydrates the fleas’ soft tissues (once soaked) leading to death.
During application, pour concentrated rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl) into a can and spray on fleas-infested areas – this may be onto your couch, walls, kennel, yards, wooden floor, or carpet.
Avoid spraying your pets with rubbing alcohol as it causes respiratory problems, seizure, disorientation, and vomiting, which may lead to death. For your personal safety, wear protective gear (gloves, respirator, goggles, and overall) – direct contact will cause throat and nasal irritation as well as dizziness/headache at the wrong run.
2. Diatomaceous Earth
Upon application, diatomaceous earth instantly kills the entire fleas’ Infestation by depriving the insects’ moisture necessary for life support. Actually, the powder penetrates the exoskeleton and breaks tissues into tiny debris, thus opening internal cells for further action.
Application Procedure
- Wear protective gear – gloves, dustcoat, respirator, boost, goggles, etc.
- Pour diatomaceous earth into a basin and mix to attain uniform powder – improves action efficiency
- Using a tray or hand, scoop the powder and gently sprinkle on fleas infested areas – carpet, wooden floor, furniture, etc.
- Leave the active ingredients to kill fleas 1 to 10 minutes
- Sweep or vacuum dead fleas plus the powder before mopping the surface to dryness
NB: Avoid touching diatomaceous earth directly or inhaling the powder – the substance may chock or cause irritation.
3. Baking Soda and Salt Mixture
When mixed in the right ratio, the compound drains fleas off moisture and chocks them (suffocates upon inhaling) leading to death in a couple of minutes.
Further, the substance reduces the chance of future re-infestation too.
Preparation and Application Procedure
- Wear protective attire – gloves, face mask, dust coat, etc.
- Pour 1/2 Kg baking soda gently into a basin or jar
- Add 1/4 kg of table salt
- Stir the mixture evenly
- Using a table spoon or hand, scoop the mixture and sprinkle it over fleas infested items – it could be your furniture, bed, mattress, floor, or wall cracks
- Leave the mixture to act/kill for 10 to 15 minutes
- Vacuum clean the surface to remove dead fleas and mixture remnant
- Alternatively, you can opt add water to the mixture and stir to dissolve substances before sprinkling over the flea infested items.
NB: Always, the ratio of baking soda to salt should be 2:1 for effective killing action. Avoid inhaling the mixture as it may cause nasal discomfort.
4. Using White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
Depending on the available brand in your place, white/apple cider vinegar contains an active chemical combination that kills fleas instantly upon contact without any further solvent overspray.
The simple alkaline molecular structure that comes switch vinegar dissolves the flea’s soft tissues and breaks the entire exoskeleton. Further, vinegar inhibits the infestation of other insects such as mites and bedbugs too.
Procedure
- Wear gloves and face mask
- Gently, pour 1/2 liters of vinegar into a beaker
- Add 1/3 liters of water (to dilute) or dilute vinegar sufficiently
- Stir gently to attain a uniform solution
- Pour the solvent into a spray can and apply over fleas infested items
- Leave the sprayed sections to cure and kill fleas – for about 10 minutes or so
- Clean dead fleas and mop the surface to dryness
NB: Over diluting vinegar reduces fleas-killing effect upon use.
5. Dish Soap
Dish soap is a basic trap method that kills fleas by sticking and suffocating them. Actually, the dish soap applies stickiness formula and toxic chemicals combination that helps in trapping (sticky) and drugging or intoxicating the flea on contact.
Procedure
- Prepare dish soap (by diluting it) to form a thick viscous paste
- Fetch the dish soap paste and put it a basin
- Place the basin (with dish soap paste) in fleas infested area – it could be under your bed, on the carpet, or yard
- Leave the paste overnight and make observation in the following morning – expect that some fleas will be trapped and dead/drowned
- Scoop the dead fleas and discard them. Top up the dish soap where necessary
NB: Always maintain the dish soap paste wet (add little water) for effective trap and kill action
6. Flea Spray – Adams Fleas Spray
Flea spray is a commercially manufactured fleas killer that integrates toxic chemicals and additives, which drain and kill the entire fleas Infestation instantly – just like with flea foggers.
The spray features a natural solvent formula that combines soothing aloe additives that not only boost the killing action but also eliminate toxic pollutants upon use.
The active insect growth regulator that comes with Adams spray will kill and stunt the entire flea’s life cycle on contract. In addition, the solvent is packed in a classic spray can that allows smooth and precise application.
With Adams spray, you will also eliminate other pests such as ticks without any problem. Indeed, by using Adams spray, you’ll inhibit future fleas infestation and protect your items and pets for up to 28 days on a single application.
Due to its natural base, Adams spray won’t irritate your pet or cause skin infections on contact.
How to tell that Your Place or pet is infested with fleas?
There are several indicators that show the presence of fleas in your place, which include:
1. Presence of dead fleas
Dead fleas are left on the surface of infested items or floors upon aging – they appear as immobile black or reddish insects. The fleas’ exoskeletons dry out with time – they are easily blown to places that you can see them with naked eyes.
Be keen to observe the presence of dead or debris of fleas’ exoskeleton – in case you are new to fleas, enquire from a flea professional.
2. Presence of Live Fleas
As fleas multiply, they tend to come out onto the surface – may be in search of prey or fresh air – Squirrels.
Usually, fleas are more active at night than daytime – they are nocturnal. The presence of light scares fleas away – they go back to their hideouts.
An effective way of assessing the presence of fleas in your place or on your items is by using concentrated light (from a torch) over fleas’ suspected areas. You can intermittently switch the lights on and off as you try to spot any flea moment.
3. Flea Bites on your skin
Fleas bite and instill painful injection that forms reddish bruises or swellings. Unlike bedbugs, fleas’ bites are smaller in size and the pain is short-lived. However, the swellings may even take weeks to heal completely.
Make similar observations on your skin or tiny-pus rashes that irritate you more and trigger abnormal scratching.
4. Pet’s Itching and Increased scratching
In case, you notice abnormal scratching of your pets (cats or dogs); there is a high possibility of fleas infestation. When attacked by fleas, pets tend to scratch their skin often than never as they try to cool the prevailing itching pain.
Further, the scratching frequency increases with time as the fleas colony multiply. At times, your pets may even damage their skin or remove hair in the process. Check on similar behavior on your pets.
5. Presence of Fleas feces
When fleas excrete, they leave brownish-black spots on your items. To ascertain that the spots are actually fleas, run water over the dirt – the brown dirt turns red confirming that it’s flea’s fecal waste.
How to Prevent your Properties from Fleas Infestation
The following are some of the ways you can use to prevent fleas infestation in your place:
- Thoroughly, disinfect your items regularly against fleas.
- Fumigate your place/items with fleas inhibitors to prevent future infestation
- Clean your house, carpets, compound, or pet’s beddings thoroughly and disinfect them to prevent fleas infestation
- Avoid purchasing second hand items, especially furniture – if it happens, these items should be fumigated thoroughly against fleas.
- Always sweep and clean dirt in your compound/yard as this is the main hideouts for fleas
- Limit your pets from interacting with other pets from outside as they may be infested with fleas
- Seal cracks and holes on the walls to eliminate fleas hideouts
- Often carry out fleas control and fumigation from a professional exterminator to maintain a continuous healthy life at your place.
Conclusion
To sum up, on what can kill fleas instantly, you can choose to use diatomaceous earth, dish soap, white vinegar/apple cider vinegar, or a commercial sentry flea shampoo.
In addition, a mixture of baking soda and salt kills fleas completely, while rubbing alcohol will not only kill them but also disinfect the area thus preventing further fleas re-infestation.
Opting to go for a vacuum cleaner or commercial fleas sprays such as Adams spray will give you unmatched results provided proper administration is carried out.
Wearing protective gear when undertaking the fleas’ removal process is critical for personal safety. In case you are new to the fleas extermination process, consider hiring a professional exterminator.